*i Think* A Workshop Stuffed My Car

[Freeman]

Hey guys heres my problem. Its turned out to be a bit of a novel sorry!

6 months ago my skyline was due for its first service. I asked around and took it to a workshop that works on a fair few skylines and were known to be pretty good. While it was getting serviced they told me that it needed new plugs, but they would be good for another 50,000k's or so. so i forked out $25 per plug to get some fresh ones. Driving home from the service (6 months ago) it hesitated a tiny bit and backfired a bit but i figured it would be ok. I called them the next week and they said if it keeps happening bring it back in. I saved a bit of cash and brought it back, by then it was getting pretty bad and would surge forward and then nearly stop and it was a joke. They spent 4 days with it, and at the same time got them to fix my door lock that had broken. Unfortunately it couldnt open so it took 600 bucks worth of labour to fix it. By then it had been three days, the door had been fixed but they had no idea what the engine problem was and i was running out of money. They said bring it back when you have more money.

After that i took it to Turbotechnics for them to look at, it played up all the way there but as soon as they played with it it didnt miss a beat, they put it on the dyno and everything and ran perfect.

So eventually last week, having not driven it much at all i took it to my normal mechanic who services my charade, and after 4 days he found out that my AFM was stuffed. He sent it to Syd, got it repaired, then put it back on and it ran 95% perfect but was still missing a beat occasionally. He checked the spark plugs and they were NGK heat range 7, when they are only meant to be 5. He said they would be at home on a race track but not street driving. He said this has caused the backfire, and this continual backfiring has stuffed the AFM cos of the air and backpressure surging in and out. I rang the workshop that put the plugs in and they admitted they put the plugs in, but the main mech that works there wasnt on today so im going to ring back monday.

Where do u guys think i stand getting any money back, for the plugs or repairs or 2 weeks worth of labour? This has been a pain in the arse for me for 6 months, not only the cash involved but not being able to drive the car for so long (due to lack of money to get it fixed). The guys that work there are pretty decent blokes from what ive dealt with them, but what exactly can i say? I dont have a reciept, but they rang me and admitted they put the plugs in, and ive kept them as proof. Thanks for your help guys.

Edited April 13, 2007 by Freeman

[MANWHORE]

I think you don't stand on anything. The plugs - sure, were a bit cold maybe. it wouldn't have stuffed your afm.

These cars are old. stuff like that can break. they're cheap anyways - how much did you pay for the afm? $100 for a second hand one? 150?

I'd just try my luck and say do the next service for free or something. PS: by even pursuing it, you're wasting your time (not their fault anyways), move on

[cameron]

Looks ovbious to me that they dont know what their doing, altho a 7 range is colder plug but they shouldnt foul that quick inless your o2 sensor is stuffed or you have another issue with running rich.

Wow 4 days to find a AFM problem...

Edited April 13, 2007 by cameron

[R31Nismoid]

Sorta off track.. $600 to fix a door lock? Dude... thats a ripe sting in the nuts.

Should cost no more than $100

Anyhow, your basically trying to pin someone for a heat-range of a plug that was slightly wrong?

I dont think your gonna get far. I highly doubt it would cause the AFM to die.

2 weeks of labour? That would be what... $2000-$3000? I highly doubt you have been charged that much.

AFM's fail under normal conditions, as MANWHORE said, its 12-14yr old gear dude.

Your car is going to have issues once in a while, things are going to die once in a while. Thats how it is.

[TurboX]

"He said this has caused the backfire, and this continual backfiring has stuffed the AFM cos of the air and backpressure surging in and out."

I would highly doubt this statement regarding causing the AFM to go faulty.

Thats what an AFM does every day for a living and sometimes they get old and tired, just like me.

Did you try cleaning it?

Dirty sensor is the most common AFM issue and can be cleaned easily with brake cleaner.

[MANWHORE]

not only are our cars old, but chances are half of them would have run an oiled pod at some stage in life, half of them would have been cleaned using something nasty like brake cleaner, or something instead of crc contact cleaner etc etc.

Things break, that's life. e.g. coilpacks - break. that could actually be the cause of your misfire.

They're just a maintenance thing, just like anything else.

[sky-017]

damn , you got ripped off hard . you should get a quote before you persue things in the future ... and have a receipt and statement on a fixed price.. try cleaning things afm / acc valve.. next time attempt to do these things yourself - they arent that hard with all the write ups in the DIY

[Freeman]

god dammit

yeah i should have thought about the age of our cars, i was just going off what my mechanic said. Yeah the labour included the cost of the ervice and sparkies and new lock barrel sorry forgot to mention that. And they said it took so long too because the door was locked shut so they couldnt get the door trim off.

Not really trying to pin someone, i just thoguht they had done something wrong thats all.

