lart951

This is not one of those stories. I give up, some might consider just doing that after 4 blown head gaskets and finally a broken ring. Well not me. I went and started to search for a engine replacement for my car after the broken ring. I ended up buying an engine from a guy in Florida, whose name I am not going to disclose at this time, next you will find the description of the engine on one of many of the emails that we exchanged:

Luis,
Good morning,
Shipping fee's were estimated on a 400lb motor with dimensions of 42"x42"x30". DHL 5-day ground was our best price at $267.58. After they weigh and get exact dimensions, it may be less, but certainly not more. If you can get a better price, by all means let us know!
Here are the results of the leak-down test as John promised:

Cyl Compression Leak-down
#1 150 5%
#2 150 4%
#3 150 7%
#4 149 6%
These readings are excellent on a engine with 80k miles, anything with less than 10% leakage is wonderful! (no smoke, no leaking oil, no noises that shouldn't be there!)
You'll be happy!
Call if you need anything else!
Thanks!

It looks great on the email and the guy sounds so nice over the phone besides, he runs a VERY Respectable shop in Florida, well when the engine comes and my mechanic inspects the motor he finds that the crankshaft has a enormous play!

I got a video of that (1.2mb:

http://members.rennlist.com/lart951/crank.MPG

Also, my mechanic shows me the thermostat and tells me that it does not look good at all, next a picture of the thermostat:

http://members.rennlist.com/lart951/DSC00114.JPG
http://members.rennlist.com/lart951/DSC00116.JPG

Well, I talk to the guy, he continues to ensure me that the engine is about the best motor he’s ever seen. He says that he is willing to send me a main bearing set and a pan gasket, my mechanic goes ahead and removes the pan and next you will see how nice that 80k mile ,sweet engine, that this guy promised me, looks:

http://members.rennlist.com/lart951/DSC00117.JPG
http://members.rennlist.com/lart951/DSC00118.JPG
http://members.rennlist.com/lart951/DSC00119.JPG

Don't you just guys love Chocolate-milk!!

and the rollers and pulleys look great too!
http://members.rennlist.com/lart951/DSC00122.JPG

At this point here are my options:

#1 Buy a local engine in Southern California and request a refund from this guy.
#2 Take a plane to Florida and shoot the nice guy dead.

I am going to see a engine on Monday, and I am calling the guy to demand a refund. I will keep you guys posted.

Thanks
Luis

TonyG

The engine looks like it had been in a fire at some point in time, although if true wouldn't mean much, but it would explain the discoloration on the pan/internals, as well as the burned off paint on the front engine pulleys and rollers, etc...

That's probably why...

TonyG

scottz

I'm not a lawyer, but I would recommend against the plane trip and murder scenario. I'm not sure it is even too legal to post the above #2 option above, even though I'm pretty sure you are joking and it's none of my business.

Sorry to hear your bad luck. It seems you win some and loose some buying things from a distance. I hope the refund goes well, let us know.

Cyrus951

Good luck man..

lart951

quote by scottz
Thanks scottz, I know I shouldn't have posted such a ridiculous statement, I actually wasn't planing to shoot the guy dead it was more like just shooting him in the legs or something like that, coming out in the 6 o'clock news is kind of exciting and I could use the air time to share with the people about rennlist.

Ok is a joke, I am not going to ruin my life for $ 2500.00 dollars. First I am going to call the guy early tomorrow morning kindly request a refund, if that doesn't work. I will explore any legal ways to recover my money. The worst scenario is buying another engine and keep the crapy engine for parts.

One thing for sure I am glad to be a part of the rennlist community thanks for your support guys.

Luis

BoostGuy951

How about just building a 2.8? With the original motor? Is it not salvagable?

lart951

BoostGuy951,
Before buying the crapy engine from Florida, I tried contacting huntley racing but they didn't respond. I was interested in their long block for $ 3500.00.
But they are gone now.

Where can I buy a rebuilt engine with a warranty here in Califonia for under $ 3500.00?

TonyG

lart951


I've got a couple of good short blocks (at least they appear good). I've not checked them out fully yet, and won't have time to do so for good week or so.

If you need one by then shoot me a call and I'll see what I can do.

TonyG

lart951

Thanks Tony, I am going to check a engine tomorrow in Orange County, if that doesn't work out I will give you a call.

Mike B

lart...and after the fire I think they let it sit outside for a substantial time.

Not telling you nothing you don't know but with that engine your looking at rebuild. Have you pulled the head? Wondering how the cylinders look and how much (if any) ring ridge there is?

Try your phone call but please keep us posted.

