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Always re check mechanics work!

Started by Jack Miller CLC# 24441, August 14, 2016, 01:57:46 PM

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Jack Miller CLC# 24441

I just had my 61 series 62 convertible in for a top and while it was there, I had my rear ball joint replaced. I went under the car and checked the rear center ball joint and found they never put grease into the fitting. I called and bitched at the shop. Won't use them again. I filled it with grease before it got damaged and I had to replace it again.
Jack
1961 series 62

Scot Minesinger

Jack,

That is like writing that we don't trust politicians.  If you must use a shop verify and check their work.

There are no good mechanics in Washington, DC and I can no longer trust them.  I'm talking several years ago my wife went to the number one known quick oil change place in America (maybe they change oil in a jiffy) to get oil changed and refused the extras.  When she returned her remote did not work and I gave her mine with the idea that I would eventually replace the battery in hers (I never drive the car).  Just got to it, and the reason the remote did not work is all the internal electronics in the plastic were removed.  To me they retaliated when she refused the added sale items and sabotaged her.  Thank goodness they did not pour sand in the engine.
Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

Jon S

#2
Scot -

Ties in to your why we do our repairs our selves a while back!
Jon

1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT

bcroe

Quote from: Jack Miller CLC# 24441
I just had my 61 series 62 convertible in for a top and while it was there, I had my rear ball joint replaced. I went under the car and checked the rear center ball joint and found they never put grease into the fitting. I called and bitched at the shop. Won't use them again. I filled it with grease before it got damaged and I had to replace it again.   Jack   

Its a sad reflection on the state of our irresponsible society.  I have so many stories
that I really can't afford the time to document them.  But nobody else has done any
repairs on my cars for a very long time.  I am stuck around the years I learned to
repair and have tools  and parts stocked for, centered around 1979.  Bruce Roe

The Tassie Devil(le)

The second time I had a car repaired when it broke down at an inconvenient moment in time, and I had to be somewhere, I left my car at a garage to be repaired so that when my appointment was over, it would be repaired.

When I got back to the Garage they owner said that I had a deeper problem within the car, and it needed immediate repair.   It had developed a loud knock and a miss.

I decided to have it towed home, and would look at it myself.

I pulled off the cylinder head, and lo and behold, stuck between an Exhaust Valve and the seat was a broken spring washer.   Further investigation revealed that there was a spring washer missing from one of the Carby top cover bolts.

What was initially a fuel delivery problem, resulted in the mechanic removing the carby cover, and managing to drop one of the spring washers down the carby throat.   Starting it up, after putting it back together, allowed the washer to enter the combustion chamber, get broken by contact between the piston crown and the cylinder head, and at least one part of the two halves exiting past the exhaust valve.

If they had spun the engine a few more times, maybe the piece would have continued on its' way, and the mechanic would have been off the hook.

When shown the spring still between the valve and seat (I knew the evidence was required) they admitted fault, and paid for a VRS set of gaskets, and didn't charge me for their "work".

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Scot Minesinger

Bruce,

This is about par for the course. 
Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

Jack Miller CLC# 24441

Even Chinese parts suck!! I will not use Parts made in China unless there is no other way. I just had a Chinese grinding disc blow up into my full face mask. Lucky I was wearing it.

Scot Minesinger

Jack,

Products made in China are terrible, only use them as a last resort.  If there was a way to ban them being sold in America to protect the public it should be done, but that is highly unlikely I get it.
Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

Like the CT6 discussed in the General forum?
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille

Scot Minesinger

The CT6 built in China stays in China.  Stuff they build for themselves may be good, stuff they export is terrible in my experience.   
Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

Steve W

I SO agree! I would rather rebuild my old USA parts than install new Chinese stuff!
My experience with after-market stuff from China has not been so good.

A lot of the repairs I can do myself, and I'll buy the parts, and gladly pay MORE for USA or rebuilt USA stuff if it's available.

If I'm having something done that I can not do myself, like my recent radiator re-core, I will insist upon USA made parts if at all possible.


