Honda Car Forum

Ok few weeks ago I posted that my engine got hydrolocked. I took the
car to my acura dealer and they were given the go ahead by my
insurance to put in a used engine. A week later my car was ready for
pick up, they told me the engine they put in had 40,000 miles on it.
I was happy, so I drive the car home, on the way home the check engine
light comes on, so I do a U turn back to the dealer. They give me a
loaner car and few days later the receptionist calls me back to tell
me the engine they put in actually had 150,000 miles on it. Naturally
I was furious since my old engine only had 100,000 miles on it.

My question is, is there any way to tell how many miles a used engine
has? There has to be some kind of a paper trail that shows the true
miles on the engine. I asked the dealer and they gave me this hand
written note with the miles on it. I asked them for the receipt from
the place where they purchased the used engine from but they said its
not possible.

Seems to me like they can manipulate the miles on paper to whatever
they want. Any way to not get screwed?

Now I have already paid them over $4000 for the work.

Is it wrong for me to demand they take out the old engine and put in a
Remanufactured engine since I am guaranteed a reliable engine without
any wishy washy mileage issues?

thanks in advance

"googamooga" <googamooga@gmail.com> wrote
> Ok few weeks ago I posted that my engine got hydrolocked.
> I took the
> car to my acura dealer and they were given the go ahead by
> my
> insurance to put in a used engine. A week later my car
> was ready for
> pick up, they told me the engine they put in had 40,000
> miles on it.
> I was happy, so I drive the car home, on the way home the
> check engine
> light comes on, so I do a U turn back to the dealer. They
> give me a
> loaner car and few days later the receptionist calls me
> back to tell
> me the engine they put in actually had 150,000 miles on
> it. Naturally
> I was furious since my old engine only had 100,000 miles
> on it.
>
> My question is, is there any way to tell how many miles a
> used engine
> has? There has to be some kind of a paper trail that
> shows the true
> miles on the engine.

Paper trails for a vehicle in toto are common. But for an
individual engine, I am not optimistic that mileage can
easily be ascertained.

> I asked the dealer and they gave me this hand
> written note with the miles on it. I asked them for the
> receipt from
> the place where they purchased the used engine from but
> they said its
> not possible.

This sounds like total dealer bullsh-t.

> Seems to me like they can manipulate the miles on paper to
> whatever
> they want. Any way to not get screwed?
>
> Now I have already paid them over $4000 for the work.
>
> Is it wrong for me to demand they take out the old engine
> and put in a
> Remanufactured engine since I am guaranteed a reliable
> engine without
> any wishy washy mileage issues?

Engine mileage issues in a situation like this are not
wishy-washy. You were promised an engine with 40k miles on
it, and presumably a price to match. Did the dealer take
anything off the original estimate to compensate you for
getting a more used engine?

What is the guarantee on this engine?

You are rightly concerned and IMO so far should take this
matter up further with the dealer.

"Elle" <honda.lioness@spamnocox.net> wrote in
news:62h1k.627$D53.316@newsfe20.lga:

> "googamooga" <googamooga@gmail.com> wrote
>> Ok few weeks ago I posted that my engine got hydrolocked.
>> I took the
>> car to my acura dealer and they were given the go ahead by
>> my
>> insurance to put in a used engine. A week later my car
>> was ready for
>> pick up, they told me the engine they put in had 40,000
>> miles on it.
>> I was happy, so I drive the car home, on the way home the
>> check engine
>> light comes on, so I do a U turn back to the dealer. They
>> give me a
>> loaner car and few days later the receptionist calls me
>> back to tell
>> me the engine they put in actually had 150,000 miles on
>> it. Naturally
>> I was furious since my old engine only had 100,000 miles
>> on it.
>>
>> My question is, is there any way to tell how many miles a
>> used engine
>> has? There has to be some kind of a paper trail that
>> shows the true
>> miles on the engine.
>
> Paper trails for a vehicle in toto are common. But for an
> individual engine, I am not optimistic that mileage can
> easily be ascertained.
>
>> I asked the dealer and they gave me this hand
>> written note with the miles on it. I asked them for the
>> receipt from
>> the place where they purchased the used engine from but
>> they said its
>> not possible.
>
> This sounds like total dealer bullsh-t.
>
>> Seems to me like they can manipulate the miles on paper to
>> whatever
>> they want. Any way to not get screwed?
>>
>> Now I have already paid them over $4000 for the work.
>>
>> Is it wrong for me to demand they take out the old engine
>> and put in a
>> Remanufactured engine since I am guaranteed a reliable
>> engine without
>> any wishy washy mileage issues?
>
> Engine mileage issues in a situation like this are not
> wishy-washy. You were promised an engine with 40k miles on
> it, and presumably a price to match. Did the dealer take
> anything off the original estimate to compensate you for
> getting a more used engine?
>
> What is the guarantee on this engine?
>
> You are rightly concerned and IMO so far should take this
> matter up further with the dealer.
>
>
>

