Hello Members-
I wanted to give a brief summary of my experience in dealings with the guys at Anderson Performance. My story is 100% objective and at no point am I pointing fingers as my sole purpose is for the forum community to form their own conclusions plain and simple.
Preface: I have roughly 12 month experience with Turbo Buicks and this is my first purchase.
So here we go…
Q3 2017- After much research I decided to take my 100% stock engine to Don Cruz whom is a well-known builder in my neck of the woods (Florida) I initially wanted to keep the original heads on the car and simply replace the stock flat tappets with a roller systems. Don advised me that it would be a good idea to take the heads off and inspect them since the engine had been taken out the car. I followed his advice and I’m very glad I did as it turns out one of the valves had kissed the piston and caused the valve to bend slightly.
After all was said and done….I ended up purchasing GN1 heads, intake, custom grind 206/206, billet chain, rods, main bearings, ARP head and mains bolts and push-rods (list taken from invoice) paid and took the engine back home where is sat for a few months.
Fast forward to Q1-2018 – I finally dropped the motor and trans in the car and I reach out to Don Cruz and he explains he’s unable to get to my car to finish up running the vacuum lines, gauges, priming the engine and tune it. After waiting a few weeks to see if his schedule would open up I decided to take the car to KDK Performance out in Orlando, Fl to finish up the car and make it drivable which they did. I picked up the car around May time-frame. I was told to drive the car 500 miles (break in) procedure and to bring it back to tune.
Cool, I trailered the car back home and started taking short drives at 0 boost and at put about 300 or so miles and soon after I started driving it under boost….however, the car started breaking up the minute it would hit 8-10lbs of boost. I called KDK was told to check for vacuum leaks etc… but couldn’t find anything. I then went to Don Cruz whom always gave me an honest opinion and I explained what was going on and he advised me that if the ECM was stock and I wasn’t running ALKY then there really isn’t much tuning to do which made total sense. He asked me to check the gap on the plugs since that was a common mistake and symptom. I get home and sure enough my plugs are gapped at 35mm as oppose to the recommended 28mm.
I also pointed out that during the 300 miles of driving I had changed the oil on 2 occasions and noticed a metallic sheen on the oil which I thought was normal part or break-in.
So I take all the plugs out and gap them all to 28mm and what do you know the issue was now resolved…thanks again Don Cruz! The next day I decide to take the car out for a spin and I’ll be honest and say I got on it hard and when I dropped the hammer my boost needle hit 28lbs the minute that happened I immediately lost ALL oil pressure.
Looking back…I would have thought that KDK would have adjusted my boost controller to 16-18lbs since they knew my engine was completed stock running without ALKY. K
So I called up Don Cruz and explained to him what had occurred and even sent a video of the engine running at idle where you could pick up a slight knock…not sure at the time if it was valve train or lower end. Anyhow, he asked me to take off the oil pan and cut open the filter which I did and found chunks if metal flakes in the pan and in the filter. At the time Don didn’t have any room in his shop to safely secure my car indoors so after a few weeks went by he stated that if I could drop the car off that he would drop the engine to start tearing it down but I would have to haul the car back that same day…game on
A few days go by and Don calls me to let me know that he had found the cause as to where the metal flakes came from and why the loss of oil pressure. I told him I would stop by the office to see for myself. When I get there he shows me #3 main seal is completely toast and had spun. At this point we cant figure out what could have caused this other then they starved of oil or perhaps my lead foot and putting 28lbs of boost of the completely stock short block.
At this point we discuss what my options are and the way it was presented to.
Option 1: Buy a block and build from scratch
Option 2: Buy an already built motor
Don pointed out all the blocks he had available just sitting in his shop. So naturally I asked him what he would charge me for one of his blocks and his answer was.. I rather not sell you a block and I prefer you go buy one. At this point I was a bit confused as to why he wouldn’t just sell me a block…..any how he goes on to tell me he has a friend that’s wants to get rid of his 9sec engine that Don himself had built and that the guy wanted 15k for it. I asked Don to give me a SWAG on pricing out OPTION 1 to buying his friends engine. He calculated that OPTION 1 would come in around just north of 7,500.00 and that he was almost certain he could talk his buddy down to 10k. He explained that for a 3k difference I would be getting a fully built motor as compared to a stock short block like I had before. In my mind it wasn’t a bad deal so I told him to go talk to his buddy and see what he could work out.
I got a call from Don 2 days later to let me know his buddy could only drop the price down to 13k. I told Don that I would sleep on it and get back to him the following day which I did and quit frankly I couldn’t justify spending 13k for a motor. I could tell in his response it wasn’t what he wanted to hear but I paid no mind to it and just figured it was Don being Don cranky at times… After the call I decided to take it upon myself to start looking for a short block and have Don Cruz build it from there.
