turbo Buick mechanics in Orange County/Los Angeles
- Thread starter Early_Grace
- Start date
williamsGN
'Horse sneeze' addict
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2007
You should heed your own words, you haven't contributed enough to this board to start telling people how to act, I don't care how long you have been on here. So watch yourself or you could find yourself in the same situation.
Underboost
Mr. Dull
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2005
Saw the car today when I stopped by Lou's to say hi. I've seen much worse. Lou doesn't work on junk. 
Early_Grace
Member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
When Lou dug into it, he was surprised and confirmed my suspicions that the car was a complete mess. He found that the coil pack was only firing on three coils. The MAF on that motor is for a naturally aspirated buick 3.8 motor. The rear main seal was leaking for the fourth time and the journal on the crank where there seal goes was pitted. The crank trigger sensor was bad. He changed the cam, because it wouldn't idle with the Poston 107 lobe center cam. Whoever had the car before had the fuel pressure cranked up to 55lbs just so it would idle. He fixed all of the exhaust leaks and vacuum leak. Did you know he only takes cash or check, no credit cards? I had a helluva time scrounging up that kind of cash in a few days. It really put me in a hole. After I picked up the car on saturday, I drove home the 40 miles cruising at 70 to 73 mph with the flow of traffic. Just before I got to the exit, I hear a ticking sound. It got louder and louder. I pulled over and it was coming from deep in the engine. It spun a rod bearing. What a piece of shit. So I had to tow it all the way back to his shop. Lou thought it was only a rocker arm. I may not know how to tune turbo Buicks, but I know what different engines sounds are in the motor, on the motor and in the exhaust. I knew it was a rod knock, but he didn't believe me until he seen and heard it.
So far I'm $4500 into it with him. But I bet people on this forum will still be calling me a cheap ass, right?
Early_Grace
Member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
Saw the car today when I stopped by Lou's to say hi. I've seen much worse. Lou doesn't work on junk.
Sorry, but I disagree completely.
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/got-the-car-back-from-lou.386540/
Mine was horrible
Had a knock I couldn't find that could of been a rod knock. Runs like a scalded ape now.Early, after what you've been through you've got, in my opinion, every right to bitch and moan, I'd be doing the same thing. Better to get it out of your system on this forum than at home!!! Just sucks that people have no issues selling you something they have to know is broken with a straight face. I had the same thing happen to me with a bulldozer, I sent copies of my fix it receipts and got 1/4 of the amount from him.
I'd go after the seller for whatever you can get, you can likely recoup something.
good luck,
Joel
I'd go after the seller for whatever you can get, you can likely recoup something.
good luck,
Joel
I'm just wondering how the communication was between you and Lou. Did he explain that the cost will be such and such if he does this, that, etc.? Hell, at $4500 you could have had the motor totally rebuilt (at least where I live) with a 12 month warranty! You're not a cheap ass. That is a VERY expensive bill, and you're not even done. Well, good luck and keep us updated.
Early_Grace
Member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/got-the-car-back-from-lou.386540/
Mine was horrible
TType85, I really like that low key look of your car. You must surprise a whole lotta people with that one.
Early_Grace
Member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
The car is in excellent hands with Lou. He has done way more than his fair share of work on that car for what I'm paying. The only thing I'm dismal about is that fact I don't have that kind of cash on hand to spend. I'm having to sell possessions I didn't plan on getting rid of.
We got caught in a bad spot with this car and are backtracking steps, because of the nature of the repairs we first tackled. If I had the money from the beginning, he could've done the whole thing. We had no idea the shortblock was gonna be an issue after the fact. Even if I would've done the work myself and re-did the whole motor, there are small Buick turbo V6 specific things I wouldn't have picked up on that Lou notices right away. Those things probably would've got me again on down the line. So I'm glad it's his eyes on it.
pmoore4321
Member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2010
What is the game plan? Replace the engine?
