Must vent. So apologies if this is a little pointless rant but ##&*&@*!!!!
Today I finally get some time to start the assembly of my MGA 1600 Mk1
motor. I've installed the core plugs, inserted new plugs for the oil
galleries and made sure she's spotlessly clean. Next step was to install the
NOS crank I picked up from a _very reputable supplier here in Sydney. I also
had a bunch of machine work done along the way by another shop which
included line boring the block, end to end balance, size the rods, bore the
block etc etc. All the typical things. NOW this is where the fun starts, I
installed the main bearing halves in the bearing saddles, applied a little
lube and was dropping the crank into position when... bloody hell.. the
crank doesn't fit in the block! I've been given the wrong crank! The crank I
have I think belongs to a 1600 Mk2, not a Mk1, it appears to have a much
smaller centre main than my old crank! It doesn't even drop into place, the
counterweights hang up on the saddle! ARGGGH!!!
OK, now someone out there with more experience than me please tell me how
the machine shop failed to pick up that this was the wrong crank? How can
the bearing clearances be checked without fitting up the crank? What about
the line boring process, do they need to have the crank in place to check
this out? What about balancing? What I want to know is if it's possible for
the machine shop not to have known this was the wrong crank IF they carried
out the specified work? I think not. I think I've been royally screwed and
the machine shop had likely not performed any of the above work except bore
the block (which is bloody obvious at first look of course).
I am very very mad right now, I wonder why I paid a bunch of supposed pro's
$1500 to do this work when they obviously never even checked the bearing
clearances!!! But supplied me with bearings all the same! I am guessing
because the crank was NOS, they figured it'd fit no need to check clearance,
but what about all the other services don't they require checking/fitting
the crank? Some advice please. I will ring these people in the AM, but would
love some feedback. It all reeks of incompetence to me.
Cheers,
Neil.
--
61 A / 70 BGT / 68 CGT/ 56 BN2
URL: http://www.apphosting.com/mgstuff/
|