digitalwanderer
Legend
It is amazing at how much looking at new 3.6l Pentstar engines cost and how to install them can totally distract you from everything else in life. I could build 5-6 new gaming rigs for these prices!!!!
Little secret: I HATE OFF-ROADING!!!
- Thread starter digitalwanderer
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digitalwanderer
Legend
Just got off the phone with Chuck over at MTI with the results of what the oil pan looked like when they pulled it. He didn't want to tell me over the phone, he wants me to come in tomorrow with my wife to see it for ourselves. He said it was full of mud and metal shavings, and that the engine would never hold oil pressure again. Tomorrow I find out how much they want for a new one.
Right now I feel like throwing up or screaming, can't decide which. I still have to tell my wife and I don't see any way we can afford to fix it. Gonna be a not-fun night.
Right now I feel like throwing up or screaming, can't decide which. I still have to tell my wife and I don't see any way we can afford to fix it. Gonna be a not-fun night.
digitalwanderer
Legend
UGH! So we need a new engine. MTI wants $10,600 to put one in. Their engine cost is $8,000. I called some Jeep dealers and there numbers are right in line with that for a bog standard rebuilt engine.
But I found this Jasper rebuilt that's built up, and it's only $5,500 and a whole lot better...but it's an 8 week wait for it to be made.
New challenge; find an engine like the Jasper one but that's available sooner...any ideas?
But I found this Jasper rebuilt that's built up, and it's only $5,500 and a whole lot better...but it's an 8 week wait for it to be made.
New challenge; find an engine like the Jasper one but that's available sooner...any ideas?
Did they look for and find metal shavings in the oil filter? How could there be metal shavings in the oil pan but not in the filter (or the magnetized oil pan bolt, if you have one)?
I’m no car guy, but seems suspicious to “guarantee” a $1000 job then ask for more money to really fix it.
Edit: missed the last update. Still seems weird that they didn’t find metal in the oil filter before the $1k job, unless the engine grenaded itself after their “guaranteed” fix.
I’m no car guy, but seems suspicious to “guarantee” a $1000 job then ask for more money to really fix it.
Edit: missed the last update. Still seems weird that they didn’t find metal in the oil filter before the $1k job, unless the engine grenaded itself after their “guaranteed” fix.
digitalwanderer
Legend
The Jeep's resale value is around $30k, investing $10k to make it less than a junker isn't that stupid. I just got back from the dealer and took some videos, I'll post 'em in a bit. There were metal shavings in the oil filter, why they didn't find them before when they did the work is a damned good question that I did not ask but I sure will when I pick her up.
digitalwanderer
Legend
There aren't any. It's damned hard to find even a core for a 3.6l Pentastar right now, they're in big demand. That's why the long wait for the Jasper. I did find a decent stock engine at Autozone of all places for around $5,500 and it's available Dec 27th and has a good warranty. Next is to see what the wife wants to do.
EDITED BITS: Autozone engine is here when you're looking for it later Hayden.
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digitalwanderer
Legend
I'm saying "damned" too much, I apologize for my tone. I mean no disrespect to anyone, I'm just really frustrated. :/
digitalwanderer
Legend
Youtube auto made it in to a bloody short because I messed up and did a vertical video and it's under 60 seconds. Weirded me out watching the view counter going higher than anything else I've put up before it was even published, apologies.
