Engine repair with a heaping side of misogyny!

[Automan Empire]

My auto repair business occupies two buildings four doors from each other. One is the office where customers go, the other is now just a workshop. My female manager is a great "people person" to complement my competent but cold "carside manner." /backstory

I'm just sitting down to my cold lunch at 3:00 at the work shop when Manager calls to say, "There's a man here that wants to speak to a mechanic; he's already bugging [tech] and refuses to speak to me because I'm not a mechanic or male." Great. I hoof it over to the other shop to find a smiling man standing outside the office. I direct him in and join Manager at the counter.

"We're working on a [Expensive piece of crap aged luxury model] where the timing belt broke (oh noes) and we sent to the machine shop [etc for several sentences] so now the guy needs to put on the camshafts... you are supposed to line it up with cylinder 3 and 4? " <-- Note, this indicates he is completely out of his depth, it makes no mechanical sense.

I explain, "First of all we recommend against repairing those engines, it is better to install a new engine complete..."

He interrupts to say, "But the machine shop already fix the head. We just need help to line up the cam."

"Okay, on a running engine, that more than a 5 hour job. We charge $XXX.xx. If the engine is apart, we won't work on it at all. Do you have the special cam locking tools?"

It need special tool? You have the special tool?

"Yes, of course. The tool set is over $600."

Can we borrow it, and I give you something?

"No, we don't loan tools."

Manager chimes in, "Sublet the repair to us!"

Mr. Misogynist turns to her and says sharply, "I'm talking to HIM, I am not talking to you!"

I stood and said coldly, "We can't help you AT ALL with this, get out."

Fortunately, he left without another word. I was ready to scream at him if he didn't.

In the back room, Manager bowed to me and said THANK YOU for backing me up! No prob, this cat didn't want to spend a dime with us anyway, and his caveman attitude blew him out of the only shop within three cities that could repair this.

[EricKei]

Kudos to you both for backing up your manager and for running off the sucky non-customer!

[ShugoAC]

I have zero mechanical sense on a normal basis.... but this...

"We're working on a [Expensive piece of crap aged luxury model] where the timing belt broke (oh noes) and we sent to the machine shop [etc for several sentences] so now the guy needs to put on the camshafts... you are supposed to line it up with cylinder 3 and 4? " <-- Note, this indicates he is completely out of his depth, it makes no mechanical sense.

Don't most engines work on an either/or type system? Shouldn't it be Cylinder 1 & 3 or 2 & 4? I admit my knowledge of internal combustion engines is limited to what we took apart in Highschool and my PoS lawnmower.... In both cases kicking it very roughly always makes it work right. And swearing... the further down the tourettes path you travel the smoother the grass looks.

Shugo

[EricKei]

Well, that would *would* explain Automan's "Note, this indicates he is completely out of his depth, it makes no mechanical sense" comment

[Seshat]

I would hope the camshaft would be installed so that all the pistons lined up with all the cylinders!

But yes, the only times I've seen a working engine's innards, the odd pistons worked together, and in opposite combustion stages to the even pistons.

[protege]

"We're working on a [Expensive piece of crap aged luxury model] where the timing belt broke (oh noes) and we sent to the machine shop [etc for several sentences] so now the guy needs to put on the camshafts... you are supposed to line it up with cylinder 3 and 4? " <-- Note, this indicates he is completely out of his depth, it makes no mechanical sense.

Sounds like someone is either drunk, high, or both...and attempting to fix their vehicle. After seeing what some people do to their vehicles, it doesn't surprise me. I've been around cars since I was a child. However, I'm no expert when working on them. I know a fair bit, but I'm not afraid to call in the experts if I have to.

For example, I put an electronic ignition unit in my MG. A simple job--take the cap off the distributor, remove the (fried) ignition points and condenser, screw the electronic bits in place, and you're good. Car fired right up on the first try. But, when I was trying to set the timing, I couldn't get the car to run smoothly. It was either horribly misfiring, or not running at all! Rather than risk damaging my rebuilt engine, I had the car towed to the local Pep Boys, and let the guys sort it for me. Seems that the distributor bracket wasn't closing all the way...meaning that the entire unit would slowly turn because of the engine's vibration...screwing up the timing. They had the bracket replaced, set the timing correctly, and off I went.

Back on topic here, I'm not even sure what the guy is doing. I know that when you replace a cam, you're supposed to adjust the valves as well. This has to be done, or else they won't open and close when they're supposed to. Otherwise, you'll end up strangling the engine, and possibly damaging it.

[Pimento]

I'm not even sure what the guy is doing. I know that when you replace a cam, you're supposed to adjust the valves as well. This has to be done, or else they won't open and close when they're supposed to. Otherwise, you'll end up strangling the engine, and possibly damaging it.

