Alan Jeffery

Not in this case, after this chap's experience with "Ideal Engines" of Slough, etc.
I know this issue has been done to death, but sadly it's what happens when the lure of a "cheap" fix becomes too strong.

Hatch WRX, crank failure. Full engine rebuild supposed to be carried out by the above organisation.

After the first visit and a bigger bill than he was told about, the car lasted 100 miles before a clattering noise stopped further play. The car was delivered back, but eventually they told him "The ECU has fried" and pushed it outside non running.
Delivered to us, it was obvious that all wasn't well with the engine, also an as yet undiagnosed reason why the ECU can't be accessed via the port.
Having seen and heard enough about the motor, we pulled and stripped it.

Rocker covers, plastered in goo, poor quality seals.



Evidence of pick up on cam bearings, two caps not in correct position.



Shouldered bolts incorrectly fitted as in all over the shop.



Sealer poking out everywhere



Block damage welded up



Sump full of crap



Metal crap clinging to the windage tray



Second hand pistons



Block damage from strike



We realised that the engine had been apart twice, because the piston tops were clean, as in not run after being wire wheeled. We found the above damage, along with rod damage that could only have occurred with the engine running. We figured that something must have been left in there to start with, which was then removed when it came apart the second time. It hasn't run since.

The crank has been badly reground with scored bearings.

Apart from that we found loose head bolts, bolts missing from various locations and clips not done up etc.

If I was the cynical type, I might consider that the management has been deliberately interfered with so the engine can't be run. We'll see.

Having accepted that he's been mugged, the customer has now given us the opportunity to do it properly.

You can draw your own conclusions about "Ideal Engines" !

Alan Jeffery

Oh, and one other thing, they ground the surface of the buckets for clearance. That means there is a rough face to the cams. Nice.



New buckets as well I think.

Tidgy

place up in the midlands that is as bad. Amazing these places stay in business and trading stanards dont get involved.

Dirk Diggler 75

Trading standards should do more to stop the public being ripped off .....

pacenote

**** me that's an absolute disgrace

Tidgy

Company up my way that has totaled a couple of engines due to bad workmanship, trading standards were informed, they didnt care.

53

iTrader: (41)

They were on Rogue Traders this year.... was horrific !

Dirk Diggler 75

These companies know full well they can get away with it,it's just plain wrong .....

edsel

iTrader: (2)

When I bought my car it had a recently fitted ideal "recon" engine (Rainham) it was what clinched the deal for me. By the time I got home it sounded like a bag of spanners. After calling the previous owner all the ***** under the sun I started stripping it down.

Snapped cam cap bolts, I was tempted to replace the bolts and put the engine back in but the instant gasket oozing out of the block wasn't giving me a warm feeling so started a full strip.









This was sitting on the oil pick up pipe, any ideas how it got in the sump?



There are other horror stories, the crank was oval rods back to front etc etc.

corno

As a midlander with a 'trusty' 2.5 can you expand on who? Just want to know for my own records incase mine pops!

But that is some shocking work.. Good detective work!

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Wow , just wow , people like this just boil my pi$$

huzzy1

iTrader: (1)

Oh my God!

Tidgy

hmmm,,,

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

2 mins of digging on the web reveals they have 10's of thousands of CCJ's pending
Are a proper scamming outfit & have been watchdog investigated...

Stay away peeps

Lunchmoney

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arti...-and-gearboxes

Tidgy

beaten by 1 min hahaha

Lunchmoney

Also saw this
http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=146030
about them wanting to avoid paying tax and leaving no paper trail.

scoobyskool

iTrader: (1)

Maybe they are the mechanical wing of cheshire performance !

Tony Harrington

iTrader: (8)

I'm no mechanic but this type of work is completely horrendous, people who provide this kind of diabolical service ought to be serving a term in prison.

Appreciate the post Alan.

fat-thomas

iTrader: (4)

Its bad work but why an earth anyone goes to these clowns in the first place is beyond me!

imprezagaz

iTrader: (2)

You can't educate pork.

Alan Jeffery

I think it's because people these days expect better. Sadly, trading standards have no teeth.

Carnut

This^^^
Are they much much cheaper than most?

MattyB1983

iTrader: (51)

With the power of the Internet these days I'm truly surprised they do any business.
Surely any normal person would just tap the company name into Google and see what it threw up before handing over a large chunk of cash......

Tony Harrington

iTrader: (8)

Absolutely correct!

S6VBY

iTrader: (1)

had dealings with another sister company engines are recon in Pakistan !!!

Tidgy

people wonder why the decent tuners charge what they peceive as so much, they save 25% on the cost and get a job like this.

topshot

iTrader: (4)

Exactly, you get what you pay for. But even in this case i would expect a working engine at least