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[2 ROSE]

I am thinking who ever is paying for repairs is going to look into the cause pretty thoroughly before approving the thousands of dollars the fix will cost. I am no auto tech but I am thinking even I could tell the difference between a loose oil drain plug and a blown head basket just by observing the fluids composition, location and pattern. Do I don't think the dealer is going to get away with anything.
I would lean towards the had gasket. I would think that the lowly auto tech performing the oil change would have a supervisor who has to double check his work.

[ob1]

Thanks again. yes, I took pics when being towed and observed when on the life. a mixture of oil and coolant were visible ALL over the underside.

Tim

[charles05663]

Thanks again. yes, I took pics when being towed and observed when on the life. a mixture of oil and coolant were visible ALL over the underside.

Tim

A camera is your best friend in this situation.  Especially since you got pictures before the dealership got a hold of it.

Also, could not the lack of oil cause an over heating of the engine?

 

[sadunbar]

I am thinking who ever is paying for repairs is going to look into the cause pretty thoroughly before approving the thousands of dollars the fix will cost. I am no auto tech but I am thinking even I could tell the difference between a loose oil drain plug and a blown head basket just by observing the fluids composition, location and pattern. Do I don't think the dealer is going to get away with anything.
I would lean towards the had gasket. I would think that the lowly auto tech performing the oil change would have a supervisor who has to double check his work.

I think you're being pretty optimistic with that thought.  The likelihood someone inspects routine dealership oil changes is about zero. 

[FLHTCUSE7]

Agree on this. I don't believe there is any "double check"

I think you're being pretty optimistic with that thought.  The likelihood someone inspects routine dealership oil changes is about zero.

[deldago]

I have worked in a dealership setting for 25 years and every mechanic is responsible for checking his own work. Nothing would ever get done if everything had to be double checked. As said before, there are mistakes made from time to time. The good mechanics fess up and make good on their mistakes rather than blaming something else. My suggestion is find a good mechanic you can trust and stick with him. If he makes a mistake he will stand behind it. In the overall picture I would much rather have an error like this rather than a lapse of judgment costing someone their life. I once saw a mechanic make the mistake of trying to compress a front spring with a transmission jack and it lifted the front of the car off the lift and it fell on him. The result was a wheelchair for life. A replacement or rebuilt engine will have no effect on trade value a couple of years down the road. It sucks, but it's not the end of the world as long as the dealership makes it right.

[longlast]

Agree with deldago it's up to the mechanic to check over his/her work but in saying that you may want to find out if it was an apprentice that did the service, in that case it should have been checked over. Being a dealer mechanic my self in the past I know they use the apprentice for carring out that duty. Who did the service will be the name on the job sheet.

[Dr.D]

What's the latest on the blow-up?

[ob1]

Spun a bearing, rod in cylinder 3 smoked literally. engine apart and out, new one in and half assembled. Trying to check on what its worth for possible trade to SS LSS RS with dealer 20% off. have to figure out what my trade with new engine is worth. back and forth with no fault claimed by dealer. more to come on Friday.

Happy New Year,

Tim

[D-N-D]

WOW !! Good Luck Brother !!!

[sadunbar]

Spun a bearing, rod in cylinder 3 smoked literally. engine apart and out, new one in and half assembled. Trying to check on what its worth for possible trade to SS LSS RS with dealer 20% off. have to figure out what my trade with new engine is worth. back and forth with no fault claimed by dealer. more to come on Friday.

Happy New Year,

Tim

When they are done with the current work, will you still have a numbers matching car (same block) and an intact warranty?  Or are they installing an entirely new engine with the result being a non-numbers matching car?  Just curious as to how bad this outcome is to the value of the car (which has no bearing on the obvious displeasure of the situation). 

[deldago]

I have been involved in the appraisal of thousands of cars over the years and never once did we check the #'s on an engine or trans. In late model cars it just doesn't matter. Now 40 years from now it might make or break the value but none of these cars manufactured by the hundreds of thousands are ever going to be worth big money. What is a 6 cyl. 1969 run of the mill Camaro worth compared to a big block COPO? The difference between a 30 carat lump of coal and a 30 carat diamond! The only thing I could see hurting the value of this car would be a manufacturer buyback which would brand the title as such. To the OP, if the dealer has a 20% off Camaro you better act quickly as there were only a few cars picked by GM from each dealer's inventory eligible for that discount and once they are gone no more can be added. Good luck with the outcome, I hope they make you whole and happy.

[brassspike]

Same guy might replace the engine!!

I recently had all four tires replaced on one of work our vans. Told them to put whites in. They rolled it out....whites out!  Rolled it back in and redid it. Well it was dark and raining when they finished. Got it home and checked it in the garage because it didn't drive quite right. Three tires of one brand and the other was two sizes larger and another brand! Take into account they mounted and balanced these twice and didn't catch it!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG    AND  They do brakes too!!!!!!!!!!!

[phato1]

Same guy might replace the engine!!

I recently had all four tires replaced on one of work our vans. Told them to put whites in. They rolled it out....whites out!  Rolled it back in and redid it. Well it was dark and raining when they finished. Got it home and checked it in the garage because it didn't drive quite right. Three tires of one brand and the other was two sizes larger and another brand! Take into account they mounted and balanced these twice and didn't catch it!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG    AND  They do brakes too!!!!!!!!!!!

They wouldn't be doing any more work on anything I drive....Plenty of competent shops out there - just like when discussing places to have our bikes worked on.

[brassspike]

They wouldn't be doing any more work on anything I drive....Plenty of competent shops out there - just like when discussing places to have our bikes worked on.

You've got that right! Problem is I'm running out of options. It seems no one takes pride in their work anymore.