[Blue]

Okay so here is a breakdown of what happened and my thoughts. I want your input as to what you would do in my situation. So please take the time to read.

I went to install a new water pump because the old one was leaking. I couldn't seem to get it lined up properly so it wouldn't go in. I tried the old one just to make sure it wasn't an issue with the new one, it didn't go in either. Figuring I was doing something wrong and didn't want to damage the bike I loaded it up and took it to my local mechanic who I've gone to for various things before.

He struggled to get it in for a while but eventually he got it. He went to fire up the bike and it made two really loud pops and obviously didn't start. He took apart the water pump and a fairly large hole (maybe a couple CM long and half a CM wide, maybe a bit smaller I can't recall) was blown out of the crank casing where the water pump shaft goes in. Obviously it wasn't aligned properly.

So now I have a hole in my engine, the bike is pretty much dead. They decided to hold it for a few days to try and fix it. Their solution was to use a very high grade industrial epoxy to fill the hole. Obviously I am skeptical of this solution for a couple reasons:

1) Its epoxy... What if it blows out while I am going 100+ on a highway?
2) My bike has been devalued and is now in worse condition than when I brought it in.

Now, my mechanic says the epoxy will hold and be fine and they will due some lengthy testing to be sure. I highly doubt he would put an unsafe bike out on the road due to the legal ramifications should something happen. However, that still doesn't account for the fact that my bike now has a hole in the engine case that has been filled with epoxy.

So my question is, what the hell do I say or do here? A couple of my thoughts are:

1) Demand that he needs to replace the parts/fix it at cost to him. The bike should be, at the very least, in the same condition it was in prior to me bringing it in there.

- The only problem with this is that the parts would be over $1000.00 and require a full rebuild of essentially the entire bottom half of the engine. On top of this the parts are on backorder from the manufacture so I could be without this bike for who knows how long.

2) Accept the situation as it is and take my bike back this week with an epoxy'd hole in the crankcase and trust that it will hold out for the foreseeable future.

Obviously this is quite a stressful situation and I have never been in one such as this before so I'm not sure how to approach it. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[2fat2fly]

Weld it.

 

[Zx6jay]

If it was me, I would tell them I wanted it repaired properly at their cost. If they do not want to go that route you can consult a attorney. You may have to sue for damages. But you deserve to have it fixed. I had a friend who owned a older s10 he took it to Walmart for a oil change they left the drain plug out and it locked up the motor. He received 3k for a new motor the truck was worth at best a grand. Just a example.

 

[Bkgraham33]

Okay so here is a breakdown of what happened and my thoughts. I want your input as to what you would do in my situation. So please take the time to read.

I went to install a new water pump because the old one was leaking. I couldn't seem to get it lined up properly so it wouldn't go in. I tried the old one just to make sure it wasn't an issue with the new one, it didn't go in either. Figuring I was doing something wrong and didn't want to damage the bike I loaded it up and took it to my local mechanic who I've gone to for various things before.

He struggled to get it in for a while but eventually he got it. He went to fire up the bike and it made two really loud pops and obviously didn't start. He took apart the water pump and a fairly large hole (maybe a couple CM long and half a CM wide, maybe a bit smaller I can't recall) was blown out of the crank casing where the water pump shaft goes in. Obviously it wasn't aligned properly.

So now I have a hole in my engine, the bike is pretty much dead. They decided to hold it for a few days to try and fix it. Their solution was to use a very high grade industrial epoxy to fill the hole. Obviously I am skeptical of this solution for a couple reasons:

1) Its epoxy... What if it blows out while I am going 100+ on a highway?
2) My bike has been devalued and is now in worse condition than when I brought it in.

Now, my mechanic says the epoxy will hold and be fine and they will due some lengthy testing to be sure. I highly doubt he would put an unsafe bike out on the road due to the legal ramifications should something happen. However, that still doesn't account for the fact that my bike now has a hole in the engine case that has been filled with epoxy.

So my question is, what the hell do I say or do here? A couple of my thoughts are:

1) Demand that he needs to replace the parts/fix it at cost to him. The bike should be, at the very least, in the same condition it was in prior to me bringing it in there.

- The only problem with this is that the parts would be over $1000.00 and require a full rebuild of essentially the entire bottom half of the engine. On top of this the parts are on backorder from the manufacture so I could be without this bike for who knows how long.

