engine build time
 

ok maybe i am just getting tired of waiting but
is 3 months to long on any engine build or is that normal my car has been in the shop since march 23 and i am starting to get pissed

It depends on how available parts are, that is the one thing that always slows down my car when it goes into the shop.
Labor time is usually a pretty fixed time, it is the delay on parts & shipping that eat up most of the time.

March 12th delivery for me, I pick mine up today. It took that long, also. (3.5 months.)

There is NO set 'rule', as you would know. If this is a familiar build, they will do it much quicker. The guys here never worked inside one of these VQ engines, and assure me it is VERY complicated and tedious. That takes time.

Question: What are your guys doing about the 'mandatory' cam controller replacements? We bought new.

Coop

Well, what timeline did the shop give you when you dropped the car off? Additionally, what is the scope of the build? Your question presently is kinda like asking if X months is too long for a house build, which of course totally depends on the size and complexity of the house.

Are all your parts in did you order custom piston's or off the shelf ones. A little bit more info on you set up would help. I know with my build I ordered a set of custom wiseco pistons that took 10 weeks to come.

I am re using my VVEL controller Coop I will let you know if I run into any issues. After talking to SAM I dont think there is a problem re using it again.

we ordered new vvel controllers. and yes i think i maybe there first 370z motor rebuild. they told me it told 4weeks alone for nissan to send them new bearings. i dropped by the shop tuesday and talked to them the motor and blower are back in the car they are tracking down a little electrical problem and want to put about 100miles on the car before they let me do the breakin
i dont feel so bad now about it

once this is done i will try and enjoy the summer with the car
we did talk about modifing the stillen kit and changing it to a blower throught set-up and moving the iat sensor closer or after the intercooler on the intake manifold this should help in tuning and give more room with the maf sensor

Ok so the problem the shop is having with my car is "no spark at the plugs" :shakes head:

They'll figure it out, and the problem will be stoopid. Unconnected connector or something. At least I hope.

I know you are frustrated. I'd be.

Keep us posted.

Coop

ok 2weeks later and i am still being told they have not found out why they are not getting spark :mad:

Thats crazy that it is taking that long for them to figure out why you don't have spark.

Yea i would have ordered everything first. Enjoyed my car until everything came. Then took my car in. That is a long time to wait. GTR builds are more common... then a 370z who would have thought? Neil Switzer Did a transmission build, Engine build, Better brakes, Switzer P800 PKG, Kelford GT-R Stage 3 Cams with Valve Spring and it took 10 to 12 weeks. But that's a 80k build!
Your just doing pistons and rods!

they did a good job when they installed the supercharger had the car back in 4days and i was happy with the work.
as for the parts i was getting the car dynoed for water-meth kit that they installed in march i was getting a base dyno done then a retune for the water-meth when i lost compression in 2 pistons

so it was not a plan install for the motor build she died on the dyno

my problem is the no spark think and were on week 3 i have worked on cars enuff to know its taking to long and when i call them there telling me stiff like o we orderd a new tool because the old tool broke and it should be here next week or ya i am still working on it so give me a call back next week

i am thinking of pulling the car out that shop and having nissan shop just fix the problem my car has been down the hold summer the mistake i made was paying 7k up front thinking they were going to get my car completed and back to me by june

just called them was told were working on it and getting close funny how when i called there working on it anyways i gave them til thursday to get the car working or i am having it towed to nissan
i then tells me if it were a simply problem they would have fixed it by now :rolleyes:
i got a feeling i will be looking for a new shop after this

How do you figure that?

There are more built GTR's that 370z's out there, the aftermarket for that car is way beyond where the 370z is.

Finally found out what the problem was. The flywheel sensor was reading tdc when the other cam and crank were not so the tranny was dropped and problem fixed I pick the car up after they do a check and test drive

Nice man congrat's

Baltimore... did you take the car to JE by any chance?

How do i figure what?

Yes Je imports

So the flywheel needed to be bolted up EXACTLY to the location it was removed, to align the timing sensor?

Just want to know for any onlookers to understand (and me). :)

Coop

ok so they were putting mile on the vehicle to make sure it was ok for me to pick up today when i get off work they called me to say after they put 140mile on it the vehicle is now throwing a p0011 code and the idle is rough so i cant pick the car up right now :shakes head:

so far i have dropped 8630.00 bucks on this engine build and i am not paying a dime more

Seriously? Were the pistons custom? Rods? Maybe you have already explained that in the thread but I'm at work can't go back and look.

Sorry to hear the issues.

Sorry to here your troubles man p0011 is a code that has to do with cam timing.

Hang in there man hopefully you will be joining my self and coop with our built engines on the road .

:mad: dude i am so pissed right now its not funny
i got the car back today and 30min after picking it up the car is missing like crazy
i was charged 500 bucks for some valve and labor to day before i got the car back
valve was sticking open or something kind hard to believe since the car only has 34k miles on it but i paid it

driving down the street and out of no were the car is missing like crazy i dont know if i want to go back and complain and give them a few days to fix the problem or go to nissan have them fix the car and try and get the shop to pay the difference or get a court to do it :mad::mad:
my wife is pissed even more then i am.

:( That's horrible news. The shop won't pay the difference if you take it to another place (not unless you fight it and win in court). I would take it back to them and tell them the situation, if they still can't fix the issue then lawyer up to recoup some of the money.

You need to make some sort of action that you "tried" going back to them multiple times and they still couldn't fix your issue, otherwise they'll throw the case out in court.

What color is your 370z by the way?

ya thats what i want to do show i tried to have them fix the problem i have all my invoices my car is black with a je import sticker on the rewindow but i think thats going to be removed

This is crazy makes no sense didn't you pay these guys to build your engine, how are you paying $500 bucks for some valve labor?

I hope this works out for you it's not cheap building a motor and paying for things you didn't have to pay for. Like new VVEL controllers you didn't need them and valve work after the fact.

Op! That really sucks! I hope everything will work out for you.

Damn man sorry to hear, I know someone mentioned the VVEL controls, are they new?

The car drives fine when cool but once it gets hot it's missing like crazy

Did you get a tune yet.

only tune on the car is the one that was on it before the build
wanted to put a few more mile on it before the retune to brake the motor in
i will be taking the car back to them saturday

This is a good sign it's not mechanical. Something related to fuel/ignition/tune, etc.

I predict a bonehead fuel leak in tank, or connector off.

It's hot! Go swimming instead. :D

Wishing you well. Keep us posted.

Coop

finally finally finally the car is running properly
the miss was a bad coilpack wire and was a quick fix drove the car all day today and she is running great :happydance:

i will take it to get a final retune in 2 weeks

good to have her back

Glad to here that man get those break in miles done

Welcome to the club of built motor and boost.:tiphat:

Congrats! Stay out of boost for at least 1k miles if you can. Looking forward in seeing more videos of your pulls.

The Piston rings will seat way before 1000 miles vary the rpm some.

No WOT but some and change the oil after a few hundred miles or so.