Warrenty issues?

[Yc86]

Recently happened to my fren, wonder if anyone has any opinions on this case..

 

Have a fren driving a CS3 lancer, just barely over a yr old. The only mod he did was to change the air filter to an open pod type..

 

Just 2 wks ago at the petrol station, his car suddenly couldn't start after re-fueling.

Start also couldn't sustain. Ended up towed to C&C, where they eventually said that because of the open pod filter, some particles got into the engine, which caused the timing belt to slip and a misfire to occur. Because of the slippage, the timing was off and the piston hit the valves in one of the cylinders..

 

I've seen the half dismantled engine, and a couple of the valves are bent. lower block/piston still fine, 1 spark plug dented.. that's all.

 

Now, C&C won't warrenty the engine and he has to bear the full cost + diagnostic cost, which totals to ard 6k.

 

To me, that's kinda a BS story.. coz

- The engine was ok right b4 the re-fuel.

- The car wasn't moving, just idling, so chances of a solid particle going in is not really possible. (at idle the airflow is quite little)

- The hole in the filter was just abt 1mmx1mm. Such tear in the cotten element is quite common and the mesh is still there.

- Even if something did went in, how would it affect the timing belt? Timing belt is external and nothing to do with the combustion chamber.

- The cylinder walls are still smooth and no signs of scratches.

- There are ppl running ard with wire meshes as filters or even open TB, and still running fine.

My previous open pod filter had a few dents and small holes yet no prob for me for over 6 months.

 

I suspect that some other part failed (maybe some tensioner came loose causing the timing belt to slip) which coincidentally occured when there happened to be a small 'opening' in the filter. Now he's still trying to negotiate with the workshop that did the filter, and trying to get some warrenty out of either side. My opinion was to just do a top overhaul for a couple of hundred at another workshop, and save time and more $$ pursuing this case coz no one's going to accept responsibility over this. The car has been stuck in C&C for 2 weeks already.

 

Anyone had anything similar that happened or have any ideas on what's the cause?

[Cheerios]

who tell him backside itchy go and mod.... C&C cannot mod one just like KM

[Qpik]

BS or not yr fren got no choice but to accept "responsibility" for it.

 

if he is prepared to mod in the first place before the warranty is up, then he shd be mentally prepared for such unexpected things mah (suay lor)

 

go n find outside workshop for a 2nd opinion & see if they can do anything abt it. then after that, no need to go back to AD liao cos very likely black-listed liao

[Cheerios]

KM and C&C are damn strict with mods.. even simple thing like air filter

 

sorrie i should not be gloating over ur friend's misforture.. he should have known it better...

 

bring the ride to Riverview for a 2nd opinion...

Edited January 26, 2008 by Cheerios

[Yc86]

but what they say also makes sense. so long as the engine touched, warrenty for whole engine void.

 

edit: paiseh read wrongly..

Edited January 26, 2008 by Yc86

[Ronnchee]

Sad to hear that, but the moment your friend started to mod, most warranty, if not all, voided.

 

$6k to repair, might as well seek 2nd opinion, and do it in outside workshop, since C&C is not going to "recognise" the warranty.

[Cheerios]

ya lor.. but then if ur friend installs a struct bar, and C&C said warranty void for engine.. tell them go fark spider!

 

tt's why my civic is stock... may not be fast.. but at least i love it

[Yc86]

Maybe he didn't expect it to fail, since air filter mod is very common and considered quite safe.. and legal too.

 

What bothers me is that C&C can attribute a slipping of timing belt to 'some particle that went into the engine'. Based on my (very)limited knowledge, such thing is quite unlikely.

 

They can't prove nor confirm the actual cause, but just generally saying the filter caused all this mess. That shows something bout their professionalism, doesn't it?

[Cheerios]

hello.. go read C&C service conditions..

 

ITS PRINTED IN BLACK AND WHITE..

 

touch a part.. that part warranty gone... simple as that... i think its pretty fair...

Edited January 26, 2008 by Cheerios

[Cheerios]

someone uses 3rd party batteries.. very common and considered quite safe.. one day the phone exploded @ the battery area... whose fault?

[Qpik]

it depends on what kind...if someone changed from the stock to KNN then most AD are okay with it.

 

but if u tok abt apexi, open hood etc that is a different cup of tea.

