GM parts story

I have a 350 that has been leaking out of the timing chain cover from around the harmonic balancer. I was using a pretty old timing chain cover and in an effort to cover all my bases I went to the largest GM dealership we have in Memphis and asked for a new timing chain cover to fit that motor.

The guy first said that that part had been discontinued, but then found he could cross reference it. He came back with a stock-looking cover, only it didn't have the timing tab welded on. I asked Stumpy about this and he said that they had changed it from the factory. I was confused, and asked how we were to now time a 350. He left and game back with a bolt on timing tab. It was chrome. I was upset and noted that both pieces were stamped "Made in Taiwan". I was pretty upset and asked if these were authentic GM parts or just some crap he was trying to pass off. He got mad back and asked me if I saw the sign above the door that said "GM PARTS". I nodded and he asked if I saw his patch on his shirt that said "GM PARTS". I nodded.
I had to pay a total of $64 for the cover and tab.

I put 'em on and the cover leaked.
I retimed it this last weekend using the tab he supplied and it is way out of time and backfires now.

I'm pretty upset. Please learn a lesson from my experience and don't trust anyone. If you think you're getting shafted, then you most likely are.
-B.

Brian, you've past the point of this motor ever redeaming it's self to you. Start it up, put a cinder block on the gas pedal, stand back with a fire extinguisher and smile. I feel this may be the only way you'll ever gain satisfaction of this engine. The only thing that it could do worse to you would be to not blow up and thwart your last effort, make you feel bad or impressed that it didn't explode and decide to keep it only to have it throw a rod when you're going someplace important...that would be some irony, and funny as hell, but again...dissatisfying. Um...anyway, then you can buy a crate motor and have someone else to hold accountable which is less wearing than blaming yourself.

Not to get this thread offtrack, but that is my goal. To have a motor build by a pro who is held accountable. The GM Goodwrench motor comes with a warranty and also a reputation.

-B.

si, si! I'm all for it. Keep that other one though, and use it to put ebay parts in over a few years, just for fun.

Brian, I had the same type of problem when I put my Crate motor in my truck. the chevy Dealer sold me the hermonic balancer and the cheap crome tab and sent me on my way. It turned out it was off about 40 degrees. they told me that I didn't know what I was doing. I told them that do to the 50k warrenty on the motor that I want them to fix it... they told me that if were my error that I would have to pay 95.00. I told them to go ahead and look at it. they made me sign the otherization with the 95.00 disclosure. Long story short they spent all day on it and decided that they don't make a hermonic ballancer for thier crate motor(without timing marks?). then the manager came to me and told me that I have to pay 420.00 to pick up the truck. and they still don't know whats wrong with it. They were not going to budge, they said it was buyer error even though I bought the parts at the same time as the motor. finally the sales guy helped me and pointed out that the work order only othorized 95.00. I showed that to the manager and got my truck out of prison. The next day I called the supervisor and threat to sew. and with in a week my credit card was reambursed and they sent me the ZZ4 hermonic ballancer with the set marking on the ballancer that goes 50 deg out. I think that they are Natzi The funny part is that the dealer say they do not make a hermonic ballancer that works with thier crate motor :x :x

Dealers can suck sometimes, and there are a lot of disreputable s out there. The important thing is to demand service, and if you dont' get it, do whatever you can to dent their income, sue, call the BBB, tell all your friends, whatever it takes. It's not right for them to gouge people. Or give them false information.

E-mail, phone or write a real letter to the HQ in Detroit. The dealerships are graded and ranked by the HQ. When they get bad marks, it cost them money.

A friend of mine had the a/c in his Durango worked on by a local Dodge dealer. The dealer broke the bulkhead fitting at the firewall then told my buddy he would have to by a new one. He refused, they threatened to put a mechanics lean on the truck, he e-mailed and then phoned Chrysler in Detroit. Later that night, he got a phone call from Germany. The Daimler guy apologized and told him to go pick up his truck after 3 the next day. He got his truck with cold a/c and a bunch of apologies. They also gave him a $2000 of his next Dodge coupon. He used it a another dealer to buy a Cummins truck.

This might work better at a small town dealership. I have a brother in law how owns several Ford dealerships. He tells me that Ford is wanting to get rid of all the small mom and pop type dealers. They have even gone so far as to make it that if the owner of a single dealership dies. His kids can't inherit it. They have to sell to a large company that already owns several. I would imagine that the other cmpanies have or will adopt the same sort of policy. I also know that Ford tried to get rid of all of the dealers a few years ago and do all sales on-line. The dealer groups lobbied pretty hard and now most states have laws requiring new cars to be bought from a dealership.

Tim, that does work, I called for a friend that was getting screwed on a warranty deal, they straightened right up

Awww Doug....that 'empty space' in your sign off is sad. 5 ton wrecker with the 250 Cummins? You'll be my hero! :)

It goes back to dealerships not wanting to pay for people that know what the hell they are doing. parts sales account for a large portion of dealers income -larger than car sales- yet parts guys are paid less than anyone . I know I loved what I did but I got tired of salesmen making obsene salaries while our dept. was neglected. It has happened in the aftermarket as well. The days of a counterman being able to get you what you need without a computer screen have passed and now mouthbreathers who need you to hold their hand while they look up a small block chevy oil filter are what is left.

I need a starter relay for my CUCV. Should be a simple 5 buck part...BUT Oh no...I get "dude my computer dosen't show it...I must not have one..." So it looks like I'll be forced to go to the dealership tomorrow to talk to nana the 95 year old grandmother with the pack of marbrow in her sleave tell me that chevy never made that part....What's a guy to do...:(