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2005 GX470 Mechanic Changed Starter and Bent Valve
Hello all I need a sanity check. My 05 GX470 was running great. However the starter was intermittently going bad.Two weeks ago the starter finally went.. Had it towed to my local mechanic. My wife picked it up it started really rough and then she tried to drive it. All the warning lights came on and it was bucking and hesitating. She turned it around and brought it right back. She didn't make it one block away. Told the mechanic what happened and told them to figure out what they screwed up. Two days later the mechanic said there is no compression in cylinder 8. When you replace the starter you have to remove the intake manifold to get to it. It is my understanding that no compression could be a bad valve or bad cylinder. Clearly they did something wrong when replacing the starter. Could it be debris from the swap falling into the block or something? An engine does not go from running great to zero compression in cylinder 8 overnight for no reason right?. Today got a call from the mechanic saying that there was a bent valve. They are saying that it was because of using cheap gas. I always use premium, always... The bent valve seems to me that it would be more likely from them dropping something into the intake when they were changing the starter. Am I crazy here or no?
No compression is because THEY did something to ruin it NOT because of cheap gas. That is beyond ridiculous. Hopefully it's not as tragic as it sounds. Maybe a rocker got knocked loose. Or something. I have not been inside the valve cover area on this engine. From pictures it looks like a tappet system.
I did some checking. You don't take the Valve cover off. But you do remove the intake manifold. He probably dropped something into the intake for that cylinder and bent the valve, jammed it open, or worse damaged the valve/head and cylinder.
They dropped something in the cylinder. Period.
They are trying to cover there *** by lying to you.
I have done a handful of starters on theses motors, and if you do not cover the intake ports with something the likelihood of something falling in is high.
You should be able to see the scaring in the cylinder from the FOD (foreign object debris) that fell in with a scope through the spark plug.
Here is a pic from a DIY at YotaTech ...
Before you do anything, insert rags into the intake holes because if something falls down there, you're not getting it back.
They dropped something in the cylinder. Period.
They are trying to cover there *** by lying to you.
I have done a handful of starters on theses motors, and if you do not cover the intake ports with something the likelihood of something falling in is high.
You should be able to see the scaring in the cylinder from the FOD (foreign object debris) that fell in with a scope through the spark plug.
Here is a pic from a DIY at YotaTech ...
Before you do anything, insert rags into the intake holes because if something falls down there, you're not getting it back.
Good luck
I would have a heart to heart with the owner of the shop. Then I would have independent [ lexus dealer ] review the damage Then sue
Today got a call from the mechanic saying that there was a bent valve.
Did they say intake or exhaust?
The bad gas explanation is bogus. Bent valves come from things like broken timing belts that allow mechanical parts to come into violent contact. And if that were the case it'd be more than just one valve after being driven.
Now, it is possible for bad gas to burn a valve. But again, it would have happened to more than just one of them.
I had a motor that dropped a valve seat on cylinder 8, also found a missing shim under one of the buckets on the valve on that cylinder, I dont think it was a coincidence I think it was an oversight cause if you are not careful putting the buckets back on the shim can pop out. not sure why they removed the cams etc.. for that to happen as I got it like that from previous owner, but I dont think it just happens cause its shim under bucket on these motors.
yours though they dont have to pull off valve covers or cams etc for that job, so likely he dropped something straight into the intake valve area, its very easy and def what happened cause the valve is bent. the valve seat goes when the shims are off so it slams the valve against the seat repeatedly, but dropping something under the intake valve will bend it everytime, there is practically no valve to piston clearance to spare on these motors. piston is probably fine. make them replace the cylinder head or the valve.
It definitely sounds like something went down the cylinder head. If so, then the engine needs to be removed, gone through and repaired or replaced all together. The piston, cylinder head are both probably destroyed. Along with that, the connecting rod could be bent along with other problems.
I can't believe they didn't try starting the truck before delivering it back to her. That makes no sense. How did they move it out of the bay and park it out front? Didn't they hear the racket? Or, did the tech know something happened when he started it to move it and didn't say anything to the owner?
That's a really crappy situation, I would agree you should have a calm, rational discussion with owner of the shop that clearly they are responsible and what are they going to do to make it right. They do have insurance for this sort of thing.
If they keep talking about nonsense like cheap gas blowing up your engine a block down the road from their shop after "repairing it" , have the car towed to a Lexus dealership, get a written estimate and call an attorney would be my advice because they probably won't do anything until they start getting letters from an attorney. Usually much cheaper to make it right than go to court.
But you're probably going to have to make the repair out of pocket if the owner refuses to budge and get "made whole" later down the road.
The big thing though is to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and have the dealership take pictures and write up exactly what they find. Write down dates, people you talk to, etc. Tell the dealership or other shop your situation and have them help you.
I doubt the piston is destroyed... normally the valve will just bend. its not that difficult for them to replace the valve or valves depending on how many are bent if that is the case. first step is making them accept the blame, then tell them you would be fine with pulling the head and having the head serviced, any machine shop can pop in some new valves for you on the cheap, and the shop should do the labor of removal and install on the house.
10-05-16, 10:52 AM
2005 GX470 Mechanic Changed Starter and Bent Valve
