Complaint Review: Poulin Honda

Job: 1979 XR80 Top-end rebuild.

I delivered disassembled top-end(cylider, head, new-piston for above job. Price for work quoted was reasonable. Almost 90 days later and after many excuses, I paid for and picked up finished job. I (40yr mechanic) reassembled motor. First thing I noticed: lapping compound left in valve seat area. this stuff has diamond dust in it, not good for new motor. I did not originally(before assembly) mic(measure) cylinder to piston clearance. The machine shop should have verified. The specs for new piston is 1 thousanths.

After assembly and start-up the engine had no compression feel on kick-starter. I fired it up to hear it rattle so bad it sounded like it had a broken piston skirt. It ran a total of 2.5 minutes. I immediately disassembled motor again, mic'ed piston to cylinder clearance to find it at 5 thousanths (5 times bigger than spec)

I returned to Poulin Honda with cylinder and piston. After waiting for 40 minutes standing at the counter with other customers present. The red-headed owner-son came out from the shop(without mechanic) and informed me that the cylinder I brought back was NOT the same cylinder and for me to take a hike. My 10 year old son was present, otherwise, I might have gotten ugly.

I took that cylinder and piston to another local shop(R-Q Machine, Selah) and they verified my measurements. Poulin Honda is a ripoff period. I have never been so insulted. I still have cylinder, piston and other shop diagnosis for going to court anytime, but it's not worth it.