Here is the deal, I interviewed about 8 different indys when I was getting ready for my engine built and found one that I liked. I brought him a brand new SE 103” top end and a SE forged stroker crank, he supplied carb, intake, cams and did all the work. When I got the bike back I noticed it was smoking. I brought it back to him to install a six speed gear set. When he removed the exhaust he saw that the valve guides were leaking the source of the smoke. When he did the build he insisted on disassembling the heads to place better valve guide seals and clearance the valves because of the cams? Now he says that I might as well have the heads polished and ported while they are off, I asked if he was going to remove and install the heads for free and he said no! Had he just installed the brand new heads I supplied and the valve guides leaked I would not have an issue with paying him for removing and re-installing the heads but since he worked on the heads I think he should comp the labor for removing and re-installing the heads. The smoking is very light but noticeable and he said it may clear up but it now has 2000 miles and still smokes a little, I’m just dealing with it for the time being because I don’t have the $$$ to get the heads done and want to ride. I will probably look for a used set of 103 heads and get them polished and ported so the bike won’t be down for a long time again!

 

Your not asking hime to do free work. You already paid him to do the job right and he didn't. I'm sure you paid good money to have it right, so you overpaid him for doing shoddy work. He owes you and should take care of it.

 

A bit of smoke might be good. Consider it top end lube.

 

I think I'd find another Indy. If he didn't do it right the first time, and he won't make his work right, I'd wonder what else might happen if he disassembles the motor again.

 

Once burnt, twice wary. If he won't do it comp, I would pay someone elas to do it.

 

How much money are you talking about?

 

Considering he wants you to pay for his crappy work twice, no, it's not unreasonable for you to want him to do it for free, since you already paid him.

 

I would be questioning why he didn't install the new heads you supplied him with and "repaired" your orig heads.

Something doesn't add up.

No you're not wrong in requesting him to eat the labor. If he won't make it right with out a bunch of hassle, i would take my business elsewhere and make sure that he knew you were going to spread the word on how he did you wrong.

You still have the new heads don't you ?

 

Yeah I would let him know you are a frequent social media guy and use forums. You haven't named the Indy yet but let him know everyone agrees with you. Sometimes you have to push in a direction of the company losing money. Bad publicity is bad for a company like that.

 

If it was my shop, I'd be eating the labor. But I will throw in one caveat, if you'd have come in with the heads and I just bolted them in place and the seals were bad I wouldn't be eating the labor. But in this case he insisted on changing the seals which promptly failed, his fault. You bring in a head and say "hey use this" so I do and it fails, not my fault.

Make sense or am I misreading it?

Now it also depends on how loyal of a customer you've been. I've comped lots of stuff labor wise to keep happy customers happy. Just an R&R on a head isn't a lot of labor to eat and he seems to have talked you into additional work anyways so either way I'd likely eat it to keep you coming back.