Steve Waddington
1968 Coupe deVille
North Hollywood, CA
CLC Member # 32866

Jack Miller CLC# 24441

The problem is the parts for rebuild are made in China, so back to phase 1. I keep going to swap meets looking for oEM parts that are still good and not dried out.
I justbput a new fuel reader in my tank. With a full tank of gas, it broke! On top of that, the gasket is bad so gas on a full tank is dropping out of the top of tank. It's a nasty job. Thank goodness the tank has a drain.
Jack
1961

bcroe

Quote from: Jack Miller CLC# 24441I just put a new fuel reader in my tank. With a full tank of gas, it broke! On top of that, the gasket is bad so gas on a full tank is dropping out of the top of tank. It's a nasty job. Thank goodness the tank has a drain.  Jack  1961 

None of my gas tanks have drains.  Since I swap them maybe every decade and
a half, it would be useful.  Anybody got a standardized way to get most of the
gas emptied out of a tank?  I take them down with my transmission jack, so
they can be out of the car for this.  Bruce Roe

Jay Friedman

I agree it's best to do your own work to the extent possible.  There are some messy jobs or jobs for which I don't have the right tools or equipment, such as exhaust work or changing the coolant (got to bring the old stuff to a radiator shop for disposal), that I'd prefer not  doing myself.  Even then, the last time I had the coolant changed--which I do every few years--instead of draining the block in addition to the radiator as I asked, the shop just drained the radiator and charged too much besides.   

I also find greasing my '49 messy and physically demanding when doing it on the ground with the car on jack stands.  However, there are a couple of grease points which are hard to see and to reach--and sometimes individual grease fittings wear out, won't accept grease and must be removed and replaced--but I don't trust anyone except myself to pay attention to (or even care about) such things.  So, I bite the bullet and do it myself.

My mechanical aptitudes are by and large restricted to cars of the mid-30s to mid-50s.  As a result I never work on my modern cars (don't even recognize anything when I open the hood).  On the other hand, with the exception of some very specialized tasks, I think I can usually do a better job on my '49 than most professionals, largely because I give a darn (choose whatever stronger term than "darn" you feel appropriate). 

to bcroe: I suggest that after taking down your gas tank on a transmission jack, you remove the sending unit and then siphon the gas out into containers from that hole.  Depending on the year of your car, you may also be able to siphon some out through the filler pipe before removing the tank from the car, which would make the tank lighter and easier to deal with when on the transmission jack.

to Jack Miller: my '49's brand new tank and sending unit also leaks from the sending unit gasket when full, particularly when parked on a downhill incline, as it also did from the old tank.  I once mentioned this to a friend who has owned Cadillacs longer than me, and he replied that Cadillac gas tanks are "notorious" for leaking that way no matter what you do to try to prevent it.  As a result I try not to fill it up right up to the top 
   
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

bcroe

Quote from: Jay FriedmanI agree it's best to do your own work to the extent possible.  There are some messy jobs or jobs for which I don't have the right tools or equipment, such as exhaust work or changing the coolant (got to bring the old stuff to a radiator shop for disposal), that I'd prefer not  doing myself.  Even then, the last time I had the coolant changed--which I do every few years--instead of draining the block in addition to the radiator as I asked, the shop just drained the radiator and charged too much besides.   

I also find greasing my '49 messy and physically demanding when doing it on the ground with the car on jack stands.  However, there are a couple of grease points which are hard to see and to reach--and sometimes individual grease fittings wear out, won't accept grease and must be removed and replaced--but I don't trust anyone except myself to pay attention to (or even care about) such things.  So, I bite the bullet and do it myself.

My mechanical aptitudes are by and large restricted to cars of the mid-30s to mid-50s.  As a result I never work on my modern cars (don't even recognize anything when I open the hood).  On the other hand, with the exception of some very specialized tasks, I think I can usually do a better job on my '49 than most professionals, largely because I give a darn (choose whatever stronger term than "darn" you feel appropriate). 

to bcroe: I suggest that after taking down your gas tank on a transmission jack, you remove the sending unit and then siphon the gas out into containers from that hole. 

to Jack Miller: my '49's brand new tank and sending unit also leaks from the sending unit gasket when full, particularly when parked on a downhill incline, as it also did from the old tank.     

Lots of things that aren't supposed to leak, do.  I have become quite a fan of that
blue form-a-gasket stuff used to glue on valve covers.  It fixed a leaking inverted
flare into the trans fluid cooler of an Asian radiator (till I eventually got a much
better radiator).  Fixed more than one home plumbing issue.  Check the type you
use, but I bet putting it on the current gasket would fix your gas tank. 

For emptying my tank, seems like I never have the right siphon equipment.  Right
now I have an electric fuel pump which I hope will do it. 

No doubt, there are very few professionals out there who are familiar with a 49. 
The Honda dealer is starting to get weary of this 2001, as it closes on 400,000
miles (running perfectly).  After 50 oil changes, a little blue on the plug means
absolutely no drip, without stressing the threads too much. 