I'd be wondering if the timing belt was changed.

Was the 40K promise in writing?

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

googamooga wrote:
> Ok few weeks ago I posted that my engine got hydrolocked. I took the
> car to my acura dealer and they were given the go ahead by my
> insurance to put in a used engine. A week later my car was ready for
> pick up, they told me the engine they put in had 40,000 miles on it.
> I was happy, so I drive the car home, on the way home the check engine
> light comes on, so I do a U turn back to the dealer. They give me a
> loaner car and few days later the receptionist calls me back to tell
> me the engine they put in actually had 150,000 miles on it. Naturally
> I was furious since my old engine only had 100,000 miles on it.

but your old engine is so badly damaged, it can't even be rebuilt -
/any/ engine is better than that.


>
> My question is, is there any way to tell how many miles a used engine
> has?

you can examine for wear, yes. but you have to know what you're looking
for. can you do that?


> There has to be some kind of a paper trail that shows the true
> miles on the engine. I asked the dealer and they gave me this hand
> written note with the miles on it. I asked them for the receipt from
> the place where they purchased the used engine from but they said its
> not possible.

and they would probably be correct in saying that.


>
> Seems to me like they can manipulate the miles on paper to whatever
> they want. Any way to not get screwed?
>
> Now I have already paid them over $4000 for the work.
>
> Is it wrong for me to demand they take out the old engine and put in a
> Remanufactured engine since I am guaranteed a reliable engine without
> any wishy washy mileage issues?

you'd be foolish to do that imo.


>
> thanks in advance

it's most likely a low mileage jdm engine. generally, these are a good
deal, and a lot better than a rebuilt motor. rebuilt motors can be
awful where the head has been skimmed too much, the block skimmed too
much, and components insufficiently cleaned before assembly - they just
don't last.

i've had the luxury of examining the guts of a number of jdm motors in
junkyards, and for fact, all the ones i've seen have been in great
mechanical shape.

jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in
news:ucSdnRmhqPALYdjVnZ2dnUVZ_jidnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:


>
> i've had the luxury of examining the guts of a number of jdm motors in
> junkyards, and for fact, all the ones i've seen have been in great
> mechanical shape.
>
>

how often do you -find- JDM motors in US junkyards?

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Jim Yanik wrote:
> jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in
> news:ucSdnRmhqPALYdjVnZ2dnUVZ_jidnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:
>
>
>> i've had the luxury of examining the guts of a number of jdm motors in
>> junkyards, and for fact, all the ones i've seen have been in great
>> mechanical shape.
>>
>>
>
> how often do you -find- JDM motors in US junkyards?
>

quite a lot. i've seen a bunch in the yards down in the san jose,
silicon valley, area. they're a very cost-effective alternative to
re-builds, or even stuff like blown head gaskets if you price in all the
labor.

jim beam wrote:
> Jim Yanik wrote:
>
>> jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in
>> news:ucSdnRmhqPALYdjVnZ2dnUVZ_jidnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:
>>
>>
>>> i've had the luxury of examining the guts of a number of jdm motors
>>> in junkyards, and for fact, all the ones i've seen have been in great
>>> mechanical shape.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> how often do you -find- JDM motors in US junkyards?
>>
>
> quite a lot. i've seen a bunch in the yards down in the san jose,
> silicon valley, area. they're a very cost-effective alternative to
> re-builds, or even stuff like blown head gaskets if you price in all the
> labor.
>
Hi,
Isn't there an import outfit who is dealing in used Japanese engines
Good source of few year old engines with low mileage. Japan is small
country and mileage des not rack up. Also they don't keep cars too many
years due to government policy.