Robby

I'm pretty sure it's not even illegal to actually threaten someone- much less post about it- it IS of course, illegal to carry a threat out. I'm referring to a physical damage type threat. I mean, if you told someone that you were going to kill them, aside from being an idiot & pretty much destroying your chances of ever getting away w/it should you actually decide to carry it out, you wouldn't be breaking the law (I don't think) & the person couldn't get the police to do anything about it nor could they get any kind of protection (w/out paying for it privately)- granted, to carry that specific threat out is most defiantely illegal & you would probably get some sort of extra charge for the threat in addition to the actual murder- if nothing else, it would get you 1st degree instead of lesser, OR, manslaughter based on crime of passion, etc, & ensure a conviction, assuming the threat was proven &/or witnessed... OF course, posting it is just as good- maybe it's good that he posted it- this might ensure that he wont take such action, as now he knows he wont get away w/it... Of course, I pretty much knew it was a joke from the moment I read it, as did you & everyone else I assume, but..

Anyway, are there any lawyers here? IS it illegal to actually post something like that &/or verbally (or otherwise) threaten someone?

Just curious... Good luck w/this situation- that makes me sick- I really do feel for you- I've had so many probs w/this damn car that everytime I think of something else going wrong, I think of it as possibly being that final straw- it can really get frustrating... good luck, & if the guy doesn't make good, please let us know about it so the rest of us can avoid him too...

Oh, also, those leakdown #'s don't really sound all that great- my car had 125k when I bought it & my compression & leakdown was:

1: 150 : 3%
2: 146 : 3%
3: 150 : 3%
4: 150 : 3%

My mechanic acted like my leakdown wasn't terribly impressive- not bad, but could have been a little better, even for the mileage- the compression #'s were a little high, though, actually- I think normally, 951 #'s are closer to 140. Anyway, my car was relatively slow, so I really believe the #'s could have been better- it was probably a hair slower than a normal 951 was when new- I really believe a really strong S2 would run right w/it & not start to fall behind until at least ~100mph. A strong 968 would definately show me tailights until ~145mph. Of course, a good 968 should beat a good 951 pretty much all the way up anyway, but, be extremely close- 1/4 mile times were pretty even b/t 968 & normal 951, although 968's tested by magazines seemed to be slow- they really should be faster & I've heard of them running ~14.0-14.2 on the street, whereas Turbo S was always 14.2 in mags & the best I've heard of streetwise has been ~14.0 for bone stock- the 968 has many advantages accel-wise- anyway, it doesn't always work out the way it's supposed to & I just went WAY off into tangentland... my only point being that my car wasn't that strong & had pretty good #'s- could have nothing to do w/it's speed, but, I always thought comp & LD #'s were good indicators of a healthy engine & would at least give an idea of HP- I dynoed my car at the same time & peaked at 199RWHP & 216RWTQ- that TQ is about right, ~5 low, & the HP is a good 10HP low... The best I've ever heard of is ~220HP/230TQ for bone stock & avg being ~210/220 for Turbo S... Anyway, you didn't ask for this book, but... good luck...

turbo944

Yes, Robby...this one IS illegal. It's called Assualt in TN (they combined assualt and battery). Threatening is illegal.

Here's the code in TN, other states may vary:
(a) A person commits assault who:
(1) Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another;
(2) Intentionally or knowingly causes another to reasonably fear imminent bodily injury; or
(3) Intentionally or knowingly causes physical contact with another and a reasonable person would regard the contact as extremely offensive or provocative.

Now in this case it would fall under number 2, but he has to reasonably believe that lart951 would really do it. Considering the money involved, people have committed murder for less (remember tennis shoes and leather jackets?), so perhaps if he saw the original posts and not the follow ups that he might reasonably believe it as he doesn't know lart951 really well or what he's capable of. Now, had lart951 said he was going to fly down there and tie this guy to the space shuttle and launch him into orbit, that would be much harder to believe and most people couldn't consider that a reasonable threat (unless you maybe work on the shuttle and prep it for launch :P If you want to say something as an idle threat, do it in such a way that no one would possibly believe you capable of carrying it out. Using a teleporter to send them to the moon without any air, creating a temporary black hole to suck them and their business into another dimension, going back and time and preventing his parents from having sex, things like that.... And always use "I'd like to" instead of "I should" or "I think I'll". The more vague and impossible it is, the harder it would be to prove reasonable fear of bodily harm. Best thing though is to keep those thoughts off of a public forum however...and not speak them to the person you are thinking them about.

Robby

reply deleted- too damn long... tangent from hell, etc...

lart951

I am very sorry for my childish statement about shooting this guy dead. What I am honestly considering to do is high jack a LASER SATELLITE FROM THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SYSTEM AND AIM THE LASER BEAM TO THIS THIEF IN FLORIDA and completely evaporate his body.

I tried calling and emails and no answer yet, I am going to see another engine in about 1 hour, I will try to call the man later on.

Thanks for all your support.

Luis

Sach951

Best of luck Luis!