My truck made a grinding sound. I looked into it and decided it was IWE (integrated wheel ends that lock cv axle to wheel) failure. Called dealer and they said to get it towed in. I did with roadside assistance b/c I thought it was still under warranty. 40k miles. However it turned out it was 2months past warranty. I decided to pay for diagnostic after talking with them and ensuring their promise to check vacuum lines and figure out the problem. Then they tell me $2600 in parts plus additional labor to replace every single part in IWE system. It could literally be a $15 part needed. I complained when I picked it up after saying heck no to them. (I can buy all the parts for about $800). Talked to a different guy there and they did nothing except drive it 4 miles and note the IWE system want working. Then they refunded diagnostic fee. I unplugged a solenoid that activated the IWEs and drive home. Grinding is gone. I haven't fixed it yet as it is cold and I don't have a garage, but you can just drive with hubs locked spinning the half shafts which are disconnected at the transfer case still. It just decreases fuel economy a little. The moral is ugg trying to give decent service is a real hassle.
digitalwanderer
Legend
This has been bugging me a lot. They did change the oil filter housing originally, how could they have missed the mucked up oil filter then or the mucky oil? The oil was clear when I took her in, I checked the dipstick and it looked brand new. I think the engine grenaded itself when I drove it the 10 mile round trip to the car wash and back to the dealers. It also bugged me that the oil pressure dropped within the first 4 minutes of running the engine, how could they miss that?
I haven't heard from them in a week and they were going to call me back the next day. I went past yesterday and our Jeep was still in the air on one of their lifts even though I'd told them to close it up and I'd be taking her. I'm gonna call them today to see what is up, but I'm debating if I should ask about the original state of the oil filter or not. Do they make mechanic lawyers or something I should get a hold of? Should I just calmly explain my confusion/position to MTI and see what they say/do? The manager there gave me a long lecture about how they jack up the price of parts to insure their warranty is covered to explain why he charged me double the price for the oil filter holder, shouldn't that warranty cover the error?
Help, I am befuddled.
Silent_Buddha
Legend
Sounds like you un-lucked out in getting a predatory mechanic's shop. That's always the nightmare scenario if you don't know people who know mechanics around town and their reputations. The BBB used to be a good way to find good businesses (like Mechanic shops) but not enough people use it for it to be very reliable anymore.
What I do nowadays is look at customer reviews on something like Google Maps or any other customer driven rating service (Yelp, for example, but there are many others, even locally focused ones).
I look for two things, lots of reviews and quality of reviews. So when I had to get work done to put a mirror back on that some driver knocked off our parked car, I found a hole in the wall auto body shop that had incredibly good reviews and lots of them. If I went by how the shop looked? I never would have gone there.
Then on top of that the owner was so great (worked in the shop with his workers) that despite us not being happy with the non-OEM mirror assembly (cheap plastic meant that the leading edge was "floppy") that we had put on, when we came back with an OEM mirror and asked how much it would be to put that on instead, he wouldn't accept any money and changed them out free of charge despite it being our mistake.
Anyway, it sucks to hear that you have to deal with a potentially predatory shop. Crossing my fingers for you that it gets straightened out somehow.
Regards,
SB
digitalwanderer
Legend
C'mon, say it. It'll be ok.
Tap on the “N”.
digitalwanderer
Legend
OW!
digitalwanderer
Legend
Haven't spoken to MTI since I got really aggravated with them, they've been calling once a week or so to ask me if I decided what I wanted to do yet. I think we decided last night, my wife posted up in the NWI (North West Indiana) Jeepers Group on Facebook about it and we got some people all recommending a guy about 20 minutes from where we live. She contacted him last night and within minutes he got back to us saying it would be no problem and sending us a link to the auto shop he'd be getting the engine from and explaining it would cost the engine's price plus about $800us in labor/fluids/parts. The engine he showed us was a rebuilt for $5000us, so it seems like a hella good deal! The MTI people called a few days ago to tell me they "got the boss to knock $500 off the engine job so it'll only be $9,850us, with a 3 year guarantee." I can't tell you about the thoughts I've been having about MTI, they're literally illegal.
Oh the new guy warranties his engine and install for 4 years, so it's better all around. I got my friend coming by with his trailer Tuesday to pick up the Jeep, I ain't driving it until a mechanic looks at it. We also want to get the new guy's opinion on what MTI did, then decide what to do about them from there.
Just an update since I finally had one.