Jim Yanik wrote:
> "Elle" <honda.lioness@spamnocox.net> wrote in
> news:62h1k.627$D53.316@newsfe20.lga:
>
>> "googamooga" <googamooga@gmail.com> wrote
>>> Ok few weeks ago I posted that my engine got hydrolocked.
>>> I took the
>>> car to my acura dealer and they were given the go ahead by
>>> my
>>> insurance to put in a used engine. A week later my car
>>> was ready for
>>> pick up, they told me the engine they put in had 40,000
>>> miles on it.
>>> I was happy, so I drive the car home, on the way home the
>>> check engine
>>> light comes on, so I do a U turn back to the dealer. They
>>> give me a
>>> loaner car and few days later the receptionist calls me
>>> back to tell
>>> me the engine they put in actually had 150,000 miles on
>>> it. Naturally
>>> I was furious since my old engine only had 100,000 miles
>>> on it.
>>>
>>> My question is, is there any way to tell how many miles a
>>> used engine
>>> has? There has to be some kind of a paper trail that
>>> shows the true
>>> miles on the engine.
>> Paper trails for a vehicle in toto are common. But for an
>> individual engine, I am not optimistic that mileage can
>> easily be ascertained.
>>
>>> I asked the dealer and they gave me this hand
>>> written note with the miles on it. I asked them for the
>>> receipt from
>>> the place where they purchased the used engine from but
>>> they said its
>>> not possible.
>> This sounds like total dealer bullsh-t.
>>
>>> Seems to me like they can manipulate the miles on paper to
>>> whatever
>>> they want. Any way to not get screwed?
>>>
>>> Now I have already paid them over $4000 for the work.
>>>
>>> Is it wrong for me to demand they take out the old engine
>>> and put in a
>>> Remanufactured engine since I am guaranteed a reliable
>>> engine without
>>> any wishy washy mileage issues?
>> Engine mileage issues in a situation like this are not
>> wishy-washy. You were promised an engine with 40k miles on
>> it, and presumably a price to match. Did the dealer take
>> anything off the original estimate to compensate you for
>> getting a more used engine?
>>
>> What is the guarantee on this engine?
>>
>> You are rightly concerned and IMO so far should take this
>> matter up further with the dealer.
>>
>>
>>
>
> I'd be wondering if the timing belt was changed.
>
> Was the 40K promise in writing?
>
===================

Since it's out of an Integra, have the valves been adjusted every 30,000
miles? Very important. Ask any gen 1 CR-V owner that's had to have a
valve replaced.
:-(

'Curly'

Well if I had kept the engine they gave me it had a 100 day
guarantee. Today I talked to the Manager on the phone and told him no
one in the right mind would put in a 150000 mile on a better shaped
car. He said he will talk to my insurance tomorrow. My insurance
agreed to pay for a remanufactured engine so we'll see how it goes.

Now you guys are scaring me, I thought remanufactured engines were
good, some of them come with a real good warranty. errr so I have
heard.

googamooga wrote:
> Well if I had kept the engine they gave me it had a 100 day
> guarantee. Today I talked to the Manager on the phone and told him no
> one in the right mind would put in a 150000 mile on a better shaped
> car. He said he will talk to my insurance tomorrow. My insurance
> agreed to pay for a remanufactured engine so we'll see how it goes.
>
> Now you guys are scaring me, I thought remanufactured engines were
> good, some of them come with a real good warranty. errr so I have
> heard.

remanufactured engines are better than broken engines, and if you drive
domestic, they're pretty much your only choice, hence the presumption of
it being a "good" option. however, they are never as good as oem in
reality. even if they are done by well intentioned honest shops, the
stats are that they typically last in the 50-60k range. [i got those
numbers from the owner of a taxi fleet i used to know.] compare this
with an original honda engine that will do 300k easily. if you get jdm
in the 30-40k range, you're much better off.