Dont you find it interesting that a GM approved warranty shop chose to not follow the GM time-sets?
They must have a good reason .. a real good reason!



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they do and it's called MONEY.

 

The time-serts don't work, never have never will. That much we all understand. The shop I am dealing will uses the sleeves because they work. They do all the repairs, warranty and otherwise, as far as I have found in southern Ontario. They have worked with G.M. developing this method of repair. These guys have done over 600 of these repairs and specialize in fixing the N* problem. I have been checking and have not found an unhappy customer. I have over 25 years experience with engine machining. I have also rebuilt many G.M. V-8's. I can't see anything wrong with the way my engine is being repaired. The cost of the repair is very reasonable, and in line with other engine re-builds I have undertaken. I'll keep posted on further progress.

 

if this method of using sleeves instead of timeserting is better i wonder why GM hasnt revised this as a new or better way to repair the N*. I would think that this method would spread fast and make less people afraid to own a car with a N* because of the usual problems. i just spent $2500 on my car for the headgasket problem and they timeserted my block. i still feel just as worried about the timeserting as i would if i had just replaced the engine. This needs to get out to more shops as this would give mechanics more confidence in repairing a N* engine and not have too worry about the threads holding up and see the same car back in the shop with an angry customer blaming the mechanic for not doing something right. I know that if the sleeves worked better than time serting i would have chose that route instead.

 

I asked a lot of questions about their method of repair. They had used the unsuccessful method of time-serts in the past. This almost bankrupted them due to the returning customers needing to have the engine repaired again. The sleeve method was then developed to finally repair the problem. As far as I was told, the newer engines covered by warranty are less likely to have leaking head gaskets. G.M. may not be concerned with the older out of warranty engines. So for most shops the time-sert is the acknowledged method of repair. As I have posted, they have repaired over 600 N* engines successfully. So yes, this method of repair should be more widely used to assure those with this engine of a successful repair. I am located in southern Ontario, Canada, so I am not aware of what the shops in the States are doing. I do know that there are only two shops that I am aware of in Ontario that even want to touch these engines. The other shop uses studs in the block, similar to what would be used in a racing type engine, to secure the heads. They have rebuilt fewer engines, but are also successful in effecting a repair. I choose the sleeve method because of the shops record of successful repairs, and the engine looks original after it is repaired.

 

GM is a huge bureaucracy and changes happen slowly, very slowly.

Also,to approve a new method of repairs, someone at GM also has to acknowledge that the old method is unreliable and probably a recall would be in order. GOOD LUCK!

I suppose that when a time-sert fails, the only official GM response would be that the job was not done properly - and they may well be correct. If the job requires too many tight tolerances or exactness, a large percentage of the jobs performed will fall outside of the window of success. Mechanics are not spacecraft makers and shouldnt be.

For whatever reason, time-serts seem to have a high failure rate. To be sure, GM knows it; they do monitor the web. I have seen and heard of enough failures of the time-sert jobs, that I for one, would not pay for one. And there you have my preference for tested/certified salvage engines.



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that is a good point Stealth, GM is slow on alot of things they do. I would think though that some shops would communicate and over time would spread the news of a better way of repairing these engines. Its obvious there are lots of shops in the U.S. that wont even look at your car because of these issues and those issues had spead like wild fire. I hear about using used engines for these cras and well, my 65,000mile used engine had a headgasket failure, so this just is a losing battle appearantly. hopefully all goes well on Grinders repair i wish we had that same method of repair in the states. seem like canadians are more apt to
finding better ways of helping people. i should move ther LOL

 

The engine repairs are complete. The shop is sending my some pics showing the progress of the rebuild. I talked with them this afternoon. They said that the engine is now in the cradle, and early next week it should be going in the car. I should have the car back late next week if all goes well with the reinstall. I will try to post some of the pics. I am satisfied with the progress to this point, and look forward to enjoying the finished product in the very near future!

 

I got my car back the other day! It runs and feels great. The job was completed as stated, and I already have over 400 kms on the fresh engine. First oil change is tomorrow to get rid of the break in oil. This will be followed by another 2500 kms of gradual breaking in of the engine. I am very pleased with the repair at this point, and look forward to many more enjoyable kilometers of driving.

 

Im guessing that your a Grinder ? Hence your user name.
I also do grinding. Ive been doing it for years. Im in Milton Ont. Am grinding in Brampton. Do Precision Universal. Internal, external, gauges, molds and dies.

There is a great dealership here in Milton that Ive used exclusively for both my Cadillacs as well as the wifes Bonneville. There is one service rep that has never steered me wrong. He knows his stuff and never slings the bull.
Just in case you wanted to know for future reference. Just ask and Ill let you know whom to talk to.