2) Accept the situation as it is and take my bike back this week with an epoxy'd hole in the crankcase and trust that it will hold out for the foreseeable future.

Obviously this is quite a stressful situation and I have never been in one such as this before so I'm not sure how to approach it. Any insight would be appreciated.

I'm not so sure he is at fault. You brought him a bike and a water pump that you couldn't get in. He put it in an then started the bike, at which point something went wrong. But what did HE do wrong? Unless you can prove the hole happened as a result of him installing the pump incorrectly, I don't see how this is his fault...

 

[clarkmanning]

Ask for pictures, lots of pictures of the repair with epoxy.
Will the shop warranty the repair for any length of time?
Are you willing to bet your own life that the motor won't grenade at 150 MPH?

I'd ask the shop to do the epoxy repair and give me $2,000 in cash.
Negotiate this down to $1,000 in cash. Or get yourself an attorney. If you go the lawyer route, you maybe out of your bike for a year.

After you pick up the bike and the cash, trade the bike in on something newer asap. There is so much vibration and engine temperature changes in a hi-po bike motor I just don't see how epoxy could be a permanent fix.

Maybe a used motor from ebay is an alternative.

good luck with it.

 

[clarkmanning]

I'm not so sure he is at fault. You brought him a bike and a water pump that you couldn't get in. He put it in an then started the bike, at which point something went wrong. But what did HE do wrong? Unless you can prove the hole happened as a result of him installing the pump incorrectly, I don't see how this is his fault...

There was no hole in the motor when the OP brought in the bike, was there? If you took your car into the shop to get a new water pump and the shop told you there was now a quarter sized hole in the block, what would you do? You would get a lawyer, wouldn't you?

Now there is a hole in the motor because the mechanic tried to fix the bike. The shop should have insurance to cover this kind of stuff.

Are you saying the OP has to prove there was no hole in the motor before he brought it in? If it's not the mechanic's fault, who's fault is it? The OPs?
This situation has small claim's court written all over it.

 

[Bkgraham33]

There was no hole in the motor when the OP brought in the bike, was there? If you took your car into the shop to get a new water pump and the shop told you there was now a quarter sized hole in the block, what would you do? You would get a lawyer, wouldn't you?

Now there is a hole in the motor because the mechanic tried to fix the bike. The shop should have insurance to cover this kind of stuff.

Are you saying the OP has to prove there was no hole in the motor before he brought it in? If it's not the mechanic's fault, who's fault is it? The OPs?
This situation has small claim's court written all over it.

I would feel the same as you IF 1)he hadn't taken the water pump out himself and then tried to install the replacement before giving up and 2)the pump was sold to him by the shop.

 

[Corins]

I would feel the same as you IF 1)he hadn't taken the water pump out himself and then tried to install the replacement before giving up and 2)the pump was sold to him by the shop.

IMO it doesn't matter if Blue took out the pump himself. When he dropped the bike and pump off at the shop it wasn't broke, they broke it, they are supposed to be qualified mechanics and this stuff "shouldn't" happen.

The very least I would expect is for them to at least go 50/50 on new replacement parts, as well as labor from their pocket. The epoxy may last and never cause another issue, however you would have no peace of mind that something won't go wrong because of this epoxy without testing it, which could put your life in danger. No matter if the epoxy is a proper (cheap) fix, the crank case has been compromised and this could cause more issues besides the epoxy not holding.

 

[Blue]

Weld it.

Hmm, I assume if you can get in there to epoxy it you could get in there to weld it. I will ask why this isn't being considered.

I'm not so sure he is at fault. You brought him a bike and a water pump that you couldn't get in. He put it in an then started the bike, at which point something went wrong. But what did HE do wrong? Unless you can prove the hole happened as a result of him installing the pump incorrectly, I don't see how this is his fault...

What are you talking about? There was no hole in there when I brought it to him. He is the mechanic. He should know how to install it properly. If there was an issue with the pump or the bike prior to installation he should have been able to identify it and tell me about it. He was the one that put it together, started it up and ultimately blew the hole in it. I was standing there watching while all this happened. Anyway none of this matters because the owner already looked at it and said the pump wasn't aligned properly causing the damage...

