Getting Angry

[old88xj]

88 XJ 115K miles auto 4.0

So i take my beast in to have rear main seal and oil pan gasket replaced. I was leaking bad and don't have enough experience. tools, or downtime to fool with it. Anyway.....get it back from the shop after they recommend replacing the oil pump, harmonic balancer and front crank seal. which i allowed them to do. I drive 5 miles to and from work twice. Off for 2 days and back to work on saturday. No problems on those 4 days before. Just real short trips so i don't notice any problems. Well Saturday morning driving down the interstate at 70 Mph everything is good for like 15-20 minutes then i start to lose oil pressure and notice the rpms jump up and the Mph drop. Drive another 1.5 miles at slower speeds and stop. Have the shop that did the work tow it back seeing how it was under a 90 day labor one year parts warranty.

Shop calls today and says we need to have you come down to the shop. I go down there and he starts the jeep up and automatically i hear a not so good sound. He tells me it sounds like an internal motor problem(ie. scarred bearring or bad rod). So i say okay what are you telling me? He wants a rep from the oil pump manufacturer to come down so he can show them what he feels is the problem and see what they will cover in terms of repair work outside of replacing the oil pump and seals.

I am waiting on the rep to come down but i would like to have some input as to what recourse i have if they fail to fix the problem or if the new oil pump with fix/hide the noise or if the bearing is scarred etc etc etc.

 

[Rev Den]

Sounds like the shop guy is on the ball and wants to take care of the issue. I would say so far so good, once is starts making the noises the return of oil pressure ain't gonna fix it.

Rev

 

[old88xj]

Thats my train of thought at least. But if the manufacturer of the oil pump doesn't pay for the internal engine repair and the shop owner wont pay what are my options then?? Lawyer???

 

[Lucas]

if all works out though...new bearngs!

 

[old88xj]

or new motor.....up to manufacturer...if new bearings it has to go to a nother shop this one doesn't do major internal stuff

 

[FatXJ]

Let me guess it was a Dynagear pump!?


Oh the fond memories of that I think I need to start calling them to find out what the hell happened with my pump.

 

[old88xj]

naw not dynagear the name started with an m..milla something

 

[JJ13]

Melling...generally they make quality stuff...

good luck,

 

[old88xj]

Melling was it....quality maybe but i got the bad one

 

[evldave]

Had a buddy once w/ a BB Chevy 454 w/a Melling pump. Fresh rebuild, lots of power. Driving to the car show, pump went out, oil pressure dropped. 1 seized piston, couple of scarred cylinders. Since they were alread bored .060 over, couldn't fix the block (from what I remember).

Melling paid for the whole thing to be fixed. It was obviously the pump, even with all the custom parts & hi power, they were pretty cool about it. Don't know if they are always like that, and this was about 5 or 6 years ago, but it sounds like you've got the mechanic on your side (I'm sure it wasn't his fault!)...

 

[old88xj]

yea he is but i just don't wanna take this one in the rear

 

[rixXJphx]

*Cliff's Notes* He's in business to make a profit. He wants to save money by passing on the costs if possible to a parts supplier. Nonetheless, it's his responsibility to get you on the road ASAP.
________

You have a warranty from the SHOP, and he has a warranty with his parts suppliers.

The SHOP is on the hook for the parts and labor to make your engine whole again.
He can't even try to point to a 'pre-existing condition', since he thoroughly examined your engine and determined that it needed front seal, harmonic balancer, oil pump, etc. and did NOT say you needed bearings, timing chain/gears, etc.

If the oil pump is faulty (doubtful), then MAYBE the oil pump mfr will pay the shop's costs for rebuilding.
It is more likely that the installation was faulty (loose bolt, loose pick-up tube, whatever), since an oil pump itself is almost bulletproof.

Don't settle for anything less than complete satisfaction. If a shop can't do these basic repairs on the simplest engine/drivetrain in America, then he needs to close his doors.

Mention to the shop owner that you NEED this Cherokee and you are going to rent a car at HIS expense until your truck is returned.
If he doesn't agree and commence repairs within 3 business days, I would file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
If he doesn't complete it within 4 days after starting, with no BS for 'waiting on parts', I'd file a complaint.

Be tough. Good luck.
-Rick

 

[old88xj]

best advice i have had yet...thanks rick

 

[rixXJphx]

I try to help.

BTW, if you can get along without the rental you could use the 'threat' of renting a car to entice him to settle up quickly.

 

[old88xj]

I can do without it but i am using a company truck....i lose money if i don't drive my on car( i get paid mileage) what he is trying to do is get the okay from the oil pump manufacturer to replace or rebuild my motor before he does any work to it....he doesn';t wanna get stiffed with the repair bill if they say no

 

[rixXJphx]

what he is trying to do is get the okay from the oil pump manufacturer to replace or rebuild my motor before he does any work to it....he doesn't wanna get stiffed with the repair bill if they say no.

Keep in mind that if they say 'no', he IS stiffed. Not you.

His concern is that:
Before they will say 'yes', they may want to send an independent mechanic to observe the tear-down and verify that it was indeed a faulty pump.
He can't go into the crankcase until that observer is present, so he doesn't yet know what is wrong inside.

 

[old88xj]

That is what he is waiting on....but the District manager for the manufacturer already said it wouldn't do anygood for her to come down because she is not a mechanic....so i don't know what he is doing.....but i need my jeep

 

[old88xj]

well it has been a week now and still no joy on the problem with my heep. I do have one question though.....If you leave an oil pan and a rear main seal and a front crank seal kit off over the weekend COULD that cause problems upon start up??

 

[RichP]

I don't see how, about the only thing that could happen is that a bunch of stuff broke loose, sludge and crud, blocking the oil pickup but that generally only happens when you clean the top of the motor, on the bottom you/he should have cleaned out all the old crap out of the oil pan. Alot of times when I drop mains I put assembly lube on the journals, helps lube them till the oil pressure comes up OR I spin up the pump prior to starting with a drill by removing the distributor and putting a length of steel stock with the right tip on it.

 

[Judd W. VA]

I concur.....

I agree with the advice being given here. Do not let the shop owner try to pass the cost of the disaster to you if Melling does not accept blame. Is risky to replace an oil pump in an older engine to begin with. Is so easy to knock loose accumulation and the such, or to be able to effectively clean involved areas. He should know this and to at least ask if you are willing to accept partial risk. Is what i'd do if there was doubt. To drop the pan to gain access to the pump and not ck or replace the rod bearings i also think was not a good plan. Those bearings tend to wear more than the mains and may as well when the access is so good.

I too have used Melling oil pumps in many engines without a single problem. Is true they are almost bullet proof mostly due to the fact it is a really simple mechanism.