Yeah plus if he let the timing belt blow, doesnt it typically bend everything in your top end? Might be why he had it machined, but knowing him hes going to use all his old valves and junk too hah.

[pitmonkey]

Hubby did custom rebuild before the industry tanked. He hated to get an engine for some antique that was taken apart, had pieces missing and was expected to put it all together. A lot of times it meant that he had to fabricate pieces to fit.

[Dave1982]

Yeah plus if he let the timing belt blow, doesnt it typically bend everything in your top end? Might be why he had it machined, but knowing him hes going to use all his old valves and junk too hah.

Depends on if it's an interference fit engine or not. If it is, then yes, a broken timing belt will result in any valves that were open when the belt broke being struck by the pistons. Cue bent (possibly broken) valves and perhaps even broken pistons, and lots of expensive repairs.

If it's not an interference fit engine, then it'll just stall. It's still a costly repair, but not nearly as bad.

[MoonCat]

Mr. Misogynist turns to her and says sharply, "I'm talking to HIM, I am not talking to you!"

Rude, sexist and stupid. A winning combination.

[Jester]

I admit my knowledge of internal combustion engines is limited...

In my case, I know enough to change a tire, change a light (head or tail, thank you very much), and change the oil. Anything more complex, I defer to someone who knows what the fuck they're doing...like, say, my stepsister.

Sexist asshole.

On another point, even when a mechanic is your good personal friend, he is not going to loan you his professional tools. Maybe his around-the-house tools, but that's only if you're in tight with him. (I happen to have a close friend who is, in fact, a mechanic. I would never ask to borrow his tools, but if I did, he would probably laugh at me. Or fix me with his steely psychotic look that tends to clear out bars.....)

[protege]

Depends on if it's an interference fit engine or not. If it is, then yes, a broken timing belt will result in any valves that were open when the belt broke being struck by the pistons. Cue bent (possibly broken) valves and perhaps even broken pistons, and lots of expensive repairs.

Yep, if the timing chain on the MG goes...I'll be looking at bent valves, holed pistons, and possibly a damaged connecting rod or two. Worst case scenario...is a rod coming through the side of the block. Cost for that--several hundred, to a couple thousand dollars

If it's not an interference fit engine, then it'll just stall. It's still a costly repair, but not nearly as bad.

Had that happen with the Mazda. It wasn't the timing belt that failed, but the belt's adjuster. Car was fine driving to work, but on the way home, I suddenly found myself having problems going across a bridge. It was like the cylinders were literally shutting down on me. I made it across, and then found myself without power. Found out later that the belt's adjuster had finally gone, throwing the belt off the pulleys, and destroying it. I wasn't amused when the repair bill came to well over $700.

[Betweenshades]

As a woman who ran an autobody shop for a while, I can say that guy is all too common. The ironic thing is I got a good chunk of that crap from women.

"They have secretaries doing this now?"

*stabbity*

[AccountingDrone]

On another point, even when a mechanic is your good personal friend, he is not going to loan you his professional tools. Maybe his around-the-house tools, but that's only if you're in tight with him.

Inside/outside mechanic here, I had around $40 000 in tools at one time. *My* personal tools. In a locking gang box with my name on it. Chained to a pillar in my machine shop. We had crib tools, but nobody used them, we all used our stuff. Between everybody in my shop, not counting crib or machines we had around $250 000 in tools. [I don't even want to think what it would cost now to set up a shop like my old one, though replace the old school equipment with all CAD shit.]

As a woman who ran an autobody shop for a while, I can say that guy is all too common. The ironic thing is I got a good chunk of that crap from women.

"They have secretaries doing this now?"

*stabbity*

ROFLMAO.

Any salesman who rolled in and called me Honey, sweetheart, sugar or darling and asked to see the manager got told to leave and have his boss send someone with some brains instead. Only ONE salesman I allowed to call me any endearment, and he was an old time southerner and it is not meant in a demeaning manner. He knew me from the time I was sweeping the floors and learning =) He was always Mr Kurt and I was always either Miss Marilyn or Honey.

It was funny - apparently I actually made one salesman crybut losing a quarter million dollar sale sort of does that

[Geek King]

Yep, if the timing chain on the MG goes...I'll be looking at bent valves, holed pistons, and possibly a damaged connecting rod or two. Worst case scenario...is a rod coming through the side of the block. Cost for that--several hundred, to a couple thousand dollars

There was the case of that F1 driver a number of years ago. The piston came into the driving compartment and smashed his femur mid-race. Worst case, indeed...