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**Fresh1179** · 11-08-2020, 08:18 AM

That is unfortunate what you have been going through. I think that the shop has a large enough client base that they should work with you amicably to resolve the matter, and I have personally had work done from them that I am satisfied with.

Please check you PM’s with respect to knowledge of your legal remedies as you referenced bringing in your lawyer.

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**yhp2009** · 11-08-2020, 09:30 AM

Ive also heard only good things about Matt Coyne and was planning on getting my rod bearings done there. I hope you are able to resolve this with Matt amicably

**mcfreid** · 11-08-2020, 10:23 AM

UPDATE: Matt just got in touch with me and we are working it out. Current pickup date it is now Tuesday. Will update here as the issue is resolved.

UPDATE (11/11/20): Car has been picked up and is now at the Coyne|Kassel Performance

- quite relieved

Many thanks to everyone who reached out to me with advice.

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**Kdubski** · 11-11-2020, 07:07 PM

Where did the metal flakes come from

**mcfreid** · 11-12-2020, 03:31 AM

Originally posted by Kdubski View Post

Where did the metal flakes come from

Uncertain - will know once Matt opens up the engine, likely next week. I'll update here as soon as I have more info to share.

**mcfreid** · 11-26-2020, 06:10 AM

Nov 26th Update

Yesterday Matt texted me that during the initial rod bearing replacement performed by his team back in March, Matt's technician installed the oil pump sprocket backwards. As a result, the sprocket tore into the oil pan, causing the aluminum shavings to spread throughout the engine. I was not told about this earlier - yesterday was the first time I learned that this happened. Upon realizing their mistake, they reinstalled the sprocket and cleaned out the oil pan. However, as I discovered when I changed the oil, left over metal shavings were still throughout the oil system. Upon opening the engine yesterday, Matt found all the bearings to be scored with metal from the initial damage to the oil pan from the miss-installed oil pump sprocket.

Needless to say, I am furious. Typing this, my fingers are twitching in anger. Is it not reasonable for me to expect to be notified about the miss-install of the oil pump sprocket and the damage done to the oil pan way back, half a year ago now, when the service was done? Instead I had to find out because I discovered oil shavings during its oil change.

Matt told me he would be replacing the rod and main bearings, will polish the crank shaft, and will replace the oil pump. I am incredibly concerned that this is not sufficient. What about the valve train, the pistons, the piston seals, the cylinder liners, etc? I understand that aluminum won't necessary score the hardened steel or iron parts - but couldn't aluminum shavings still block oil passages or cause uneven wear of the steel-oil-steel interfaces if it were to get into the system - which it has?

Matt pushed back against replacing anything other than the bearings and the oil pump when I told him my concerns. I'm not an expert - but I am losing confidence in trusting his guidance here. Especially since I was not told me about the miss-install of the oil pump sprocket and the scoring to the oil pan until I found the result of that mishap myself. Matt also pushed back against replacing the oil pan - which is superficially damaged on the inside, but damaged nevertheless in a way as a direct result of the technicians mistake.

Maybe my emotions are running high and I'm being unreasonable... I don't know. Disaster scenarios 1 year, 5 years, or ten years down the line keeping running through my head as a result of this damage. That's my mindset right now. Having a hard time seeing the light at the end of this tunnel right now. This has not been an confidence-inspiring journey from start to finish (see the other threads and posts I've updated on over the last 9 months as a result of this initial service back in February/March).

I hate to call out an overall reputable and well-regarded e46 m3 enthusiast and master technician such as Matt - but at the same time I'm at a loss of what to do now. I'm left quite confused actually at the mismatch between my fantastic experience with Matt 2 years ago when he bulletproofed my RACP and my experience this year). A community member here reached out to me on advice regarding my recommendation and and I expressed the same confusion. I'm left feeling like either I'm being just purely unreasonable - or something has changed on Matt's side.

It certainly has not helped that I have not even received a basic sincere apology from Matt in what went wrong. Or even Matt giving an acknowledgement of the fact that I had to find out on my own by inspecting the oil when I changed the oil and apologizing for that... That's of course not at all being the crucial or necessary - but I feel like it's certainly adding to my sense of overwhelming frustration over these last few months.

Matt will be replacing the bearings, polishing the crank, and replacing the oil pump - as I said - but I am incredibly incredibly concerned that months, years, or a decade down the line I'm going to find some other issue as a result of these mishaps and us not tearing down the whole engine to look for other areas of impact. Am I being unreasonable here?

**Slideways** · 11-26-2020, 06:54 AM

Sorry to hear about the troubles with the engine. If it helps at all, I'd say that the filter did its job by catching a large amount of debris and the score marks on the bearings look similar to the old ones. The new bearings actually do not look terrible. Any pictures of the crank? I'd say that they need to flush out the system with an oil change or two and replace the oil pump with a new one, as well as rod bearings (IDK about main bearings as that is a full rebuild job). The pan looks fine. Hopefully, they can offer some guarantee and extend their service warranty. All that being said, I understand your frustration and concern, and I can see why you are hoping (and/or wanting) a full rebuild or replacement engine. The engine has 110k on it and it might take quite a few more miles until a full rebuild is required. Maybe something can be arranged to do the full rebuild now rather than later.

This guy made the same mistake with the oil pump sprocket and I believe he flushed the oil a few times. Maybe try and contact him to ask how many miles he has on it now. Best of luck.

**Slideways** · 11-26-2020, 07:13 AM

Just to mention one more thing, the oil pump sprocket chain, even when installed correctly, slices into the front oil pump pickup tube. That creates some debris, but it is caught by the filter and flushed out with the oil. It looks similar to the marks on your oil pan.

