I recently took my 2011 Camaro SS into the Chuck Nash Chevrolet dealership in San Marcos, Texas for warranty work. I took the car in for a know lifter tick in the L99 (Automatic) cars. On cold start-up, there is a pronounced "Tick" or "knock" that can be heard briefly until the lifters pump up with oil and the motor warms up.
I dropped the car off and the dealer agreed to contact GM to fix the issues after several people at Chuck Nash heard the lifter noise.
I was called the next day and told that the dealer asked GM and GM agreed to replace the lifters and the camshaft as a precaution. I gave them the go ahead as I wanted my car fixed and fixed correctly.
After 2 days I called the dealer and was told they had "Bad news" and that the technician that was working on the car had done something wrong and the car lost compression. When I inquired, I was told he could not "Give me a technical explanation yet" so I was pretty upset.
I left work and drove over there where I see my car in the shop and the motor taken back apart. They had the front half removed and the intake bolts loose.
I asked what had happened and was told "The cam actuator failed and caused the motor to go into limp mode. The cam lost all compression with the valves it appears so we have to take it apart"
I can only imagine at this point that the "Cam actuator" he is talking about is the VVT actuator.
Fast forward 2 days (June 13th) and I get off of work and drive down to Chuck Nash again (30 mile drive each way) where instead of find the service guy, I walk straight into the shop with my camera in hand. I get back there and an employee intercepts me. He takes me to the shop foreman.
He walks me out to the car and it's obvious the guy has NO clue about internal combustion engines let alone the modern LS based motors. He says they removed the heads and "Ordered the valves" so I freaked out and asked why they would order valves.
We approach my car and I instantly get that sinking gut feeling. I see both heads off of the car and EACH AND EVERY PISTON IS DAMAGED from them floating the valves and the valves making violent contact with the piston. There is supposed to be a gap between the two, commonly referred to as "PTV Clearance" or "Piston to valve clearance" and guess what? There was none, obviously.
I've been posting this story on Camaro5.com where there are TONS of VERY knowledgeable folks in the field of tuning and building these engines.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=301726
They agree that this is a result of a faulty or incorrect camshaft installation.
The dealer is claiming that this is a result of a "Faulty part" and they will replace the valves and return the car to me. He continued to tell me that the "Pin" on the "Cam actuator" broke off and sent the cam free-wheeling and causing all of the damage.
I mentioned the damaged pistons and the shop foreman says to me "Oh that is not an issue, it won't affect anything"
I'm pissed at this point. I told him to get a new motor or they can have the car and I will hire an attorney.
The "District Rep" for GM called and he said the engineers at Chevrolet will not send me a new motor because the car is "Heavily modified" according to Chuck Nash and I replied that the car has a painted throttle body, a cold air intake and a cat-back exhaust. None of which would have caused a KNOWN GM ISSUE to arise. I also reminded him of the Mag-Moss act and told them they would have to prove that my parts caused a known issue to arise.
He is NOT going to bat for me, the customer. He is only interested in slapping the car back together haphazardly and me picking the car up. Nobody at GM cares.
He never called me back.
As a result, I will not be picking the car up and the dealership until it has a new engine.
I DID NOTHING wrong and I am being PUNISHED by a dealership and their greedy overlord.
Jimmy Castillo the service manager just put the engine back together with the broken pistons and told me I had to pick it up like that. He also insulted me and called me a liar.
DO NOT TAKE YOUR CAR THERE OR BUY A CAR THERE.
Auto dealer fraud Investigator
Scottsdale,#2Consumer Comment
Sat, June 15, 2013
Please let me know if your car gets fixed correctly. Personally I think the engine should be completely replaced with a short block. If somebody doesn't know how to place a Cam shaft into a engine And do it right the first time they shouldn't be touching your car. I would even question that guy's ability to place a short block engine into your car. Something like this happening makes me wonder about the Service managers capabilities also.
i have connections at General Motors if you have problems getting your car fixed right please post a request If you want me to dig into this issue the only thing I ask you to do is post the vehicle identification number.