Big Name Porting Shops Who Blow It...
01-14-2004, 10:59 PM
#63
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 18
Originally Posted by l8t apex' date='Jan 14 2004, 04:56 PM
another pic testing the resize to see if it downloads.
This is just the beginning. Wait til you see some of the other pics, it gets worse.
My experience was the same as Banzai. I have a stack of e-mails detailing what is in the rebuild and what I want out of the motor. Rob would talk your ear off on the phone. Totally opposite once the problems start, e-mails go unanswered and the only way you get Rob on the phone is if he happens to answer when you call.
Jack
01-14-2004, 11:14 PM
#64
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Grand Prairie, TX
Posts: 917
Originally Posted by Trout' date='Jan 14 2004, 08:59 PM
A fine example of Pineapple Racing workmanship. The first engine I received from Pineapple never started because coolant came out the exhaust when I filled the coolant system. The motor was sent back and repaired. Well, the repair held to fill the system but the motor burned coolant from the moment it started.
This is just the beginning. Wait til you see some of the other pics, it gets worse.
My experience was the same as Banzai. I have a stack of e-mails detailing what is in the rebuild and what I want out of the motor. Rob would talk your ear off on the phone. Totally opposite once the problems start, e-mails go unanswered and the only way you get Rob on the phone is if he happens to answer when you call.
Jack
This is just the beginning. Wait til you see some of the other pics, it gets worse.
My experience was the same as Banzai. I have a stack of e-mails detailing what is in the rebuild and what I want out of the motor. Rob would talk your ear off on the phone. Totally opposite once the problems start, e-mails go unanswered and the only way you get Rob on the phone is if he happens to answer when you call.
Jack
B
01-14-2004, 11:39 PM
#65
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,089
very disturbing..... i have a friend who also had a bad experience with a PR motor recently, ill try to get his input on this. i never expected to see these kinda problems from Rob. ive had a lot of respect for him for a long time..
01-15-2004, 12:25 AM
#66
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Grand Prairie, TX
Posts: 917
Originally Posted by SPEED_NYC' date='Jan 14 2004, 09:39 PM
very disturbing..... i have a friend who also had a bad experience with a PR motor recently, ill try to get his input on this. i never expected to see these kinda problems from Rob. ive had a lot of respect for him for a long time..
B
01-15-2004, 12:38 AM
#67
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,089
Originally Posted by BDC' date='Jan 14 2004, 10:25 PM
Well, that's what makes me wonder whether or not Rob is even aware of such problems or if he's the guy that's done this shoddy work. Even though he represents his employees and his shop's name, it might be that he didn't do any of it. We don't honestly know except for those that are eye-witnesses to the events.
B
B
i know CJ, (PPNOS13B) knows Rob. CJ, mabye you should bring these threads to Robs attention so that we can get his input on this. its only fair to give him an opportunity to respond
Roan
01-15-2004, 02:20 AM
#68
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: My BIG ol TURBO-DIESEL
Posts: 5,181
QUOTE (BDC @ Jan 14 2004, 10:25 PM)
Well, that's what makes me wonder whether or not Rob is even aware of such problems or if he's the guy that's done this shoddy work. Even though he represents his employees and his shop's name, it might be that he didn't do any of it. We don't honestly know except for those that are eye-witnesses to the events.
B
As I stated before , Rob finally did offer to look at this engine to see if it was a warrentable issue; However I have chosen not not to send this engine back to Pineapple. My reasons:
1. Less than adequate Service when I called the shop, Being told through a shop employee: "To just add Prestone Block Sealer to it"
2. Pineapple's less than steller customer service to other Forum Members lately.
3. If they didn't care to do it right the first time, what is their motivation to correct it properly, when the customer can't witness the work?
