I bought a Continental O-200 engine 330 smoh a few months ago that had a minor prop strike.
At this time, I'm not going to mention the shops name, but it a very well known, long established overhaul shop.
When I dropped the engine off, I was told it would be $5000 for the tear down, inspection and reassembly. When I inquired as to what would be inspected, I was told, anything that turns would be inspected including Mags.
I told them that once the inspection was done, I wanted to know exactly what parts were good and what were bad and the cost to fix or replace as the case might be.
I won't go into all the details, but after waiting twice the amount of time I was told they would have the tear down and inspection done, I called, either a message was taken to call me, or if I was lucky enough to get to the gentleman I needed to talk to, I was always told, Oh, I'll have to get that for you and get back to you tomorrow. After waiting a few days, I'd call back, and the same proceeding scenario would play out. In the almost 3 months (it will be 3 months the 26th) they have only returned my call once.
In addition to lack of communication with the customer, ME. They have performed work that was not authorized by me. They've repaired the accessory case, re bushed the rods, re plated the crankshaft, sent the case out for repair, sent the cam out for work.
The work order I received when I dropped the engine off, states: notify of condition for possible changes after inspection, plus I verbally told them to inform me after the inspection.
So as it stands the total estimate to repair this engine is nearly $17,000. Not one part has been found bad related to the prop strike.
They've estimated $3900 to do the cylinders, which include boring to .015 over, new pistons, rings, exhaust valves, and exhaust guides. I told them I can buy brand new cylinder assemblies for $983.00, they had no answer for me on that one.
So for $17000 reworked case, cam, good crank, exchanged lifters, rebuilt cylinders, new oil pump gears and cover, test stand run, oil tank, 2 mag drive gears, intake spider, bearings, clamps, hoses, gaskets and they said this isn't considered an overhaul.
I asked them what additional items needed to be done to be considered an annual....................just one of many questions that have gone unanswered. Hard to find out answers, when they don't return calls, or emails, or when I am able to communicate with them, they have basically no answers, but will get back to me, which they never do.
Right now, with the work they've done they say I owe them $4200 plus the work on the case and the cam ( approx another $1000) if I want to go pickup my engine.
$4200, and they haven't done anything to start the reassembly of the engine............and the original quote for tear down, inspection, and assembly, was $5000, they did reduce that to $4600, said they were trying to help me out, that discount was first revealed to me on the estimate of $17000.
A friend of mine just had his engine worked on at this same shop, was there for 1 day short of a year, and the same communications problems, and other problems, I won't go into all the details. my friend tried to tell me not to use them, but this shop has a very good reputation. Also talking to our local shop they indicated similar problems, and have recently stopped using them.
So what to do? Spend $17K and not even have an overhauled engine.
Go get the engine and pay them for work I didn't authorize, granted the work probably needed to be done, but I would have had the option of not doing it and parting the engine out, either way, per the work order and our discussion it should have been my decision.
Looking for advice on what to do.
At this time, I'm not going to mention the shops name, but it a very well known, long established overhaul shop.
When I dropped the engine off, I was told it would be $5000 for the tear down, inspection and reassembly. When I inquired as to what would be inspected, I was told, anything that turns would be inspected including Mags.
I told them that once the inspection was done, I wanted to know exactly what parts were good and what were bad and the cost to fix or replace as the case might be.
I won't go into all the details, but after waiting twice the amount of time I was told they would have the tear down and inspection done, I called, either a message was taken to call me, or if I was lucky enough to get to the gentleman I needed to talk to, I was always told, Oh, I'll have to get that for you and get back to you tomorrow. After waiting a few days, I'd call back, and the same proceeding scenario would play out. In the almost 3 months (it will be 3 months the 26th) they have only returned my call once.
In addition to lack of communication with the customer, ME. They have performed work that was not authorized by me. They've repaired the accessory case, re bushed the rods, re plated the crankshaft, sent the case out for repair, sent the cam out for work.
The work order I received when I dropped the engine off, states: notify of condition for possible changes after inspection, plus I verbally told them to inform me after the inspection.
So as it stands the total estimate to repair this engine is nearly $17,000. Not one part has been found bad related to the prop strike.
They've estimated $3900 to do the cylinders, which include boring to .015 over, new pistons, rings, exhaust valves, and exhaust guides. I told them I can buy brand new cylinder assemblies for $983.00, they had no answer for me on that one.
So for $17000 reworked case, cam, good crank, exchanged lifters, rebuilt cylinders, new oil pump gears and cover, test stand run, oil tank, 2 mag drive gears, intake spider, bearings, clamps, hoses, gaskets and they said this isn't considered an overhaul.
I asked them what additional items needed to be done to be considered an annual....................just one of many questions that have gone unanswered. Hard to find out answers, when they don't return calls, or emails, or when I am able to communicate with them, they have basically no answers, but will get back to me, which they never do.
Right now, with the work they've done they say I owe them $4200 plus the work on the case and the cam ( approx another $1000) if I want to go pickup my engine.
$4200, and they haven't done anything to start the reassembly of the engine............and the original quote for tear down, inspection, and assembly, was $5000, they did reduce that to $4600, said they were trying to help me out, that discount was first revealed to me on the estimate of $17000.
A friend of mine just had his engine worked on at this same shop, was there for 1 day short of a year, and the same communications problems, and other problems, I won't go into all the details. my friend tried to tell me not to use them, but this shop has a very good reputation. Also talking to our local shop they indicated similar problems, and have recently stopped using them.
So what to do? Spend $17K and not even have an overhauled engine.
Go get the engine and pay them for work I didn't authorize, granted the work probably needed to be done, but I would have had the option of not doing it and parting the engine out, either way, per the work order and our discussion it should have been my decision.
Looking for advice on what to do.