I go one to create a post on turbobuick forum WTB 109 Block….June time-frame I get a response from FATNAT @ Anderson Performance letting me know they have a 100% stock 109 available that’s been in shrink wrap and sitting in their shelves. I call up and speak to Jeff whom sends me pics of the engine and takes off the pan and takes off the main bearing caps to show the condition of the motor. I initially was going to have them ship me the block but after speaking to them about what I wanted performance wise they said they could help me out and refresh the bottom end (new seals, bearings, rings, hone the cylinders if need be for a very great price. He asked that I needed to send them was the cam, rollers and timing set and they would take care of the rest.
Next day I call up Don Cruz to let him know I had found a block and that I needed to pick up those few parts to ship it to the builder. He immediately asks me “who’s the builder” and I reply Anderson Performance. He wishes me good luck. He goes on to tell me that he gave me 100 options but I had instead gone with another builder. My reply was that the only options I was given was to buy a block on my own or buy his buddies 13k engine. I went on to tell Don that I appreciated everything he had done for me and added that I was only going to have the bottom end done and that I wanted him to finish up the top end etc…. his reply was NO I AM NOT…. I’ll spare the details of this conversation….I ended up calling Anderson Performance and explained what had just happened. Jeff simply said Ed don’t worry about it and just pick-up your engine and parts from Don and ship it to us and we will take care of it.
I shipped the car up to Maryland with the entire engine disassembled in the trunk out to Jeff.
Few days later I get a call from Anderson asking if my original engine had been rebuilt before. My reply was not that I knew of...He proceeded to let me know that #3 main had been studded and if I knew why and if the block had been machined prior to studding it. I replied that I had no idea. I told them I would take a picture of the receipt of the work that had been done at Don Cruz and in line item #3 it read ARP head and mains however there's no mention of machine shop work that should have been done when going with main studs. If this procedure is not performed the engine will eat itself.....i.e..chew up bearing. I could be wrong on this so i will leave it up to the more knowledgeable members come up with their own opinion
This is what I got back…Completely refresh 109 block, reassembled engine, all new seals, HR mounts, new ALKY system and installed, tuned (Dyno sheet 395.23RWHP 379 Torque) at 21lbs.
Price out the door $3,159.32
I wanted to give a brief summary of my experience in dealings with the guys at Anderson Performance. My story is 100% objective and at no point am I pointing fingers as my sole purpose is for the forum community to form their own conclusions plain and simple.
Preface: I have roughly 12 month experience with Turbo Buicks and this is my first purchase.
So here we go…
Q3 2017- After much research I decided to take my 100% stock engine to Don Cruz whom is a well-known builder in my neck of the woods (Florida) I initially wanted to keep the original heads on the car and simply replace the stock flat tappets with a roller systems. Don advised me that it would be a good idea to take the heads off and inspect them since the engine had been taken out the car. I followed his advice and I’m very glad I did as it turns out one of the valves had kissed the piston and caused the valve to bend slightly.
After all was said and done….I ended up purchasing GN1 heads, intake, custom grind 206/206, billet chain, rods, main bearings, ARP head and mains bolts and push-rods (list taken from invoice) paid and took the engine back home where is sat for a few months.
Fast forward to Q1-2018 – I finally dropped the motor and trans in the car and I reach out to Don Cruz and he explains he’s unable to get to my car to finish up running the vacuum lines, gauges, priming the engine and tune it. After waiting a few weeks to see if his schedule would open up I decided to take the car to KDK Performance out in Orlando, Fl to finish up the car and make it drivable which they did. I picked up the car around May time-frame. I was told to drive the car 500 miles (break in) procedure and to bring it back to tune.
Cool, I trailered the car back home and started taking short drives at 0 boost and at put about 300 or so miles and soon after I started driving it under boost….however, the car started breaking up the minute it would hit 8-10lbs of boost. I called KDK was told to check for vacuum leaks etc… but couldn’t find anything. I then went to Don Cruz whom always gave me an honest opinion and I explained what was going on and he advised me that if the ECM was stock and I wasn’t running ALKY then there really isn’t much tuning to do which made total sense. He asked me to check the gap on the plugs since that was a common mistake and symptom. I get home and sure enough my plugs are gapped at 35mm as oppose to the recommended 28mm.
I also pointed out that during the 300 miles of driving I had changed the oil on 2 occasions and noticed a metallic sheen on the oil which I thought was normal part or break-in.
