Heartbreak Again!

[Tommmo]

Here's my story...

2 Years ago I finally purchased my dream car, R33 GTR its a 1996 V-Spec

Now practically as soon as I purchased it, the motor went BANG! I was heartbroken.

Reluctantly I began sourcing parts for the rebuild! I wanted to do it once, do it right, so the entire process took quite a while and my dream was simply left parked in the garage for a year while the engine and parts were being sourced and put together.

So in November 2009.. After a long wait, and a few dramas in between the car was all back together in one piece, all was going well.

I ran in the motor, and took it fairly easy for the first few months. I have covered 3,000km since the rebuild, running standard ecu, standard boost for the entire period.. yesterday I took it to my tuner, to connect a boost controller so we could run some more PSI through those turbos!

All was well, then suddenly noticed a horrible rattling sound from the engine... the type no one should ever hear!

Went back to my builder today and my worst fears were confirmed.. suspected conrod bearing!

I'm absolutely devastated! I'm not sure what to do... Having bought my first home recently means I don't have enough funds to have it all pulled apart and fixed again!

In total over the past 2 years I have sunk around $50,000 into this car (including purchase price)

Here's a run down of parts:

Eagle Rods

N1 Water Pump

Nitto Oil Pump

Extended Sump

Arias Pistons & Rings

ACL Race Series Conrod Bearings

ACL Race Series Main Bearings

HKS Dump Pipes

Nismo Exhaust

Nismo SP Suspension

Nismo LM GT1s

Nismo Engine Mounts

Nismo 320km Dash

Ross Harmonic Balancer

Garrett GT2860R-5S Turbos

Nismo Coppermix Twin Plate 640PS

Toyo Proxes T1R 275/35ZR18

All parts purchased BRAND NEW

Not Yet installed:

Apexi Power Fc

Sard 700cc Injectors

So my question to you is..

Should I keep it locked up for another year or 2 while I save $$ to fix it

Sell it? If I was to try to sell.. realistically speaking whats the best I could hope for?

Strip it?

Either way its a lose, lose situation.. i'm simply devastated!

[Weezy]

Your engine builder needs a kick in the teeth for one. This should not happen to a freshly build RB26 especially if you havn't been giving it any track time.

At this stage, I would say put it away for a rainy day, continue the build slowly. Your too far into it at this stage to simply sell up, you'll loose thousands and thousands miss out on the gradification of all the money poured into it this far.

Either tuner abuse or poor engine build - I can't see how it could just chew a bearing at its own accord.

[RubyRS4]

If the builder put this engine together for you, isn't it the engine builder's problem? The builder should stand by his work. I can't see how a fresh new engine can lunch a bearing ... unless he recycled the old ones?

[heslo]

That sucks mate! Especially with all the shit you've been through, including the break in! As said, the builder should be coming to the party in some way. I wouldn't sell it, you'll lose way too much then regret it down the road. If it were me, I'd just keep it and work on it slowly rather than get rid of it completely

[Tommmo]

If the builder put this engine together for you, isn't it the engine builder's problem? The builder should stand by his work. I can't see how a fresh new engine can lunch a bearing ... unless he recycled the old ones?

I've had the discussion of liability with him, he argues if it had been of his doing, then this would have happened within the first couple of hundred kms

I'm going to lodge something with consumer affairs/fair trading and see what comes from it...

but to be honest I don't think I can go through the whole process again.

[SLED]

what did your tuner do?

have you checked the simple things like oil level?

if you haven't been launching it and your tuner hasn't got a happy foot, I'd be asking questions of the builder.

Speak to OCBA first.

[Damo_R34]

sucks to hear

I guess the easiest fix would be to buy a new 26 long motor and drop that in so the car at least runs, and keep the blown engine for rebuild!

[SLED]

I've had the discussion of liability with him, he argues if it had been of his doing, then this would have happened within the first couple of hundred kms

I'm going to lodge something with consumer affairs/fair trading and see what comes from it...

but to be honest I don't think I can go through the whole process again.

err, I was in engine reconditioning for 20 years and we would always stand by our engines.....that comment is a load of cock.

if he used s/h bolts or didn't torque them correctly or didn't check brg crush before assembly, etc, etc, etc........then this can happen months done the road.

[Tommmo]

what did your tuner do?

have you checked the simple things like oil level?

if you haven't been launching it and your tuner hasn't got a happy foot, I'd be asking questions of the builder.

Speak to OCBA first.

Oil level and pressure is perfect!

I haven't launched it ever and not once took it over 7000rpm, been waiting to install support mods before giving it a real drive.

[Carbon 34]

sad to hear, but it sounds like no assembly lube was used, clearances wrong on the crank

cars are money pits. but damn fun..

[SLED]

like I said, see someone at OCBA first, but I'd be telling him to either fix it or you'll get someone else to fix it and send him the bill.

Did he make you sign a waiver that none of his work would be guaranteed....even that piece of paper wouldn't hold any weight if it hasn't been too long since the build.

Whether a business offers warranty or not for their work is besides the point, the law requires them to stand by their workmanship..........unless of course it's a race car then I suppose it becomes a moral obligation.

[Tommmo]

Did he make you sign a waiver that none of his work would be guaranteed....even that piece of paper wouldn't hold any weight if it hasn't been too long since the build.

nope, didn't sign any clauses or waivers

[Luciano]

I guess the easiest fix would be to buy a new 26 long motor and drop that in so the car at least runs, and keep the blown engine for rebuild!

+1

[rad100]

isnt it called statutary warranty?

if u pay $5000 for a tv and it last 2 yrs then u have a leg to stand on..

give it a go man! whats the worst tgey could say no? and be at the same point!

[Tommmo]

isnt it called statutary warranty?

if u pay $5000 for a tv and it last 2 yrs then u have a leg to stand on..

give it a go man! whats the worst tgey could say no? and be at the same point!

yeh i've heard about it before, definitely going to be following it up

[Murry33]

You should have gone 2JZ.....

[typevu]

Sorry to hear about that David! My vote goes towards chucking it in the shed until you can afford to fix it up rather than selling it - atleast one day you'll be able to enjoy it instead of offloading it now for next to nothing.

[Tommmo]

You should have gone 2JZ.....

funny you say that.. I offloaded a Manual Chaser to finance this build..

perhaps I sold the wrong car?

The pleasure from driving the GTR far outweighs that of the Toyota though

[Weezy]

Name and shame the engine builder

[Tommmo]

Name and shame the engine builder

im pretty sure thats against the rules,

plus I don't think it would be in my best interest either as I may yet have to deal with him