It took four days to find the AFM problem cos it was only booked in for one day and the days after he had other cars booked in as well as apprentices at tafe, etc.

Thanks for your advice guys its part of owning a skyline i guess lol ill shut up about it now and try here in future before a fork out cash

Edited April 13, 2007 by Freeman

[sky-017]

every one goes through tough times with their car .... trying learning some more though , save your self the dosh .. i sure as hell couldnt fork out money like that to fix something so minuscule . maybe try attempt things yourself...

[g0t pSi?]

I saw your car parked at glendale super center today man, nice one.

as the other guys say though...you really gotta watch alot of the mechanics around. As you spend more time playing and tinkering with these toys you learn that most mechanics don't know jack shit and are just out to rip people off. In the long run you are certainly better learning about these things in a place like this and attempting to fix the problems yourself, will save yourself alot of money and you will learn in the process. Changing AFMs, coil packs, spark plugs and stuff like that are simple procedures and hard to stuff up, so dont be affraid to have a go.

also out of interest... what is the "workshop that works on a fair few skylines and were known to be pretty good"? (by PM obviously )

Edited April 13, 2007 by g0t pSi?

[dan_the_man]

if you want to name the workshop then do it via pm please.

[Cubes]

He said this has caused the backfire, and this continual backfiring has stuffed the AFM cos of the air and backpressure surging in and out. I rang the workshop that put the plugs in and they admitted they put the plugs in, but the main mech that works there wasnt on today so im going to ring back monday.

He will laugh when you tell him that.

Its not true. The car was running like crap because the plugs were fouling.

Its common for an AFM to fail, its not the plugs fault. Its simply the age of the car.

[R31Nismoid]

Yeah, half of this "problem" has come from a mechanic that works on Daihatsu Charade's.

That kinda where the problem begins, and certainly ends (when you dont take the car back to him as he doesnt know skylines)

I'd trust the workshop you *think* stuffed the car. Seems they actually know whats going on, even if they had a boo-boo with the plugs.

[gtst25]

Unfortunately labour is expensive and it can be hard to find a good workshop these days. I don't envy people that don't have much mechanical knowledge who own older skylines - gtst's and especially gtr's. They are a wonderfully made piece of kit that unfortunately are getting old and most have had a hard life. And bad maintenance/repairs from dodgy owners.

A hard lesson to learn but unless you want to learn more about you car it will cost you - I mean if my car was backfiring back through the intake I wouldn't keep driving it but solve the problem immediately. I doubt you'll get money back - I drove with heat range 7's in my 33 with stock boost for a year as I had bigger plans in sight - not a problem at all and now its pushing out 260 kw at the rears with the same plugs 4 years later.

Cheers

[SCOOP]

Yeah, half of this "problem" has come from a mechanic that works on Daihatsu Charade's.

That kinda where the problem begins, and certainly ends (when you dont take the car back to him as he doesnt know skylines)

I'd trust the workshop you *think* stuffed the car. Seems they actually know whats going on, even if they had a boo-boo with the plugs.

Right on!! Although the plugs probably were rooted.

[BAMR33]

It's rather ironic that the AFM started to play up just after plugs were installed. Maybe the burnt fuel reversing through the intake did have some affect on the AFM. I mean it just seems to be to bigger coincidence, and why did they choose range 7 plugs for stock car, they must have pulled them out of a hat.

As for the door, $600 is wrought. It really does show that doing your own work is the best way to go.

[WazR32GTSt]

unfortunately most mechanics don't know shit

that's why they tell you crap, because they simply don't know some stuff... and the mentality in that industry is to lie when you don't know rather than simply saying "i don't know but i'll go look it up" because that's how they think

you have probably jsut realised that its very important to find a good mechanic (not a good bloke, but someone who knows your car inside out) and even then, when they tell you something, think about it, and research it yourself

we can all learn something form your experiences Freeman

[dan_the_man]

so anyway nothings going to happen

[sinistaGTR]

You gotta take your car to someone that knows imports not just anyold mechanic ask for reccomendations in your states section for someone, yes you may pay a touch more in labour but the job will be done right and done in half the time. and man 600 for a f**kin door i could be a millionare i really need to start a business lol.

[skylinecouple]

Whats the point of having this forum if you don`t use it.Fix your own door and clean the afm before you do anything with some loser mechanic that doesn`t know crap.Type up missfire or afm as a search and watch what happens.If you don`t know whats wrong then look at the problem and you will work it out.It`s a door handle for God`s sake.I think from memory two bolts and a plastic clip.By the way there is at least 50 pages on spark plugs and how to change them.Don`t mean to sound bad but give it a try.Call us before you call a mechanic.$600 is almost a Slide hiflow.