AFM Delete

[doublebase]

I didn’t ask for or receive compensation, nor expect anything. Sometimes you do that for people you’ve known for half your life, and consider them family.

I’m not saying I fully agree with spending $9k on that repair, but there is more to vehicle ownership than straight financial consideration. Show me a car you described that has the utility of a Suburban or Avalanche. Sometimes you need more than just an a-b transportation appliance. At least I do.

Want me to show you a vehicle that has the utility of a suburban or Avalanche? How about a suburban or an Avalanche? There is thousands for sale, with less miles than the 300,000 the vehicle had and less cost than the $9,000 dollars for those repairs (that didn’t fix anything).

And I’m happy you helped someone, I think that’s great. Thats a bit irrelevant to the point I‘m trying to make. My point is a woman driving around in an Avalanche with 300,000 plus miles, should not have been sold that job. She was in a tough situation and taken a huge advantage of. Luckily the guy that started this thread came to her aid.

But $9,000 can buy you a nice used vehicle. I don’t know what this poor lady, with breast cancer does for work...maybe she is a contractor or HVAC technician, plumber or Mason, needing a vehicle like this to drive her and her torches, tools, welder, tile saw, and everything else, from job site to job site. But if she’s not, and just needs to commute and take her children to school or elsewhere...I don’t know? Maybe take nine grand and buy a used Honda CR-V and drive it a million miles or something?

 

[Jim_Truett]

Want me to show you a vehicle that has the utility of a suburban or Avalanche? How about a suburban or an Avalanche? There is thousands for sale, with less miles than the 300,000 the vehicle had and less cost than the $9,000 dollars for those repairs (that didn’t fix anything).

And I’m happy you helped someone, I think that’s great. Thats a bit irrelevant to the point I‘m trying to make. My point is a woman driving around in an Avalanche with 300,000 plus miles, should not have been sold that job. She was in a tough situation and taken a huge advantage of. Luckily the guy that started this thread came to her aid.

And those vehicles will be problem free for how long? I’m pretty familiar with the platform, and $9k around here is the same vehicle between 150k and 190k miles, after you pay tax and title transfer. Your point was clear, but I’m not sure how it helps now. Maybe she was afraid of the loss of the vehicle, and didn’t want to ask for help for whatever personal reason she had. Fear is a strong motivator, good or bad.

 

[ls1mike]

Where do you get the ECM reprogrammed after the motor AFM delete?

I had mine done on a dyno as I went with a larger than stock cam, but I was able to do some of it so I could get it up on the trailer and having it running for the Dyno. HP tuners is also what I used. It works well.

If it had been my truck I probably would have risked just doing the delete. I have done it on other peoples vehicles when the AFM has failed. Never had a problem. I think and Cline will correct me if I am wrong it depends on how soon you catch it. I know there are dealer around here who will just swap the Cam, lifters and timing components, but you still leave with AFM. There are some that will do the delete for you.
That was what the inside of the Caprice looked like with the heads off.

 

[Jetronic]

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so as suspected, the fix doesn't make any sense whatsoever even if it was succesful.

 

[CKN]

so as suspected, the fix doesn't make any sense whatsoever even if it was succesful.

Texas Speed and Performance seem to be a popular choice (on the GM Truck Forums) for deleting and replacing AFM components as far as where to get parts.

 

[Jetronic]

Texas Speed and Performance seem to be a popular choice (on the GM Truck Forums) for deleting and replacing AFM components as far as where to get parts.

Just to be clear, I was talking abou the original fix, not what Clinebarger is doing. I take it he is doing an AFM delete.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Man it pains me badly to know how bad this poor lady was ripped off. How could anyone do that? I think I would of done the same thing if I was able to. I’ve seen many customers get ripped off but never anything this major. I am guessing when you say copper coated them you mean like that copper RTV? Or copper anti seize or something ridiculous that shouldn’t of been used on head gaskets? Such a nice thing you did for her though I think if I would of been in this situation as the mechanic or customer I probably would of been crying because that’s how I am I can’t stand to be ripped off see it happen to someone else. That’s part of the reason I’m a mechanic because I didn’t trust people working on my stuff.

 

[ls1mike]

so as suspected, the fix doesn't make any sense whatsoever even if it was succesful.

Right! I mean you could have picked up a junkyard mill and had better luck.