**01SG** · 11-26-2020, 07:45 AM

So they installed a part incorrectly, it damaged the engine, and they failed to tell you about their mistake while allowing you to drive around damaging the engine more? That's extremely negligent and you have every right to be furious. And it sounds like they gave you the run around on top of it, what's with all those excuses? How can you not be in contact at any and all times in this day and age?

I would call the attorney and not settle for anything less than a full rebuild or replacement engine. The fact that they knew they damaged the engine and then let you drive off as if it were fine is unforgivable. It's bad enough to make such a mistake, it's another thing to cover it up.

Reputations are fickle and not worth much weight. There's a "specialist" shop by me that told me I needed new tie-rod ends because they were seized and they couldn't set the toe, meanwhile the control arm bushing was completely blown out from them driving it over a curb. And they let me drive away with it that way.

**Fresh1179** · 11-26-2020, 08:04 AM

IMHO I would take the car to to another local, knowledgeable shop, explain to them the situation, and ask them what engine parts could have conceivably, in an abundance of caution, been damaged, altered, or destroyed by the based off the actions referenced above. It might costs you a couple hundred bucks, but you will likely get a a comprehensive answer as to all of the parts that may have been damaged. In all likelihood, they will tell you that it may require the engine to be disassembled to assess the damage. Ask them the cost for such services to inspect the engine to determine the scope of any possible damages, as well as the replacement parts. I think this is %100 the first step you need to take. Right now, you are wholly reliant upon the representations of a party who performed substandard work to tell you how they think they should fix it. Based upon the situation presented with respect to notice regarding the damage, and the fact that it is in their financial interest to replace the minimal amounts of parts possible you have to to have neutral party take a look. The goal is to be made whole. If that requires additional work and additional replacement parts then so be it. Let us know if you go this route as I may have additional advice. If the second shop offers to to remove any engine parts to check for damage they need to be documented thoroughly with a high resolution camera. If you have a GoPro or other device capable of recording the inspection, that is an additional good measure.

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**Sprp85** · 11-26-2020, 09:40 AM

Yikes.

I guess I need to reconsider driving up an hour and half for rod bearing job next spring.

Reading this thread reminded me; when I had my RACP CMP bar done, they forgot to tighten section 1 to section 2 flange bolts fully; and one of em just dropped out after days of rattling... very minor mistake compared to the OP's issue but still. Hmm...

**sapote** · 11-26-2020, 10:35 AM

Sorry to hear this. I understand the AL chips pulled up by the oil pump and went to the oil filter housing, but they should be caught and filtered by the oil filter. So why the chips reached to the rod bearings and scored them? If the chips indeed somehow bypassed the filter and reach the rod bearings, then they also reached to every parts that need oil such as crank main bearing, cam bearings, VANOS. Of course the chips also could log inside between engine cylinder walls and pistons.

To really correct this nasty problem, I would try to find out is it true that the new rod bearings were scored by the AL chips or it was just a normal result of new bearings breaking in. How could the chips bypass the oil filter?

If the bearings scored by the chips then the followings need to be done:
1. change all rod and main bearings (which Matt already agreed).
2. remove the head, VANOS, cams, rockers and shafts and off the head, then use compressed oil to back flush all cam and rocker shafts oil feeding holes (after remove the oil check valves off the head). This is to ensure no chips remain in the head.
3. Dissemble VANOS and replace/clean all filters. Dissemble solenoid block and clean all oil channels.
4. With head removed and crank removed, it's easy to pull out all pistons and clean them and the cylinder walls.
5. Replace oil cooler and hoses
6. remove and clean Oil filter housing
7. replace the oil pump.

I hate to pay someone and ended up unhappy result. Years ago -- around 1993 -- I was too busy to work on my cars and paid a "good mechanic" to rebuild my 1974 E9 3.0CSi for $5000; a good sum of money back then. He worked on many exotic cars like Ferrari, Maserati, BMW. Anyway, I politely remind him that the cams oil spray pipes (mounted above the cams) looked symmetrical but they were not, and if they were installed the other way then the spay oil would miss the cam lobes by 1". He was upset and told me don't tell him what to do as he would not tell me how to design electronic circuits. Fair enough. As I picked up the car and heard a strange noise at the water pump belts, he explained that the noise would go away as the new belt worn in. I drove it home that evening and kept thinking about the strange noise. Next morning I checked a saw he used different belts than stock ones and had looped the belt wrong, causing the 2 belts fighting each other, hence the noise of the slipping belt which lost the battle. Arrrr, I was so mad, and proceeded to open the valve cover and checked the oil spay tubes. Sure enough they both were installed the wrong way. I called and he told me to bring it back. I said I will never want to see him again, and took care the problems myself. I have never had anyone worked on my cars since that day.

**FBloggs** · 11-26-2020, 11:40 AM

This is an unfortunate and expensive mistake for all involved.
Trying to cheap out to minimise shop loss does not imply appology .
The engine needs to be disassembled the oil galleys cleaned out with brushes. Then the short block, cylinder head and crank should be hot tanked.

**ATB88** · 11-26-2020, 11:53 AM

Entirely unhelpful comment, but, in sympathy: OOF this suuuuucks.

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Matt Coyne @ Kassel Rod Bearing (UPDATE Miss-Installed Sprocket Tore into Oil Pan)

Matt Coyne @ Kassel Rod Bearing (UPDATE Miss-Installed Sprocket Tore into Oil Pan)

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