4. MMORBID CURIOUSITY: I wanted to see what Ihad spent 2495 + 350 in shipping for. What I did get:
a. New Housings
b. New Bearings
c. New OIl Control Rings
What I didn't get:
a.An engine that put out factory Horsepower ratings, as evidenced by 2 dyno runs on different dyno's
b. A feeling that my problem would be taken care of. (aka "a warm fuzzy")
c. Half-assed answers to my questions
d. A lot of: "He is in the porting booth" when I called
e. Someone else (employeed by PR) assembling my engine
f. Other than Mazda seals used to assemble the "keg".
g. No "oil Pan Baffling" or "-10 oil lines" as specified here:
http://pineappleracing.com/PricelistSvcs.html under Stage I oil mods chart.
I have not measured the oil pump yet to see if its 17mm
Well, that's what makes me wonder whether or not Rob is even aware of such problems or if he's the guy that's done this shoddy work. Even though he represents his employees and his shop's name, it might be that he didn't do any of it. We don't honestly know except for those that are eye-witnesses to the events.
B
As I stated before , Rob finally did offer to look at this engine to see if it was a warrentable issue; However I have chosen not not to send this engine back to Pineapple. My reasons:
1. Less than adequate Service when I called the shop, Being told through a shop employee: "To just add Prestone Block Sealer to it"
2. Pineapple's less than steller customer service to other Forum Members lately.
3. If they didn't care to do it right the first time, what is their motivation to correct it properly, when the customer can't witness the work?
4. MMORBID CURIOUSITY: I wanted to see what Ihad spent 2495 + 350 in shipping for. What I did get:
a. New Housings
b. New Bearings
c. New OIl Control Rings
What I didn't get:
a.An engine that put out factory Horsepower ratings, as evidenced by 2 dyno runs on different dyno's
b. A feeling that my problem would be taken care of. (aka "a warm fuzzy")
c. Half-assed answers to my questions
d. A lot of: "He is in the porting booth" when I called
e. Someone else (employeed by PR) assembling my engine
f. Other than Mazda seals used to assemble the "keg".
g. No "oil Pan Baffling" or "-10 oil lines" as specified here:
http://pineappleracing.com/PricelistSvcs.html under Stage I oil mods chart.
I have not measured the oil pump yet to see if its 17mm
01-15-2004, 02:26 AM
#69
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: CT
Posts: 1,345
it looks as if a 2 year old pu the engine together, even if you dont know JACK **** about building motors i still expect someone to do a better job with any sort of common sence. but to sell motors like these takes *****.
01-15-2004, 04:37 AM
#70
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
Posts: 16
I feel sorry for you guys, I have had similar BAD experiences with a shop here in New Zealand but on far simpler stuff.
I had just purhased a 1987 Series 4 Savannah GT-R (Turbo II in the states) and decided to take it to a reputable shop in Auckland where I knew the owner (had worked on a drag car with him) to get it checked over and get a service.
During the service they picked up that the gasket between the turbo and the exhaust system was leaking and needed replacement, and they suggested I replace the gaskets between the rotor housings and the manifold and the one between the manifold and the turbo as a precaution as well. I was quoted 5 hours for the job and had it done.
The guy who did the job was new, and when talking to him I discovered it was his first job and that he was not qualified, this scared the **** out of me!
Anyway, I picked the car up and started driving home, I got about half an hour away from Auckland and noticed that when I pulled up at stops the car would not idle properly and that a loud ticking noise was coming from down near the exhaust. I called the owner of the shop and he got me to bring it back. I did this and they adjusted the Throttle Position Sensor, this made it idle a bit better but not properly and it still was ticking.
They said they could not figure it out and that I might have to live with it, anyway I took it home again and kept on driving it. Slowly it seemed to get less and less power and more sluggish and would miss gear changes (was an auto) and start in second at take off. One day when passing I took it out of overdrive for more power and when I put it back in there was no 4th gear!!!
I called the workshop and they had a replacement transmission there so I took the car up the next day driving it all the way without overdrive. I asked to have the ticking noise fixed and any other problems at the same time as I needed to start a new job in about 4 days in a city 5 hours away and take the car.
I picked the car up 2 days later with the new transmission, but the ticking was still there. The new guy said he didn't have time to fix it (which is bullshit because even I can change a transmission in about 3 hours!). Anyway I drove the car to my new job and it was shockingly bad.
