Compressor - It maybe time. :(

[Busted Knuckle]

Chaz,
I feel for ya man. I wish "JR" had been that upstanding dude he gave you the impression of being!

Having never dealt with him before I had no dog in that race!

However had you gone with the guy I use I would have stepped up and asked him why your $ wasn't green as mine?

I hate when I recommend someone and they do not stand behind the product or their word.
   BK 

[robertglines1]

20/20 hind sight; lesson learned. put out call for parts on board next time. fyi I just let 2 good ac compressors go 300 ea. Have no extra air compressors now but that changes daily. trading all the time. Bob Evansville Ind.

[wal1809]

This question might very well go in the dumb arse section but here goes.  The prices yall were quoting for a new comressor don't seem to high.  Is that an over the counter price or is that drive the bus there and they fix it?  Go ahead flame me if it is a dumbbutt question but I want to know.

[Busted Knuckle]

This question might very well go in the dumb arse section but here goes.  The prices yall were quoting for a new comressor don't seem to high.  Is that an over the counter price or is that drive the bus there and they fix it?  Go ahead flame me if it is a dumbbutt question but I want to know.

Walt those were rebuilt compressors and that price was just for an exchange compressor only shipping and core charges extra! Shipped to your door for a fun filled exciting day of R&R and sending you used core back hoping that they accept it and don't tell you it is an unacceptable core! (what? unacceptable core? say it ain't so, the rebuilders would NEVER EVER try to use that excuse NOT to refund an up front core charge would they? Bawhahahahahahahahahahahaha!)
  BK 

[wal1809]

I probably need to work on mine but it aint about to happen right now.  I need a "Work on the bus" break.

[artvonne]

  Looks like it would be a rather easy unit to disassemble and freshen up with new seals and whatever it needs. I bet there is a kit somewhere to do the job.

[Chaz]

Art, Somewhere it was recommended to not bother to rebuild it myself. It's not beyond me to do it but I took the advice.
BK, Wow, I did not know that they could reject a non useable core. I guess it makes sense tho. Watch these _______ (think vacuum cleaner bag or some may think "biker"  ) not want to take this one back saying it's a non useable core. Wouldn't surprise me. I think I may "mark it" just in case.
Bob, thanx for the heads up. I almost always consult this board when doing something to my bus and I believe I did in this case but pulled the trigger too fast.
Art, I know there are some people who don't want to say anything negative about others and cause waves. I would like to - for the most part - consider myself one BUT, truth is truth. (And when you get hosed like this, it's very hard to keep a civil tongue, I know. Navy experience gives me a rather creative tongue.  Ask my friends.  ) And the truth can hurt some people, i.e. REI, but in such cases, it can save pain as well. A person's honest experience is all anyone can ask for. It still comes down to the person buying to "Buyer Beware" and make their best choice. I accept my error for pulling the trigger too soon and not checking them out better.
I'll let you all know how the next one works out. I gotta say, I'm a little concerned. After all, I did "read JR his pedigree" on the phone with a credit card company rep as witness on the line. I just couldn't control my tongue when he tried to spin it and blame me for not getting ahold of him sooner. (I talked to him personally twice and another guy twice to no avail. I had to take it to the next level - Credit card company. Four calls is enough lying.)
Talk to you all later,
Chaz

[Busted Knuckle]

I think part of the prob;em with guys like JR &/or his company is that they do so much volume with big trucking/bus outfits and "shops", that when Joe Blow or Chaz Newbie call up they don't care if he's taken care of properly in the first place or if the problem gets corrected afterword because  after all he's just a one time one piece order and they make their $ off the shops an companies that by in multiples!

We need to start letting suppliers know we belong to this group and good service will be rewarded with good reviews and bad service will be equally rewarded with bad reviews!

That said, I never have dealt with REI. But I have dealt with a company called Prior  Re-manufacturing and while I have had an issue twice with their products they have always stepped up and made it more than right!
  BK 

[Chaz]

You make a good point BK.
I belong to an artists group here in Hoosierland, it's state wide and started out state backed until we got on our feet. The whole goal for this group - Indiana Artisans - is to promote our seal/logo. Then when people see an artist with that logo they know that the artist has been juried into the group, the group is high quality and therefore is a quality artist. Kentucky has a group called Kentucky Krafted that we got our model from.
Why couldn't we do something like that?? Basically, keep it very simple to keep the money aspect out of it but start promoting the fact that we all belong to this board/organization. Hell, I already DO that!!!!! In my conversation with the credit card company I told them about this board and others experiences. I also tell people ALL the time that if it wasn't for you guys there is no way I could have a bus!!!!!!! That's FACT!!!
Whataya think?? We should all - and I mean ALL - kick it around on a MASS thread sent out to everyone to get ideas and start the motion. But hey, what do I know?? I just one guy who loves this place. 
Just a thought,
   Chaz

[artvonne]

Art, Somewhere it was recommended to not bother to rebuild it myself. It's not beyond me to do it but I took the advice.

  I used to know a real good starter/slternator rebuilder. He wasnt cheap, but he wasnt over priced either. The neighbor needed a starter for his Nissan, after 10 years and 140K miles it was dying. He didnt like Johns $120 price so bought the rebuilt from Champion with a lifetime warrantee for $79. Didnt last a month. Neither did its warrantee replacement, or the next one after that. Lifetime warrantees are often something more to be avoided rather than accepted. Things that are well made shouldnt need a warrantee. And if the guy you bought from has high standards, he'll stand behind his work/product, regardless of any warrantee. If something has stayed together for many years and many many miles, and is just a little worn here or there, or something is amiss, often a good cleaning and replacing a few parts will keep it going for a good long time. Ive occasionally taken apart stuff that was supposedly rebuilt and found them more worn out than what I was replacing.

  Another dumb story. The FAA has descriptions for the terms rebuilt and overhauled. Rebuilt refers to something that is put together with new and used parts, and the used parts can be worn to maximum wear limits. They are considered used engines and have the same life limit they had when they were new or overhauled, less time in service. Overhauled refers to a part that is built with some used parts, but the parts have to be within new limits. Certain parts MUST be replaced. An overhauled engine is considered the same as a new engine with the same life limits are are sold as zero time engines.

  Back in the late 90's some guys down in Texas were selling overhauled aircraft engines. They were actually engines that were thrown together out of used parts, some of which were "beyond" wear limits. Hard to tell what you have when its all pretty clean and shiny with new paint. After a few failures that resulted in damages, and after a few tear downs by FAA inspectors, the guys down in Texas got a knock on the door with a bunch of questions. Then they got a nice trip to Leavenworth and are probably still there today.

[belfert]

Some of the core policies I have seen seem a little silly.  If the core is worn beyond certain specs they won't accept the core.  Well, duh.  If it wasn't worn out why would I replace it?

My water pump, air dryer purge valve, and air compressor are all rebuilt.  The water pump is a Reliabilt only because it was as inexpensive as any non-Reliabilt I could find.  No problems with any of them yet.  In fact, I'm not sure you can easily get new for any of these three.

[TomC]

Chaz-aren't you glad you have a V-drive with the compressor right there on the right side of the bus.  Instead of a T drive where you would have been crawling around the inside of the bus to get to the rear of the engine. Whew!  Good Luck, TomC

[Chaz]

It is easy to get to Tom. But this is my only experience with ANY sort of diesel so I guess I wasn't aware of how lucky I am. I actually thought, given the chain of events, I wasn't very lucky.  I guess I must appreciate it. But we'll see what happens next with this whole deal. I'm a little concerned.
Chaz