Accused of not doing a valve job😤

customer accused us of not doing a valve job on his cylinder heads,...so we disassemble and inspect on camera.
Powellmachineinc.com

[@Jimmy-nv7mn]

If you go this far and beyond when you aren't at fault, I can only imagine how humble you would be if in fact you had made an honest mistake. You are a stand-up guy and obviously a man of your word. I would do business with you on a hand shake any day of the week

[@MikesFitnessGoals]

Amen.

[@ScottAubuchon-lz3ge]

​@@MikesFitnessGoalswe need more people Like you in this world

[@ScottAubuchon-lz3ge]

We need more guys like you

[@Ron_Masterjohn]

Sounds like a bad lifter issue.

[@Ron_Masterjohn]

You’re a stand up guy that can be totally trusted to do business with and your quality of work.

[@samspade8612]

By firing this customer, you probably just gained 10 new customers with your story. No better advertising than word of mouth. Good luck.

[@user-xo3om9dx6w]

Guaranteed his rock around and valve train geometry is off Or he has a bad lifter something to do with the cam shaft and rockers Unless there's a crack in the head which they would have picked up on and wouldn't have left so much carbon behind .

[@martyscncgarage5275]

More to a valve properly sealing than just the valve job. There is the rest of the valve train at play. A good builder would know this and how to check for it. A proper leak down test would have told the builder what's going on. I would have suggested the rockers be removed and a leak down test be done again. You are a man of integrity and obviously know your business. Shops like you are few and far between anymore.

[@vincepeltier1463]

Did not know how to adjust the valves. Not your problem.

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

These days the lifters are often junk when new.. Even if lash is good, the hydraulic lifter can be bad, over pumping and preventing seal pressure.

[@franklinbennett4443]

As I said in my review is I seen these shops do this all the time they're not going to admit fault because they know they're wrong or whatever and yes you should adjust it we'll take care of you and we'll regrind them and make sure that everything's perfect it is possible a lifter was hanging up and depends if this is a pedestal amount or variable adjustment so he didn't get into any of those details just that everything's perfect wrong attitude.

[@edwardtabor77]

I figured the engine was at fault not the head. I never watched this channel before but as soon as I heard the complaint I wondered if he checked for leaks and loosened the valve adjustment to ensure both were closed. I am with you on this one.

[@matth-tn3sq]

Didn't check for a bent valve that irregular surface will cause a wobble, slight as it might be , over time the valve will bend right at the valve neck even a slight inconsistency contributes to mis alugnment

[@kenmoore800]

@@matth-tn3sqif the valve was bent it wouldn’t lap in with a good pattern all the way around the valve and the seat like it did.

[@edwardtabor77]

Thank you both. When I check for valve sealing I pull the rockers and set an air hose for close to compression pressure. You can hear a leak very easily.

[@edwardtabor77]

BTW I'm a shade tree mechanic I work on old tractors.

[@Manofsteel420]

​@matth-tn3sq you can clearly see the burnt section of the val e stem indicating rich flame past the valve, incomplete combustion. The valve was open during combustion, either the lifter stuck or improper valve adjustment. Bent stems don't seal 100%

[@LTRayzor]

I am certain that I am not the only person who will become one of his customers. Love the integrity. Bravo Sir

[@Kane0123]

Reminds me of a Bronx tale with how chill he is about paying an outrageous bill and refunding just to be done with a bad customer. You know you’ll get the goods if you use this shop.

[@stevecrosby3199]

Sir you are absolutely correct. I personally am 200% certain that this gentleman will be doing all my machine work, if not just assembling the short block for my upcoming 6.0 build

[@Schlipperschlopper]

this mechanic is a real gentleman the oldschool way! Not many left today

[@Fuaarrkk]

Tegridy

[@termonostruman]

But a guy take a heda for a job anbd head comes with a problem,, thas not really good, even if a only asked a valve job,, Could be a crack in the ehad ths wahy i always ask consumer to make the test,, otherwise there is no insurance head is perfect

[@markn2615]

Duty, respect, integrity. You displayed all three here. Well done, Sir. Drive on.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

TYVM

[@notsoeloquent]

Why did you pay this scumbag's bill? This is probably what he was trying to do to begin with.

[@bobfranke2347]

"The more you know the more you see, the more you see the more you know." -Aldous Huxley Respect to you, sir!

[@jameslippincott]

100%!

[@bwonline5725]

You have such a good attitude towards this situation that it’s quite admirable. Clearly you went out of your way and resolved a situation that you weren’t even responsible for. If only there were more business owners like you!

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Ty!!, we really appreciate that.

[@acemay3]

@@powellmachineinc3179 nice job man i have been mechanic for 30 years you do get work. looks like a stuck injector

[@rcavenger2023]

It's unfortunate that some people decide to take advantage of others goodwill. I would bet that they have scammed, YES SCAMMED many other businesses too. Most likely to cover their own mistakes that cost them money.

[@marthabrown386]

Amen

[@stevemoores510]

I appreciate you not telling the customer to go pound sand. You took the high road which is rare in this day and age. Not sure where you’re located but if you’re in North Carolina, I would use your services in a heartbeat. Bad lifter, bent pushrod?