 

[2EHA]

so as suspected, the fix doesn't make any sense whatsoever even if it was succesful.

pad part costs and don’t actually replace parts

maximize labor hours

????

profit

in the semi truck world this is how people operate

 

[Gimpy1]

I always snicker at folks that say get a lawyer and sue. This lady already drained her savings a lawyer wont do this for free or 1/3 based on recovery. Assuming this shop has any money how long do you think it will take to recover? If there is anything to recover plus attorneyfees. The courts are way backed up due to covid. What she should do is contact the AG and her CC company and begin a charge back/fraud investigation. Credit card companies have way more resources available plus they will pull the money back from the shop quickly plus fees and such. That's where it hurts the shop.

 

[Blinker]

Nice work! I agree shoddy repairs shops suck.

Holy crap that engine was not taken care of at all!

 

[doublebase]

I always snicker at folks that say get a lawyer and sue. This lady already drained her savings a lawyer wont do this for free or 1/3 based on recovery. Assuming this shop has any money how long do you think it will take to recover? If there is anything to recover plus attorneyfees. The courts are way backed up due to covid. What she should do is contact the AG and her CC company and begin a charge back/fraud investigation. Credit card companies have way more resources available plus they will pull the money back from the shop quickly plus fees and such. That's where it hurts the shop.

It also hurts the shop if you go to social media and conventional media outlets. Woman with cancer absolutely screwed with faulty estimates, repair and parts. Local business suffer from even the slightest poor reviews...this thing is a grand slam, hit it out if the park, story people would love to know about. Not good for business, not good at all. End of the day, this story could do more harm than the almost $9,000 they did in faulty repair.

 

[Gimpy1]

I always snicker at folk that say get a lawyer and sue. This lady already drained her savings a lawyer wont do this for free or 1/3 based on recovery. Assuming this shop has any money how long do you think it will take to recover? The courts are way backed up due to covid. What she should do is contact the AG and her CC company and begin a charge back/fraud investigation. Crdit card companies have way more resources available plus they will pull the money back from the shop quickly plus fees and such. That's where it hurts the shop

 

[mattd]

Props, Chris. You are doing this woman a great service. At worst, you’ll have a customer for life. And best, you just saved her from filing bankruptcy.

It’s infuriating that shops like this still exist. They take advantage of people that don’t know any better. I’d go right over there and give them a piece of my mind, then inform them they’ll be getting sued. She most definitely needs to take legal action.

 

[DallasTexas]

Clinebarger my hats off to you. You are an angel.

 

[gfh77665]

Just goes to show you, there are still good people in the world.

 

[clinebarger]

So many questions here.

That truck with 300,000 plus miles is worth almost nothing. Why did she agree to a $9,000 dollar repair? And what shop advised her to do this? And worse, actually did the repair? Because even for the worst, most untrustworthy of places, they wouldn’t do that and then a week later tell her that she needs an engine. Was this a sentimental thing? some people get attached to things, like vehicles. Was that it?

I didn't ask, The trucks not really in bad shape otherwise, She probably just didn't want another vehicle.

And the other thing I really question is, why didn’t she go to you first? It looks like you have a lift, tools, a shop. You know what you’re doing...why not at least go to you for mechanical advice first? Maybe not do the repair, but at least ask you or your wife advice?

My business has only been up & running for 18 months, Before that I worked at a Hot Rod Shop that didn't do general automotive type work, So she probably didn't know I have my own place now.

And lastly - she’s going to pay a shop $9,000 grand and not sue them for faulty repairs? We’re talking $9,000 dollars and they reused the head bolts? They obviously also misdiagnosed the repair. What exactly was this shops diagnosis of needed repairs and faults? Because it sure sounds like she has some recourse in this matter, or at the very least could make life very difficult for that repair shop.

It sounds like there is a lot more to this story, or at the very least, there should be. And this poor women is battling breast cancer right now? Oh my god, feel bad for her. And if I’m a lawyer I’d feel pretty good about her winning some, if not most of that money back. Heck, if I owned that shop I’d give her most of her money back, just out of the thought that her story could ruin my business. Never mind because it’s the right thing to do.

I can't believe she authorized the work myself.....But I'm not going to beat her up about it, She's currently in remission but it seems she's had a rough go of it in the last 10 years.

 

[clinebarger]

Well.....It's in & running well. Test drove it for @ 20 miles, Going to get it Inspected/Emissions Tested tomorrow after I get the rest of the monitors cleared.

It also needed both drive belts & Intake Gaskets which also appeared to be original

 

[bdcardinal]

What is the limit for Small Claims in Texas? It might be well worth her time to take them to court. Use your pictures and expert testimony and it should be pretty slam dunk.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Another vote for her to dispute the shady shop's charges with her cc company.