OK, here's the deal. I went to a local Acura dealership in South Florida with my problem. I have a stripped bolt on my valve cover (front, leftmost corner) and I wanted to have them fix it under warranty. I purchased the car in NJ and recently moved here, all maintenance was done at the previous dealership. I told them that they were probably the last ones to work on the car (but we really know that I did some work on it as well, I installed the cam gears a couple of weeks ago, but I can't tell them that)

When I did the install, I didn't overtighten any of the nuts and they were all fine. I went to go back to adjust the settings on the gears and I couldn't get that one off.

So back to the story w/ Acura (I went to 2 dealerships). They said that I would need a new bolt (since it's stripped) and that the bolt sits on top of the cam mount (or something like that, etc). They would not cover it under warranty and weren't sure even about the part!

Now, first of all, I really never become agitated, but this is a ******* bolt, not a damn trans or engine and they can't write this one off as a warranty claim???

so my ? is to you guys, who can I call that can help me complain/ask questions about getting this covered under warranty? next thing they probably would charge me like 7 hours labor to do this ****. They also said that the part was considered a "zero fail" part, which means that they don't just break and therefore are not covered under warranty.

I know that if I went to my original dealer, they would have fixed it no questions asked!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!




[Modified by typer98, 12:00 PM 7/19/2001]

 

Good luck bro. I think your going to have to order the part and replace it yourself. You will problem have to drill out the bolt that is stripped off. Not fun

 

I assume your talking about the head of the bolt. If so a it is considered a "zero fail part" because it is not a manufactures defect. It was damaged by removal/reinstalling. It is not something that acura will cover or has to. If the other dealer did damage it they would be paying for it under there "goodwill" policy, which is the dealers money not acura. Since you have moved your probably S.O.L. Sorry, Don't kill the messenger.

Mattj

 

I'm with R-adrenaline. I mean after all you did break the bolt... and to get mad at the dealer is not very cool. It would be one thing if the dealer is being a dick about some manufacturing defect, but bolt really never just breaks off of a car for no reason. I think you should just folk over $5 or whatever for the bolt.

If that's not the answer you want, go to another dealer.

 

I'm not worried about the $5 for the bolt, I don't want to mess w/ doing the labor by myself and it will probably cost outrageous amounts of $....they made it seem like it is a major job...that is what I'm wondering. I don't think replacing a bolt would be a big deal, but they said that is sits by the cam...just sounds like a lot of labor...they could be blowing smoke up my ***, but I don't know...

 

Does it hold the head on or the valve cover on? If it is just the valve cover, you can drill a small hole in the bolt and try to get it out with an ez-out. If that does not work you can drill it out and put a heli-coil in. Let me know and I'll see what I can come up with. Like I said in my email, my dads got all the **** to do that stuff, but I know how to do it and we can just buy the tools. Ez-outs are cheep and heli-coils arn't too bad.

Craig
01 ITR


[Modified by AssPenny, 9:24 AM 7/19/2001]


[Modified by AssPenny, 9:25 AM 7/19/2001]

 

valve cover....that's it..

 

Next time, use antiseize on the bolts. Yeah, if you can get it out with an extractor without damaging it, you could be ok. Either way, you may need to use a helicoil or some other kind of insert.

My friend had something like this happen to him recently also. He is currently looking for a new head for his motor...



[Modified by FBP_1171, 9:34 AM 7/19/2001]

 

dealer said that it'll cost me $175 to fix it. $27 worth of parts, new valve cover gaskets, bolt itself, etc...

what can ya do? ohhhh well...

 

thats bullshit....dont pay it go to another dealer or do it yourself. My dealer just called my today to try and stick me with a charge of $180. they said because they have to "remove" the after market header and intake to get to the syncros in the tranny. i told him i aint going to pay it and he said he will take care of it for me. I guess he tried. i hate dealers!!!

 

I think I'm just gonna buy the parts and do it myself...

just out of curiousity, he did tell me that i need to replace the four gaskets to the valve cover when they do this? why would that need to be done if they are not the problem? or they just bs-in me....

I can't trust this dealer, I didn't buy the car there and THIS was my first experience there...although, people in the area told me NOT to go to any dealers in the area, take the hour drive to W Palm Beach Acura as they are much better to deal w/

maybe I'll do that.

 

jason,
i think i know how to fix you problem..you are going to have to come to the allmotor racing shop ( my garage ) so that me and my dad can take a look.