Cylinder head question.....

[Jeffytune]

Hi all.

Ok, here's the deal, my E-glide popped a base gasket, and since they had the engine tore down, I asked to have the .030 head gasket install instead of the stock one.

So I stop by after work today to see how my friend Carl was doing on my bike....and I find that even though I made the appointment for him to do the work, some 25something was working on my bike, some dude I have never met.

I was very specific to whom i wanted to do the work, I am very picky to who I let work on my stuff, if it isn't me doing the work.

Anyway, he had it torn down, the intake still on with the heads, and this guy goes and cleans the head sealing area with a scotchbrite pad.

now i am not a Harley trained tech, but I am a ASE master tech, and have 29 years of doing this for a living to draw on, and every manufacture of car that is have service bulletin telling tech not to use these sanding pads on anything that has a machine surface on that is internal to the engine as the abrasive can cause damage to the bearings.

No covers over the studs, nothing covering the pistons to prevent junk from going into the engine, all the time he is off to the side grinding the valve covers to clearance the roller rockers.

I was an inch from coming unglued, so I walked out before said something I would regret later.

Tell me, am I overreacting here?

I'd have marched right into the manager of the dealerships office and demanded to know what they are going to do about...

Get the asshat off your bike...

Document the misdead and have them further guarantee any future damage that may occur due to the contamination.

I'd put a stop work on that sumbitch immediately and tell them you are ready to contact your lawyer...

Everything they did was a breach...

[Highmiles]

Nope.

You need to contact the service manager, and advise him why they need to pull the kid off the job, and what it will take to satisfy you that the engine will be put back together clean.

[Gazoo]

No, it's your money.

Was this at Paradise?

[Jeffytune]

I am trying to keep there Name out of it for now, but I would not say you were incorrect in your guess.

[TalonChief]

You're a professional mechanic; I am not. But, I'd be losin' my mind about this jewel not taking even basic precautions with ~$18K of my property. I agree with everyone else, go see the service manager and mention a lawyer if he gets pissy.

And to answer your question, I suspect scotchbrite would rip that aluminum head up pretty badly.

You kept your cool a lot better than I would have. I would have gone through the roof!

Good advice from 8-Ball & others here, go see the service manager and tell him how you feel.

[MegaGlide]

I'd have completely lost it.
But then, that's part of my charm...

[Fe Butte]

Well that wasn't a nice thing to see. Ask the SM if that's how HD is teaching the techs to surface heads.

I think a new set of heads is in order.

Musta been a heavy truck mechanic, I had a guy tell me once his truck driving friend says we don't have to take the manifolds off the remove the heads on his car.

[PeaceKeeper]

Unless it was a warranty issue you should do it yourself. I have found that most dealerships slapjack crap together and could care less. In this case I would go right to the manager and deal with it professionally. I've watched guys get removed from dealerships before by the cops because they went off on somebody.

[Friday1]

That is totally wrong! Must have been a dealership, most indy shops have knowledgable techs. I would be sceptacle about the whole job. Tell the SM before it is together and you have a hard time getting it corrected. Friday

[MegaGlide]

BTW, I get very quiet when I lose it.
I never yell or threaten.
Seems to be more effective.

[Jeffytune]

Hi all.

Ok, I had a long talk with the owner of the dealership, I man I call a friend, and he feels the same about me.

He was not very happy to hear what i had to tell him, and he said he would like to have a half hour to talk with his service manager, and get back to me.

I did get a call back from mike, and he said that the job has been pulled from that tech, and given over to the guy I asked for in the first place.
Wile they felt that the possibility of chip getting into the engine was remote, they have decided to split the cases for me and clean-out the engine.

As to the heads, it was not a rotac scotchbrite he used, but the plastic version, wile less abrasive, it is still not what Harley says to use. The lead tech checked the decks with a strait edge and said they are ok, and will cover them if there is a issue in the future.

I do trust Jon, so that is not and Issue to me at this time.

They also said Jon would check the run out on my flywheels wile there in there(We have had a vibration issue since it was new).

All in all, they are doing what I hoped they would do, and about all they can at this point.

I guess being a Automotive tech who works on flag, I know that if this was not a warranty repair, I would have rather have done it myself, I also know about the pressure to work done, but i found out years ago, you can either work by the adage, there is never enough time to do it right the first time, and plenty of time to do it over again, or, like i do, take the time to do it right the first time, and you won't need to do it twice.

Jeffy.... EXCELLENT...!

Sounds like they are treating you right... while you are in the cases... how about the TIMKEN...

Glad it worked out.

Mike

[Fe Butte]

Right on brother, glad to hear it was resolved in a good manner.

Flat rate sux.



Did I mention I hate Flat rate?