 

best to get confirmation if 1 2 mod before end of warranty...sometimes, just hold on for 3yrs then after that no prob liao.

[Yc86]

I had the same thing happen to me once after overhauling my engine.

Timing belt slip and piston hit the valves.. guess the mech didnt' tension properly and happened during the first start.

 

Ended up with bent valves, changed that and head gasket. workshop paid for the valves and labour free..

 

Frm my est. a top overhaul inc changing the valves and head gasket shouldn't cost more than $300 to $400 odd or maybe lesser? wonder why C&C quote so high. like real they are going to drop the engine to replace the pistons/rings, overbore the cylinders to fit the oversize, and replace all the bearings/gaskets and seals since the car is still quite new.

 

No chance to check if they really did it also since everything is inside..

[Falc]

I know someone with similar experience. Agent blame the aftermarket filter also.

 

Doubt the filter seller can do anything, i mean it's a $100 part, at most can warrant up to the value of the purchase only.

[Yc86]

lolx.. i drive a coe car anw, so i can't expect any warrenty nor do i have any experience in claiming anything

 

Yes it's fair. but what they said bout stuff entering the engine bothers me.

 

have told my fren to just pull out of everything and get the car towed to another workshop and just fix the engine head to save time and $$.

[Apollo]

basically it is an old skool engine block.

 

definitely timing belt slip wud hv directly contributed to the piston problem.

 

at high speed ur friend wud hv noticed strong engine vibration and wobbly ride.

 

ie this is not a day happening. it has to built up over some times.

 

---------------

so have to disagree with you it is B.S.

 

only way to save $$ is to get a 2nd hand engineblock and lup on. if he is fr SLC, they sud b able to advise him

[King]

ur friend then sway man

[King]

the lancer engine is a beri small engine in size

[Jassonlo]

Recently happened to my fren, wonder if anyone has any opinions on this case..

 

Have a fren driving a CS3 lancer, just barely over a yr old. The only mod he did was to change the air filter to an open pod type..

 

Just 2 wks ago at the petrol station, his car suddenly couldn't start after re-fueling.

Start also couldn't sustain. Ended up towed to C&C, where they eventually said that because of the open pod filter, some particles got into the engine, which caused the timing belt to slip and a misfire to occur. Because of the slippage, the timing was off and the piston hit the valves in one of the cylinders..

 

I've seen the half dismantled engine, and a couple of the valves are bent. lower block/piston still fine, 1 spark plug dented.. that's all.

 

Now, C&C won't warrenty the engine and he has to bear the full cost + diagnostic cost, which totals to ard 6k.

 

To me, that's kinda a BS story.. coz

- The engine was ok right b4 the re-fuel.

- The car wasn't moving, just idling, so chances of a solid particle going in is not really possible. (at idle the airflow is quite little)

- The hole in the filter was just abt 1mmx1mm. Such tear in the cotten element is quite common and the mesh is still there.

- Even if something did went in, how would it affect the timing belt? Timing belt is external and nothing to do with the combustion chamber.

- The cylinder walls are still smooth and no signs of scratches.

- There are ppl running ard with wire meshes as filters or even open TB, and still running fine.

My previous open pod filter had a few dents and small holes yet no prob for me for over 6 months.

 

I suspect that some other part failed (maybe some tensioner came loose causing the timing belt to slip) which coincidentally occured when there happened to be a small 'opening' in the filter. Now he's still trying to negotiate with the workshop that did the filter, and trying to get some warrenty out of either side. My opinion was to just do a top overhaul for a couple of hundred at another workshop, and save time and more $$ pursuing this case coz no one's going to accept responsibility over this. The car has been stuck in C&C for 2 weeks already.

 

Anyone had anything similar that happened or have any ideas on what's the cause?

 

bro, its not C&C only. Komoco also the same. my previous ride, i change to K&N filter. then aft driving 4 1yr, the engine rev to 3k wen start engine. so bring in to chk, they say u use K&N filter cos the sensor dirty. tst y engine like tat. i go up to their workshop c mos rides also got mods more serious then mine. so ask them y they can mod n no issue. imagine wat the tech said. no problem with their ride so no issue. so came to the conclusion, if ur ride no problem, no issue with u doin wat mods no matter minor or major. but if something goes wrong with ur ride, the blame game will start.