Smoking. Cracked ring...??? What to do

[luvrbus]

Marc, if you ever get to Phoenix let me know I have a friend at WW Williams you need to meet he his the southwest guy and I am sure he is reading this lol

good luck

[thejumpsuitman]

The gesture to pay the tow bill and re-credit me for the Montgomery goes a long way with me.  This way, I feel I am paying out of pocket a fair amount for the repairs, given the high cost of Detroit Diesel factory parts. 

It took a lot of effort and persistence on my part, but in the end, I think it has paid off.  I have no problem paying a fair amount for repairs as long as they are willing to take responsibility for their mistakes.  And now I believe they have.

Marc

[boxcarOkie]

The gesture to pay the tow bill and re-credit me for the Montgomery goes a long way with me.  This way, I feel I am paying out of pocket a fair amount for the repairs, given the high cost of Detroit Diesel factory parts. 

It took a lot of effort and persistence on my part, but in the end, I think it has paid off.  I have no problem paying a fair amount for repairs as long as they are willing to take responsibility for their mistakes.  And now I believe they have.

Marc

Nice to see that you came out of it Okay, I told you they were "stand up kind of folks" and they just proved it.  What ends well, stays well.

BCO

[luvrbus]

Yep and he still has one more shot at the bill lol

[Chopper Scott]

When it's all said and done it would be nice to have the address of the big wig in charge so that many of us can send him a word of thanks and appreciation for how they handled everything. Just a thought....

[thejumpsuitman]

When it's all said and done it would be nice to have the address of the big wig in charge so that many of us can send him a word of thanks and appreciation for how they handled everything. Just a thought....

I was told that the man most responsible for making this happen is the Southeast President, Aven Sharp.  It would be fine with me if someone sent a not to him through the website and let him know how we all appreciate his attention to this matter.

Marc

[JackConrad]

305 post and everything is working out!  Great news Marc.  This is why we should not post negative post about a business until the entire siutuation has been resolved.  Those negative post will still be there as long as there is an internet, even though the company "did the right thing".  Jack

[thejumpsuitman]

You are right, Jack.  And that's why I am not going to hesitate to "sing their praises" for doing the right thing!!!   

[bevans6]

I guess I am a pessimist...  They are talking the talk, but the head is still off...they have to fix the thing yet!   

I'm a guy who's seen engines do a ton of stupid things to ever-optimistic owners.  Like I tell people, magnafluxing a crank only tells you it ain't cracked now - it could crack while you are cranking up oil pressure!  Even a brand new engine carries a certain risk.  I'm sitting here sayin' to myself that this is going to be an engine with 12.5% new pistons, and I'm crossing my fingers that the other 87.5% don't have sympathy for the attention!

Brian

[JohnEd]

When it's all said and done it would be nice to have the address of the big wig in charge so that many of us can send him a word of thanks and appreciation for how they handled everything. Just a thought....

Let there be no doubt.....a small wave of "letters of appreciation" is called for here.  Both to SE Prez and....

And Clifford....here is yours:  Thank you Clifford for involving the person in WWW that had the Horse Power to resolve this difficulty for Marc in a fair manner.  Your generosity, talent/skills and contacts/influence still amaze me.  We are very lucky to have you with us.

And I really mean it this time.

Be well, Sir.

John

PS:  Your PM copy is in the mail.

[JohnEd]

I guess I am a pessimist...  They are talking the talk, but the head is still off...they have to fix the thing yet!   

I'm a guy who's seen engines do a ton of stupid things to ever-optimistic owners.  Like I tell people, magnafluxing a crank only tells you it ain't cracked now - it could crack while you are cranking up oil pressure!  Even a brand new engine carries a certain risk.  I'm sitting here sayin' to myself that this is going to be an engine with 12.5% new pistons, and I'm crossing my fingers that the other 87.5% don't have sympathy for the attention!

Brian

You aren't a pessimist...you are talking reality.  Sadly, it isn't welcome at this time and some think quoting probability is a treacherous thing to do.  I have no doubt that you wish Marc the absolute best of luck, as do I and every else I think.  I think "I told you so would be the absolute cruelest of cuts" and I have said more than one small prayer about that.

Thanks Brian

[Busted Knuckle]

Are the prices in line?  If BK is still speaking to us/me I think he might have an idea of what is the norm. John

John,
Of course I'm still speaking to you! (& the rest of this crazy group of nutz! After all we iz family ain't we all?)