I decided to have a look myself, I purchased a copy of the Mazda service manual and started pulling the exhaust manifolds and that off. Along the way I noticed a lot of things seemed to be unplugged.
The BAC valve was unplugged, they Factory IDLE adjuster located under the left headlight was unplugged, about 3 vacum lines were unplugged.
Then I discovered it!,
THE GUY HAD BOLTED ONLY THE TOP TWO NUTS OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD UP, NO BOTTOM NUTS AT ALL!!!!
I pulled the manifold off and it was cracked as well as the turbo's exhasust housing!, the gasket between the rotor housing and the manifold had been burnt/blown away around the bottom half.
I called the workshop and they offered to fix it if I bought the car back, but It was in bits and I was a 5 hour drive away. The owner sent me the gaskets and I sourced a replacement manifold/turbo. I fitted it all and plugged the plugs they had left off back in, the car ran like it had before I ever took it to that workshop.
Needless to say I will never go back there, never reccomend them and never buy parts from them. Instead I will be spending my money with Alec Bell at Kiwi-RE (www.kiwi-re.com) for my next rotary project as they have an excellent reputation, lots of experience and only employ experienced people.
I had just purhased a 1987 Series 4 Savannah GT-R (Turbo II in the states) and decided to take it to a reputable shop in Auckland where I knew the owner (had worked on a drag car with him) to get it checked over and get a service.
During the service they picked up that the gasket between the turbo and the exhaust system was leaking and needed replacement, and they suggested I replace the gaskets between the rotor housings and the manifold and the one between the manifold and the turbo as a precaution as well. I was quoted 5 hours for the job and had it done.
The guy who did the job was new, and when talking to him I discovered it was his first job and that he was not qualified, this scared the **** out of me!
Anyway, I picked the car up and started driving home, I got about half an hour away from Auckland and noticed that when I pulled up at stops the car would not idle properly and that a loud ticking noise was coming from down near the exhaust. I called the owner of the shop and he got me to bring it back. I did this and they adjusted the Throttle Position Sensor, this made it idle a bit better but not properly and it still was ticking.
They said they could not figure it out and that I might have to live with it, anyway I took it home again and kept on driving it. Slowly it seemed to get less and less power and more sluggish and would miss gear changes (was an auto) and start in second at take off. One day when passing I took it out of overdrive for more power and when I put it back in there was no 4th gear!!!
I called the workshop and they had a replacement transmission there so I took the car up the next day driving it all the way without overdrive. I asked to have the ticking noise fixed and any other problems at the same time as I needed to start a new job in about 4 days in a city 5 hours away and take the car.
I picked the car up 2 days later with the new transmission, but the ticking was still there. The new guy said he didn't have time to fix it (which is bullshit because even I can change a transmission in about 3 hours!). Anyway I drove the car to my new job and it was shockingly bad.
I decided to have a look myself, I purchased a copy of the Mazda service manual and started pulling the exhaust manifolds and that off. Along the way I noticed a lot of things seemed to be unplugged.
The BAC valve was unplugged, they Factory IDLE adjuster located under the left headlight was unplugged, about 3 vacum lines were unplugged.
Then I discovered it!,
THE GUY HAD BOLTED ONLY THE TOP TWO NUTS OF THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD UP, NO BOTTOM NUTS AT ALL!!!!
I pulled the manifold off and it was cracked as well as the turbo's exhasust housing!, the gasket between the rotor housing and the manifold had been burnt/blown away around the bottom half.
I called the workshop and they offered to fix it if I bought the car back, but It was in bits and I was a 5 hour drive away. The owner sent me the gaskets and I sourced a replacement manifold/turbo. I fitted it all and plugged the plugs they had left off back in, the car ran like it had before I ever took it to that workshop.
Needless to say I will never go back there, never reccomend them and never buy parts from them. Instead I will be spending my money with Alec Bell at Kiwi-RE (www.kiwi-re.com) for my next rotary project as they have an excellent reputation, lots of experience and only employ experienced people.