So I take all the plugs out and gap them all to 28mm and what do you know the issue was now resolved…thanks again Don Cruz! The next day I decide to take the car out for a spin and I’ll be honest and say I got on it hard and when I dropped the hammer my boost needle hit 28lbs the minute that happened I immediately lost ALL oil pressure.
Looking back…I would have thought that KDK would have adjusted my boost controller to 16-18lbs since they knew my engine was completed stock running without ALKY. K
So I called up Don Cruz and explained to him what had occurred and even sent a video of the engine running at idle where you could pick up a slight knock…not sure at the time if it was valve train or lower end. Anyhow, he asked me to take off the oil pan and cut open the filter which I did and found chunks if metal flakes in the pan and in the filter. At the time Don didn’t have any room in his shop to safely secure my car indoors so after a few weeks went by he stated that if I could drop the car off that he would drop the engine to start tearing it down but I would have to haul the car back that same day…game on
A few days go by and Don calls me to let me know that he had found the cause as to where the metal flakes came from and why the loss of oil pressure. I told him I would stop by the office to see for myself. When I get there he shows me #3 main seal is completely toast and had spun. At this point we cant figure out what could have caused this other then they starved of oil or perhaps my lead foot and putting 28lbs of boost of the completely stock short block.
At this point we discuss what my options are and the way it was presented to.
Option 1: Buy a block and build from scratch
Option 2: Buy an already built motor
Don pointed out all the blocks he had available just sitting in his shop. So naturally I asked him what he would charge me for one of his blocks and his answer was.. I rather not sell you a block and I prefer you go buy one. At this point I was a bit confused as to why he wouldn’t just sell me a block…..any how he goes on to tell me he has a friend that’s wants to get rid of his 9sec engine that Don himself had built and that the guy wanted 15k for it. I asked Don to give me a SWAG on pricing out OPTION 1 to buying his friends engine. He calculated that OPTION 1 would come in around just north of 7,500.00 and that he was almost certain he could talk his buddy down to 10k. He explained that for a 3k difference I would be getting a fully built motor as compared to a stock short block like I had before. In my mind it wasn’t a bad deal so I told him to go talk to his buddy and see what he could work out.
I got a call from Don 2 days later to let me know his buddy could only drop the price down to 13k. I told Don that I would sleep on it and get back to him the following day which I did and quit frankly I couldn’t justify spending 13k for a motor. I could tell in his response it wasn’t what he wanted to hear but I paid no mind to it and just figured it was Don being Don cranky at times… After the call I decided to take it upon myself to start looking for a short block and have Don Cruz build it from there.
I go one to create a post on turbobuick forum WTB 109 Block….June time-frame I get a response from FATNAT @ Anderson Performance letting me know they have a 100% stock 109 available that’s been in shrink wrap and sitting in their shelves. I call up and speak to Jeff whom sends me pics of the engine and takes off the pan and takes off the main bearing caps to show the condition of the motor. I initially was going to have them ship me the block but after speaking to them about what I wanted performance wise they said they could help me out and refresh the bottom end (new seals, bearings, rings, hone the cylinders if need be for a very great price. He asked that I needed to send them was the cam, rollers and timing set and they would take care of the rest.
Next day I call up Don Cruz to let him know I had found a block and that I needed to pick up those few parts to ship it to the builder. He immediately asks me “who’s the builder” and I reply Anderson Performance. He wishes me good luck. He goes on to tell me that he gave me 100 options but I had instead gone with another builder. My reply was that the only options I was given was to buy a block on my own or buy his buddies 13k engine. I went on to tell Don that I appreciated everything he had done for me and added that I was only going to have the bottom end done and that I wanted him to finish up the top end etc…. his reply was NO I AM NOT…. I’ll spare the details of this conversation….I ended up calling Anderson Performance and explained what had just happened. Jeff simply said Ed don’t worry about it and just pick-up your engine and parts from Don and ship it to us and we will take care of it.
I shipped the car up to Maryland with the entire engine disassembled in the trunk out to Jeff.
Few days later I get a call from Anderson asking if my original engine had been rebuilt before. My reply was not that I knew of...He proceeded to let me know that #3 main had been studded and if I knew why and if the block had been machined prior to studding it. I replied that I had no idea. I told them I would take a picture of the receipt of the work that had been done at Don Cruz and in line item #3 it read ARP head and mains however there's no mention of machine shop work that should have been done when going with main studs. If this procedure is not performed the engine will eat itself.....i.e..chew up bearing. I could be wrong on this so i will leave it up to the more knowledgeable members come up with their own opinion
This is what I got back…Completely refresh 109 block, reassembled engine, all new seals, HR mounts, new ALKY system and installed, tuned (Dyno sheet 395.23RWHP 379 Torque) at 21lbs.
Price out the door $3,159.32
