Darn, I'm so frustrated I could just quit. I never will, of course, but there is a part of me that's just had it. I have the electrical wires all run and there isn't much more I can do with them until I get the dash in. I need to go out and buy the indicator lights and switches, no big deal.
What IS a big deal is that after sinking $700.00 plus into machining the brand new FE Sideoiler engine block I bought, we find out that the block is no good. It's got casting flaws in it that were only visible after the boring was done. It was line honed and decked, all seemed to be ok, although the block seems harder metalugically (is that a word?) than it should be because the line hone left chatter marks on the saddles. It measures up perfectly, but looks odd. Anyway, after the line hone it was decked. That went fine too. Last up was the boring. What a mess. There are many big black porous marks in the bore now in virtually every cylinder. We are nowhere near the limit on the bore in this thing - there is at least .120" left - we barely scratched the surface on what this block is supposed to accommodate on a bore. The manufacturer has said he will send out a new block once he gets new blocks in stock and once he receives this one back. The problem is twofold - first, this is going to take LOTS of time. I have to get this block back to him. He says he will pay shipping back. I have to have him get new blocks in and have him get that new block to me. He will pay shipping on that too, but there is no telling how long that will take.
The second problem is, I have a $700+ machining bill on a useless, fatally flawed block. He isn't committing on what he'll do with that, he says he has to talk with his partner. The guy who did the machining deserves to be paid - he did the work, he did nothing wrong. I know I am involved here, and perhaps I am blinded by my involvement, but where I sit now I don't see why I should have to pay the machining bill. Believe me, I will make sure the machinist gets paid, he deserves it. However, I really think that the bill should be paid by the block manufacturer. I paid exactly what he asked for the block, I didn't haggle, I did everything I was asked to do. This is the block I was sent and the machining was properly done. The block had a very tiny nick in one of the cylinders (I was out of town while this was going on and was unaware). The machinist called the block manufacturer and informed them about the nick and asked what the manufacturer wanted to do. The manufacturer made the call and said to machine it. So, here I sit, with a $700+ machining bill and a useless block. What do you guys think, what should I do here? Who should pay the machining bill, me or the manufacturer? Am I out to lunch on this by thinking that the manufacturer should pony up the machining costs?
I realize that the manufacturer is small and $700 may be a large chunk of change to lay out. I even offered an alternative to him. This is a cast Iron block, I like aluminum but have no desperate need for aluminum. I told him that I would split the machining cost with him and he can send me an aluminum block instead. Obviously he would make little to no money on the entire transaction, but he wouldn't have to lay out any cash either. I spend money that I really don't want to spend, he makes little to no money on one block. No one wins, no one loses. I am just trying to be cooperative and offer alternatives for him. All things being equal, I'd be just as happy with another cast iron block and he pays the machinist, I am not dying for an aluminum block. I just want the guy to understand that I really am trying to work with him and offer alternatives. Where he takes all this, I have no idea.
Even after all this is over, the time lost is so damaging and discouraging. I was hoping to drive the car this year, something to look forward to after undergoing surgery and treatment. Now, it doesn't look like this is going to happen. This sucks, it really does. I'm bummed out.
