poor service at (rpiv8)

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:47 pm

Hi.

I spoke my proplem with engines area (5,2 litre RV8 rod bolt hit the block)
(Bought the short engines for RPI)

I change about 10 e-mails at RPI and spoke with Chris at the phone.
He promise to help me if i send him couple of picks.. But in last e-mail his "secretary" answer to me or what ever Lisa is.?
She say´s that they cant help me anymore. (i think they dont want to help me, or they dont know anything about serious engine building).
So Lisa says that you should be spoke with V8 developments/Ray..

So it this good/best service for them? Is this their ~25year experience to build engines and make customer be happy?

If it is, I think I´m ex customer for them..

(spend thousands of pound for their parts..)

Has anyone els bad experience of them?

Boosted LS1 · Post by **Boosted LS1** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:29 pm

RPI get their better builds from Ray at V8D but you bought the engine from RPI. I'd still go ahead and send them the pics as you don't need to be an engine builder to understand a picture of a rod bolt fouling the engine block. They have a fairly good reputation so I'd expect them to help you and if need be speak with Ray themselves.

Eliot · Post by **Eliot** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:27 pm

You could always post the pictures here, which may focus chris's mind.

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:28 am

Timo,

They are just trying to fob you off, keep asking them and send them the pictures. They sold you the engine, therefore they have to take responsibility if there is a problem with it. From the sounds of it they appea to be trying to bury their heads in the sand in the hope that you will go away; don't let them!!

They are a good company with a good reputation, which is a rarity these days, maybe they'll see sense and sort you out. Worse case you can speak to V8D; they are very very good in my experience (and I've not yet spent a penny with them!)

cheers

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:13 pm

chodjinn wrote:Timo,

They are just trying to fob you off, keep asking them and send them the pictures. They sold you the engine, therefore they have to take responsibility if there is a problem with it. From the sounds of it they appea to be trying to bury their heads in the sand in the hope that you will go away; don't let them!!

They are a good company with a good reputation, which is a rarity these days, maybe they'll see sense and sort you out. Worse case you can speak to V8D; they are very very good in my experience (and I've not yet spent a penny with them!)

cheers

There was a similar case a couple of years ago, on a NSRA hot rod forum where a guy had bought some fuel injection stuff of an American company, Moon, and spent two years trying to get them to sort the problems and issues out, and they generally ignored him.

The world turned, and someone posted it on a big American hot rod forum, the Hamb. Pretty soon the buzz got going, and Moons reputation was taking a serious hit, hundreds of posts.

Two guys from Moon eventually FLEW over to the UK with parts and got the guys fuel injection system working properly. They then tried to make out they were really keen on customer service, but they were basically trying to save the remnants of their international reputation.

There may be some lessons to be learned by suppliers there, with the advent of instant communications and the internet.

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:18 pm

Spoke at the phone again with Chris.. I send e-mail him and i say some straight words for them, and their service. So hi call me again, but now he want to help me again. He promise to contackt V8D..

But Chris want some stupid drawnings at the block and my proplem..

They dont understand this pick..

So what to do next? I cant draw any picks, because i´m not expert with computers. And draw a block and the proplem is too big operation with me.

Also my "wife" understand this pick, without understanding nothing about engines..

mgbv8 · Post by **mgbv8** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:47 pm

How can they not understand the picture?

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:50 pm

So you've sent them the picture? It's pretty clear to me what the problem is lol.

I take it you cannot remove any more of the block at all? How about grinding the bolt down a bit - might be a bit caveman but then again it might just work?

When you reassembled the engine, did you use exactly the same bearings?

Boosted LS1 · Post by **Boosted LS1** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:57 pm

What's happened here is at some stage beefier rods have been fitted to the engine which had already had the block fettled down. Hence nobody checking it rotated freely. If this was my block I'd probably fettle it down myself or find out what it would cost to machine in Norway. Then agree who pays the price. Shipping the engine back to the UK would be expensive and at your cost not RPI's.

Having said all this, it does look like quite a lot needs removing from under the liner. Are the other bolts rotating clear of the liners?

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:11 pm

chodjinn wrote:So you've sent them the picture? It's pretty clear to me what the problem is lol.

I take it you cannot remove any more of the block at all? How about grinding the bolt down a bit - might be a bit caveman but then again it might just work?

When you reassembled the engine, did you use exactly the same bearings?

Yes i send this pick at them. As Chris say me when he call me that they dont understand. So he want that i make some stupid drawnings about block and my proplem.
I think that they dont know anythink about serious engine building..

I grind bolt down about 0,7mm more now. But this make clearance about max 0,7mm at number 3 cylinder rod bolt, and number 1 it make about 1mm.
I measure the block (oil gallery) at ultrasonick machine and it say about 2,3mm wall thickness. So i dont want to grind block anymore, because it can be crack.

So i think my only choice is machine rod bearing carrier..? I want that clearance is 1,5mm. All book´s say that 1,5mm is minium..

I use new bearings, but identical with old bearings..
Piston pin is also centerline, not offset.. So this is solved away.

But before i machine/cut rod bearing carrier. I want to hear what RPI says..

Special made bolt is one choice? Maybe?

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:22 pm

Boosted LS1 wrote:What's happened here is at some stage beefier rods have been fitted to the engine which had already had the block fettled down. Hence nobody checking it rotated freely. If this was my block I'd probably fettle it down myself or find out what it would cost to machine in Norway. Then agree who pays the price. Shipping the engine back to the UK would be expensive and at your cost not RPI's.

Having said all this, it does look like quite a lot needs removing from under the liner. Are the other bolts rotating clear of the liners?

If i understand right, this engine came from Norway to RPI, because there is small tapping sound, and Chris sell new one to customer. And Chris say that V8 developments build this engine in firts place..?

Only proplem is that nr 1st and 3rd rod bolt will hit the block/oil gallery. All other bolt have over about +3 mm (or more) clearance with liner/block..

Chris also say that you can send the block with them. But i say it is quite/too expensive..

Wotland · Post by **Wotland** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:12 pm

kokkolanpoika wrote: there is small tapping sound:

Timo, Chris sold you this block as S/H ?

How is possible the engine has already ron ?

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:40 pm

He bought it as a short engine, disassembled I believe? Boosted's explanation sounds quite reasonable. I don't think that the tappet noise could have been caused by the rod bolt . . . surely?

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:00 am

Wotland wrote:
kokkolanpoika wrote: there is small tapping sound:
Timo, Chris sold you this block as S/H ?

How is possible the engine has already ron ?

I dont know more than it is a S/H engine, and two pistons are worn when i bought it. ("Chris give his words") And block is pressure tested by them, and also crank/bearing line is tested some blue color..? Only fault what they found is those pistons when they take apart it, and measure..

I found same fault, + this Fuc.. bolt..

Boosted LS1 · Post by **Boosted LS1** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:02 am

chodjinn wrote:He bought it as a short engine, disassembled I believe? Boosted's explanation sounds quite reasonable. I don't think that the tappet noise could have been caused by the rod bolt . . . surely?

It could have been sold as an assembled engine but the rods were never intended for it and it was never rotated. One person probably prepped the block and another person assembled the crank/rod combo.