Ask for pictures, lots of pictures of the repair with epoxy.
Will the shop warranty the repair for any length of time?
Are you willing to bet your own life that the motor won't grenade at 150 MPH?

I'd ask the shop to do the epoxy repair and give me $2,000 in cash.
Negotiate this down to $1,000 in cash. Or get yourself an attorney. If you go the lawyer route, you maybe out of your bike for a year.

After you pick up the bike and the cash, trade the bike in on something newer asap. There is so much vibration and engine temperature changes in a hi-po bike motor I just don't see how epoxy could be a permanent fix.

Maybe a used motor from ebay is an alternative.

good luck with it.

You think them giving me cash for it is going to happen? The bike is 2004 with 50k on it. I feel like legal fee's will end up costing more than the bike is worth...

I was actually considering just getting it back from them and riding it directly to the dealer and trading it in. I have been considering a new bike for some time now I guess this might just be the push I need.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Bkgraham33]

the owner already looked at it and said the pump wasn't aligned properly causing the damage...

Then I take everything I said back! In which case I would go after them for damages of some kind. :crazyloco. Either way I wish you luck.

 

[ZX6R>CBR]

Id tell the shop you wouldn't feel safe riding it with the quick fix (epoxy) and if ask for it to be fixed back to the state you took it in on, which includes a motor without a hole in it

Sent from my DROID RAZR

 

[iron8]

The only way to really fix this is replacement or welding / re-machining it either would be kind of expensive . If it were to be welded the whole engine would have to be totally dissasembled clamped to a heavy steel bench preheated then tig welded then possibly re-machined depending on where the hole is . If they won't give you a satisfying outcome court costs might be prohibiting but that shouldn't stop you from threatening a law suit . Whatever happens don't trust the epoxy fix it will leak or come out . Unless you have a buddy who tig welds for a living you might just be stuck dumping the bike for a new one .

 

[PhukDD]

Ksouc77 it and get a new 10 :evil

 

[Blue]

The only way to really fix this is replacement or welding / re-machining it either would be kind of expensive . If it were to be welded the whole engine would have to be totally dissasembled clamped to a heavy steel bench preheated then tig welded then possibly re-machined depending on where the hole is . If they won't give you a satisfying outcome court costs might be prohibiting but that shouldn't stop you from threatening a law suit . Whatever happens don't trust the epoxy fix it will leak or come out . Unless you have a buddy who tig welds for a living you might just be stuck dumping the bike for a new one .

This pretty much sums up my vision of a "worst case scenario" to the tee. I figured they don't want to weld it because of that welding process and expense of actually doing it. So they will refuse to do it and stick to the epoxy being sufficient schpeel. I'll have to threaten legal action. They probably won't care. The bike isn't worth the time and fees of going through with it. I might try clark's idea of demanding $2000.00 from them to go somewhere else and to have it fixed properly (but of course pocket the cash and trade it in for something newer)

In the end I'm going to be stuck with having to deal with the hassle of getting rid of this thing and the expense of buying a new one. Neither option I wanted to deal with right now.

 

[rrzxter]

Ksouc77 it and get a new 10 :evil

The only problem with that is,
some other poor slob will buy it and potentially have it grenade on the hwy.

 

[Blue]

The only problem with that is,
some other poor slob will buy it and potentially have it grenade on the hwy.

Exactly. I couldn't sell it to someone like this.

 

[rrzxter]

If it can't be fixed properly and you want to sell it, I suggest parting it out and getting as much as possible out of it.
I know, it's a PITA.
But it looks like you're stuck with a PITA, no matter how this turns out.
If you wouldn't feel right riding it with epoxy in there, then it's wrong to trade it and let someone else ride it like that,.....unknowingly.

 

[rrzxter]

Exactly. I couldn't sell it to someone like this.

Kinda figured.

 

[185EZ]

Exactly. I couldn't sell it to someone like this.

Tell the dealer you want a smokin deal on a new bike and trade your bike in.
At least everyone knows up front what the problem is.

 

[PhukDD]

The only problem with that is,
some other poor slob will buy it and potentially have it grenade on the hwy.

I will admit I am not the most mechanically inclined about sport bike motors, but what is the epoxy holdin in? My buddy lost a chain and glued the piece it busted off back on his block. It leaked oil after a while,but never blew up.