Engine assembler

[John Hofstetter <hofs@domain.elided>]

>From: "Tom Harais" <tjhemh@domain.elided>
>Subject: Re: Cost to rebuild IH engines
>
>John:
>
>The approach I take is that with patience and study, but not necessarily
>professional level skill, I can do work at least as good as a pro. That of
>course, doesn't mean I'm perfect, but neither are they.  The advantage I
>have over a pro, is that I'm willing to take the time to do things "right".
>If I make a mistake, I'll go back and fix it.
>
>The pro has tools, skills and experience that I don't, but they also need
>to get it done in a hurry in order to make a living. The other advantage I
>have over a "pro" is I know my own car/house/etc. much more intimately than
>they do. That has really helped when something slowly went wrong. I was
>there observing the change all along and diagnosing the problem. To the
>pro, it's just another job. In, fix, pay, out.

Tom,
I don't disagree with anything you say here, but the point I originally 
made to John L. and it's been made again several times since, is that if 
the machine shop assembles the engine, they warranty their work. The 
machine shop where my son takes his many engines for machine work, 
assembles his engines, and not only warranties the engine assembly, but 
accepts responsibility for removing the engine if there is a problem, and 
then fixing the problem and putting it back in. 

That's not only good for John Jr. in regard to saving labor and money in 
his shop, but I suspect that it also helps ensure considerable 
carefulness on the part of the assemblers. Not that it's recent enough to 
be of much consequence, but when I worked for the rebuilder of Ford 
engines in San Jose, we had to be damn careful. A car that came in to 
have its engine pulled because of a screwup one of us made cost the boss 
a lot of money, and he would want to know who in the heck made the 
mistake. 

As you know, in that kind of business, labor costs are the major factor, 
and bosses tend to look askance at mistakes that mean more labor costs 
with no return. 

Just a point.
Regards,
John