I did a lot of work on my 60s cars when near new.  Then upgraded to late 70s.  My
feeling is late 70s are about the easiest to maintain, much less trouble than my 60s
cars, and probably also for earlier.  No more ring & valve jobs, gen brushes, constant
tune ups, drastically reduced brake work, my 400 transmission are rarely and easily
serviced (plenty of parts available).  The stick shift I drove was a service headache,
the old hydros were even worse.  With the cat converter the emissions equipment is
simpler and less troublesome than the 60s.  From 1980 on things just get more and
more complex.  Of course I made a few mods to simplify maintenance even more. 

At some point I found the cost of simple exhaust pipes was outrageous, and I was
fed up with keeping up systems on multiple cars.  I bought a cheap drill press, a
cheap band saw, and some premium blades and drill bits.  With a cheap MIG
welder, I was doing home brew PERMANENT exhaust and brake systems.  The
stainless parts under my 62 came from the only place I could find, an industrial
supplier.  Now you can get anything you want off the internet. 

Turns out a car lift is really worth it, for all trouble and dirt you avoid.  And a
lot of physically demanding stuff gets much easier, seems to be more important
every year.  Its no more expensive to put up yourself, than one or two of the
major jobs you can now do yourself.  Set the height wherever you need for
brakes (or whatever), up and down as needed.  The problem is, all the space
it requires, and really good concrete for a 2 post.   This was a major consideration
when moving.  Bruce Roe

Jay Friedman

I agree I now need some sort of car lift.  I'll probably get a simple type that raises the car 3 or 4 feet off the floor rather than the fancier type that goes higher.
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

cadman56

Yep, I did all repairs to all my cars until I could not longer see to work on them.  A sad state of affairs our repair shops are in now.  Before my repair shop owner, caddy buddy, died he advised he very soon would have to start turning down work on the new cars because he could no longer afford the test equipment.  BTW, I never had to check the work his shop did on my cars.  Rare.
I applaud all you who are still able to fix your cars.  I still do what I can as I am finishing up my 56 Seville.  It needed an idler arm and I paid the price to get one from Rare Parts, made in USA.  Agree with China parts. 
Larry
1956 Cadillac Coupe deVille (sold)
1956 Cadillac Convertible (sold)
1956 Cadillac Eldorado Seville (sold)
1967 Cadillac Eldorado (sold)
1968 Cadillac Convertible (Sold)
1991 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham dElegance
Larry Blanchard CLC #5820

Jim Stamper


     There still are many good shops out there, but sometimes a guy get distracted for a moment and loses track of the sequence of the work.

     A friend's shop has an excellent reputation, maybe 6 lifts and a parts store. Around 40 years or so. A few years ago a former Surgeon General of the United States took his suv in for work. He is a regular customer and a truly good man. One of the mechanics put one of the wheels his suv back on and forgot to tighten the lugs when distracted. The former SG made its couple miles before one corner of the car squatted. He thought something was noisy and was going back but didn't make it. No harm done at all except except total embarrassment around the shop. A lesson was learned,  pretty sure that was a one time thing.   

     That SG saw a surveyor friend of mine working in the middle of a street one day. No orange vest. SG stops, gets an orange out of his trunk and asks my friend if he would wear it for him as a favor.  One guy very dedicated to safety.  Jim Stamper  CLC#13470

Jim Stamper


    Four or five years ago I realized the creeper had lost its glamour so I began haunting Craigslist.  I found one 20 miles away, made in Kansas around 2006. Company is defunct now, the foreign lifts have hit that industry. I wasn't worried about parts, anything that moves is aftermarket, easily obtained. The guy had moved, no garage to put in in yet so I bought it for $1200. Why I waited decades to buy one of those things I will never know.

     It is a two post, I only have a 10' ceiling but an old office chair works good. I was a bit concerned with only two posts but a 10' ceiling made making some steel brackets to connect the post to the ceiling beams easy. It is very rigid, no worries.

     When I was looking it seemed high quality used US lifts cost about the same as new foreign lifts. I found there were dozens on lifts on Craigslist, new and used. Pick a good one, watch it work if still installed.   Jim Stamper  CLC#13470

bcroe

Quote from: Jim StamperI found there were dozens on lifts on Craigslist, new and used.
Pick a good one, watch it work if still installed.   Jim Stamper  CLC#13470   

I would add on this (and many other things), find one that is working, and take
it down & transport yourself.  Otherwise you are practically guaranteed (unless
you bought it from me) to have important pieces missing or broken.  By the time
that is corrected, you wish you had bought a new one.  Bruce Roe