Oh the new guy warranties his engine and install for 4 years, so it's better all around. I got my friend coming by with his trailer Tuesday to pick up the Jeep, I ain't driving it until a mechanic looks at it. We also want to get the new guy's opinion on what MTI did, then decide what to do about them from there.
Just an update since I finally had one.
digitalwanderer
Legend
Another update. Slight change of plans but in a good way, me and my buddy are gonna pick it up from MTI tomorrow and take it over to the garage where it's getting repaired. Just finished talking to the mechanic and while they still haven't gotten a date on engine availability yet they've got lots of room and don't mind taking her tomorrow.
Not much, but I'll take the little wins with this one.
And for my own future convenience: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nwijeepers
Not much, but I'll take the little wins with this one.
And for my own future convenience: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nwijeepers
digitalwanderer
Legend
I love it when a plan comes together. Today went better than expected. Got the Jeep, took it to Jay the Jeep Guy's place, spent 4+ hours talking to Jay with my buddy and touring his own little mini junk yard. He gave my friend the rear wiper off an old minivan since it'll work on his Can Am, and he really impressed/educated me about Jeeps!
There's a possibility we don't need a new engine, and the guy recommended about 3-4 other little cheap things that the Jeep needs/could use. He's going to analyze it and get back to me sometime with an overview and some estimates, but apparently he charges his cost for parts and barely nothing for labor for fellow jeepers. INSANELY cool, very happy with this guy. I finally feel like the Jeep is in competent hands, and my friend is bringing his jeep in for the guy to fix too. (I'll be bringing in the Renegade for a couple of his recommended upgrades once we get the Wrangler fixed)
A surprisingly wonderful time. The guy works out of his house and has a yard full of vehicles of all descriptions, but mainly off-road stuff. His 18 year old son helps him and was bragging to me that he could switch out an engine in 7 hours or less...his dad takes less than 6! Feels like I finally found a good automotive technician! (Jay asked me not to call him a mechanic as they're hacks who rip people off while technicians diagnose and repair, that comment made me really happy too!)
Oh of course I slipped off the trailer putting the jeep on it and bounced off the steel deck and then flopped on to the steel ramps which happily sprung me to the pavement, but the shock still hasn't worn off so I'm barely feeling it now. Even pushed the Wrangler by myself to position it behind the trailer. The dick people at MTI had watched me fall and I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of letting them know it hurt, also why I refused their help when they offered to help push the jeep. Was physical painful but well worth the mental satisfaction of saying "FUCK YOU!!!" in my mind to them. (I was courteous out loud.)
There's a possibility we don't need a new engine, and the guy recommended about 3-4 other little cheap things that the Jeep needs/could use. He's going to analyze it and get back to me sometime with an overview and some estimates, but apparently he charges his cost for parts and barely nothing for labor for fellow jeepers. INSANELY cool, very happy with this guy. I finally feel like the Jeep is in competent hands, and my friend is bringing his jeep in for the guy to fix too. (I'll be bringing in the Renegade for a couple of his recommended upgrades once we get the Wrangler fixed)
A surprisingly wonderful time. The guy works out of his house and has a yard full of vehicles of all descriptions, but mainly off-road stuff. His 18 year old son helps him and was bragging to me that he could switch out an engine in 7 hours or less...his dad takes less than 6! Feels like I finally found a good automotive technician! (Jay asked me not to call him a mechanic as they're hacks who rip people off while technicians diagnose and repair, that comment made me really happy too!)
Oh of course I slipped off the trailer putting the jeep on it and bounced off the steel deck and then flopped on to the steel ramps which happily sprung me to the pavement, but the shock still hasn't worn off so I'm barely feeling it now. Even pushed the Wrangler by myself to position it behind the trailer. The dick people at MTI had watched me fall and I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of letting them know it hurt, also why I refused their help when they offered to help push the jeep. Was physical painful but well worth the mental satisfaction of saying "FUCK YOU!!!" in my mind to them. (I was courteous out loud.)
