Help!: Good mechanic in San Jose? - Page 2

Brian · #16 09-06-2004, 01:47 PM

My buddy's friend's father works as a "master" Subaru mechanic at Stevens Creek Subaru. I just called this friend's friend and he called his dad, who is willing to take a look at my car and (ostensibly) work on it at his son's place (Bike shop garage!). He even said his dad was working on an SVX just recently. ("Isn't that the one with the funny windows?") His dad said he never heard of a crank shaft going on an SVX.

NapaBavarian · #17 09-06-2004, 03:21 PM

If you get desparate for a tow let me know, I have a truck and a flatbed trailer, if you can get it for less than $250 elsewhere then I couldn't be of an advantage to you since I'm in Napa 1.5 hours north, but if you can't get it for less (I don't know what AAA charges for something like that) then I am availible tuesday night ONLY.

Good luck,
Karl

Brian · #18 09-07-2004, 12:46 PM

Now my problem is that I need a place for Andrej, the Subaru mechanic, to work on my car. His son's bikeshop doesn't have the room. (Andrej really likes SVX's and knows them well!) He had me contact a friend who may be willing to rent out a space in his garage. That friend, Robert, knows the owner of Townsend Automotive (where my SVX is now), and told me to tell the owner to give him a call. Robert gave Towsend a good recommendation, and used to work for them. I don't know what's going to come of all this!

nordique14 · #19 09-07-2004, 11:53 PM

Hey Brian,

If you need a tow somewhere let me know and you can use my AAA card. Good luck with everything!

Matt

Brian · #20 09-08-2004, 02:28 PM

Now I don't need a tow; Townsend is working on it. In addition to not having space, Andrej really didn't have time since he's preparing to go on vacation. Robert talked to the owner of Townsend and his reccommendation increased my trust in them. He told Townsend that it may be cheaper to just replace my short block, but when Townsend ran an estimate w/dealer parts, it came up to be way too expensive, almost $5000! The prices I found on SubaruParts.com were only a couple hundred cheaper, and of corse that doesn't affect the labor costs. If it does need a new short block, my only chance may be to find one from a parts car. They finally pulled the oil pan yesterday, and all they found was that the crank shaft was seized and that there were some small pieces of metal in the pan. Today they will explore further. It's looking prety bleak.

dcarrb · #21 09-08-2004, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian
They finally pulled the oil pan yesterday, and all they found was that the crank shaft was seized and that there were some small pieces of metal in the pan.

So someone did rule-out a broken timing belt. Maybe that knocking from the front was a rod preparing to clock-out. Bummer. I'd definitely be on the lookout for a parts car. Good luck.

dcb

Brian · #22 09-09-2004, 09:38 AM

It does need a new short block. I've called all the junk yards in the local phone book, but I found some better prices in Washington. So far the best prospect is a reply to my post on this site's Wanted/For Sale board, an engine Rufus is selling.

dcarrb · #23 09-09-2004, 09:40 AM

What broke? How many miles on your car?

dcb

Brian · #24 09-09-2004, 09:59 AM

My car has 90 - 91 k mi. The crank shaft/engine is seized and they found pieces of metal in the filter coming into the oil pan from the oil pump. They say that is indicative of an internal engine problem, and that it would be cheaper to get a new short block. (W/their labor prices, I don'y doubt that last part.) I really don't know what the cause of the failure is. If it's not the oil pump, maybe a previous owner ran the car W/o oil or somehow damaged/weakened the engine. The car is up on a lift w/ the oil pan removed. They showed my the filter w/little metal pieces in it.

NapaBavarian · #25 09-09-2004, 11:12 AM

If you get a new block and want to get rid of the old one let me know, and a second opinion still dosn't hurt, it's not uncommon for a shop to stretch the truth for a more lucrative (for them) repair. They know you are from out of state and may expect you to be more vunerable than someone who is local, if they are honest they should allow a second opinion. It's not hard to put metal flakes in an oil filter.

Brian · #26 09-09-2004, 11:50 AM

Yes, that has occurred to me. The problem is that my search for a second opinion has led me in a circle. I had a Subaru dealership mechanic who was willing to do the work as a favor, but he had no where to do it and ran out of time. Next I was given the number of his mechanic friend who has SVX experience, and as soon as I mentioned the garage where my car was, that friend immediately directed me back to the place where I already was. The car doesn't run, so I can't drive it elsewhere. I don't know anyone else in this area that can help. This place's labor alone is estimated at $2800! I really am stuck.

Motorsport-SVX · #27 09-10-2004, 12:02 PM

IF the crank is broken you can do this to check
Have someone in the car and try to start it, while
they are doing that have the hood open and carefully
watch the Large Center main crank Pulley and see what
it does.
If it just moves a little and the car wont start and makes
a thud, yeah......chances are its the crank
(it happened to me on a Cougar v8 once)
You can also try to move the crank pulley with your hands
up and down while the cars IS OFF and if you feel any play
in it, its probably broken
It will also throw off all the belts many times when it breaks
Are your accessory belts still in tact ?

Brian · #28 09-16-2004, 01:11 PM

I ended up buying an engine from a junk yard in southern CA (near San Bernardino). I rented a pick up to go get it. I drove down Tuesday evening and stayed at my friend's. The truck was towed from her lot, even though I had a parking permit this time! (They said it was an old permit, and I had to pay $200 to bail it out! The yard had claimed the engine had only 45,606 miles, and they said that they still had the original car. The car had been in an accident, impacted in the left front. They said the left pulley was broken and the front cover (cylinder head?) was damaged. Well, when I got there, the engine looked like it had a lot more miles. He claimed the rust on various parts was from the acid splash from when the battery ruptured. I was suspicious, and I asked to see the car. When the owner asked about the "black SVX", the one employee ssid they didn't ahve it. I'd already talked the price down before I decided to drive down there (way too easily), so he would not let me talk him down any more. I hauled it back to San Jose last night. Today, the mechanic told me it definitely has a lot more miles than 45k. Now they have to strup it down to the short block and determine if it's any good. It could still be junk; then I'd have to rent the truck again and drive it all the way back to get a refund! If everything works out, it will still take them at least until the end of the day on Monday to finish the repairs.

If anyone subscribes to a VIN info service, could you please run the VIN that's supposed to be from the car that engine is from?

JF1CX353XNH101624

Brian · #29 09-17-2004, 01:10 PM

I've got the VIN report mileage, and the engine actually has 160,030 miles! The number they gave me (45,606) was from 1994, whereas the last entry was from 2002.

The mechanic says that despite this, the short block's piston shafts are in good shape, although they'll have to use 2 pistons from my old engine.

dcarrb · #30 09-17-2004, 01:25 PM

Man, isn't it abut time your luck turned?

Did they ever give you a satisfactory explanation of what failed inside your engine? Show you broken parts?

dcb