Really the GURU of DD & 2 strokes has already said that yes it is inline for genuine DD parts!

And as you all know that when it comes to buses Clifford is EF Hutton! and we should all listen! (I KNOW I DO!)

I spoke with Clifford a little bit ago.  He assured me that with using genuine Detroit Diesel parts, that bill is in line.  He also figures that give all that has happened and all the trouble we had in Montgomery, that they would make sure it comes out of there 100%, checking bearings, etc..  

There are people out there a lot worse off than me in their buses.  Hopefully I am getting my big "ouch" out of the way quickly.

Marc I can assure you that Clifford is 100% right on this too! They are not going to want to be married to a nightmare that will keep coming back to haunt them! They will want it to run like a sewing machine and you too be well pleased when it leaves so that everybody can put this behind them and live happily ever after!

And trust me & Clifford here too. Aftermarket parts may save you $ if all goes well, but...............................
Many times it doesn't and then those small stand alone shops that sold you the aftermarket parts will tell you.........."If so & so warranties their parts, we will replace them, but they won't cover the parts & our labor so the labor is on you!"
(don't ask me how some of us know this!)
And then on top of that many times the aftermarket company blames improper installation and refuses to replace the parts too so then your out all the way around.

SO as hard as it is to swallow the larger bills for GENUINE parts and the FACTORY Authorized DD (or what ever brand it is) shops to do the work, most times it pays to bite the bullet and pony up the first time around!

I can speak of this from personal experience! Last yr (well actually Dec '09) a transmission cooler went out in one of our '05 Setra's and allowed coolant and tranny fluid to mix. Well in doing that it ruined our tranny.
And I thought that Allison should cover the trans on the extended warranty we had. But as they explained it to me, had the cooler been an Allison part they would have, but since it was chosen and installed by Setra it was a "chassis" part and either on me or Setra! Well since it was @ 278,000 miles and the warranty expired @ 250,000 guess who got stuck with the bill?
OK so I bought a new cooler ($4000) from Setra, and almost bought a re-manufactured transmission from (ready for this?) WW Williams plant in Columbus, GA for $7800 and was about to do this and install it myself.
But I got a bad feeling about it and told dad let's just bite the bullet and pay Clarke Power Services (our local DD centers) the $15,000 that they had quoted me for the exact same transmission (even told me it was coming from Williams in Columbus, GA an it was a Williams re-manufactured not a "Reliabuilt" but came with a better warranty and less $)

So like I told dad by spending the extra $ on the transmission, & labor we didn't have to pay a "core" charge and wait for a refund after we sent the trans back, and PARTS & LABOR would all be WARRANTIED!

Well guess how glad I was less than 3 months later when the EXACT same thing happened and Allison, Williams, nor Setra could say "musta been something you did while installing it!"

So for the second go around Clarke, Setra & Williams had to decide who paid the $19,000 for the new cooler & trans the second time around! But it wasn't yours truly!

I am so happy to see that WW Williams has again stepped up to the plate and done as Clifford & I both said they should/would! And farther more it goes to show you exactly what I said about the second shop going out of their way to be sure that it is taken care of correct the second and everybody hopes FINAL time around!
 BK  

And by the way the transmission deal had nothing to do with the other times I mentioned that WW Williams had gone above and beyond to make things right for us. It was bought from them but installed by our local DD/Allison shop!

[JohnEd]

Like I said before....you as a small business owner are obliged to deal where "you" get the most cost effective deal; and warranty.  Other's experience don't really come into play with your dealings.  I am happy you are pleased with the result...you should be IMHO.

I missed the comment that the prices were normal.  Understand, I don 't know enuf to call my local DD shop and compare.

John

[luvrbus]

Brian, it is common on any diesel to replace one bad cylinder, heck I know a guy on this board that just had 1/2 of his 8v71T rebuilt 2 years ago I don't know if he has done the other side yet or not, I am sure he his shaking his head on this one lol and FWIW John I did not get my guy involved I just ask him to read Marc's post 


good luck

[bevans6]

Marc and Clifford, I know that this is a good repair decision and I'm sitting here just praying that it works out as perfect as can be...

But being a bit of a heathen I decided years ago that engines were inhabited by hobs and sprites, and they sometimes have their own ideas about things!  That's all!  I'm sending nothing but good luck into the aether for Marc...   

(aether, as in sky/heaven in greek mythology, as opposed to ether, which is sometimes bad luck...)

Brian