[@mikekilbride]

You are a genuine guy and that customer is a real ass

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Ty

[@josephmcgowan4436]

Fired the customer I love that, also impressive work, always been impressed with machinists and what they do🎉

[@evhoRoLL]

Side note, nothing worse than a man that refuses to be accountable for his actions. You’re a stand up man. You handled this with integrity and grace. I’m glad you fired that customer. He clearly has a problem being accountable for his mistakes.

[@user-cl5ov9dx5o]

Customer I latest delt with was blame of failure to a component never touched. These something for nothing by trying to intimidate a mechanic is false hope.

[@blainenichols8721]

Valves to tight customer error

[@allensautorepairandperform822]

@@karlwithak. what part of the valve job was bad?

[@RH-cv1rg]

@@karlwithak. I missed the part where he showed the bad valve job. Do you have a timestamp so I can review it?

[@timklein3962]

Well said !!!!!!!!!

[@704406bbl]

Man your integrity is outstanding. You handled the situation with dignity and class. Before I retired from the body shop business I fired only one customer. after it was apparent they wanted something for nothing I just gave them back every dollar I was paid, made them sign a paper saying they were satisfied and told them we are done. Don't bother bringing another car to my shop. If they can live with it,I can live without it. Well done!

[@powellmachineinc3179]

TYVM!! we really appreciate you 🙏

[@ericg4632]

The quick walk from the truck into the shop showed how you operate. Everything is clean, organized, and well laid out. That's a direct sign that you take pride in what you do and that you know what you're doing. I've had to fire customers in my line of work and it's always better in the long run. Well done.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Thank you for noticing, we try hard!

[@ntrpryz1]

Just because you can swap parts doesn’t make you a mechanic. The customer obviously did the leak down test wrong. You went way beyond what you should have done for this customer. You do great work.

[@andrewthompson5728]

As a journeyman mechanic for over thirty years, I will state clearly that regardless of what the machine shop does, it is still the responsibility of whoever puts it together, TO VERIFY EVERYTHING! If you inspect it beforehand and find an issue, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILTY to notify the machine shop. If the machine shop screws up, they will admit it, and if you screw up, you should. Admitting an error does not make you a lesser person, ever. Note: I once failed to verify the length of all the intake manifold bolts when installed - turns out, one of them was pinching off the pushrods. Lesson learned.

[@M0UAW_IO83]

Admitting and owning your errors makes you a stronger person, as long as you learn from it a little bit of short term pain often gets you a lot more respect and helps build reputation, it never hurts, long term, to admit you don't know something either. I'm never happy when someone points out I have made a mistake because it means I have let someone down but I will always own it and try to fix the mistake and not make the same one again. Because of that I've earned the reputation of being the person to go to because I solve problems.

[@tomconner5067]

Ran a longer bolt in and blocked off an oil passage, thank god I didn’t torque it before test running it, very low oil pressure during prime, noticed the oil seeping, put the 75% smaller 3/4” bolt in w loctite + thread sealer

[@AlexTheCarDoctor]

Definitely! The responsibility of the shop who puts it back together.

[@williamswilliams4355]

As a diesel mechanic for thirty years it's very obvious those valves and seats had perfect sealing surfaces and your first leak test proved the integrity of the seal. I'm not familiar with the LS series engine it has to valve timing issue there can be no other explanation I can think of

[@andrewgarcia3136]

​@@williamswilliams4355 what's sad is the LS motors are about as easy to time as it gets so whoever threw it together really didn't know what they were doing. It sounds to me like the customer is an amateur that threw the motor together himself

[@scudzuki]

It sucks that it cost you that much to fire that customer. As soon as you did the test with the solvent I knew there was nothing wrong with the valve job. Thanks for posting this educational video. Your ex client is going to have problems his entire adult like with an attitude like his. Dunning-Kruger effect.

[@timothyburke7226]

Call it a severance package. Good riddance to a bad apple.

[@citylockapolytechnikeyllcc7936]

Reminds me of the quip about hookers.... you are not paying them for their assorted services.... you are paying them to leave immediately after.@@timothyburke7226

[@steveportice3560]

I give you credit for covering this as you did, I know enough about grinding valves that, I am scratching my head about your ex customer, it's almost like they messed up on assembly and weren't man enough to admit their mistake

[@johnstouder5811]

I am impressed with your business practice!! I, as a mechanic, have a BOSS that is not who tries at times to tell me how to do things I do everyday that he has never done... I get how frustrating it can be with a customer as well, but taking care of them is what keeps us going... I salute you!!!

[@100amps]

That customer will discover his problem still exists and realize you were right. Long odds against them manning up to it though. You've done the right thing and proven it. Be proud. Really sucks about the cost. You're a good man.

[@itskarl79]

I00 percent agree

[@CheekyChan]

They will never admit to it and most likely scammed him. One of the jobs that always comes to mind for me when I think about bad customers is: A 2006 Cobalt SS with the supercharged inline 4 EcoTec that's just a SAAB engine basically, car was stolen from the customer and when the police found it it was on cinderblocks, when he started it he noticed it misfiring, he brought it to me after a family member recommended me to him, I took a look at it, did compression test, wasn't getting good compression on one cylinder and zero compression on the 4th, did leakdown and wet test, zero compression on 4th still. Pulled head, exhaust valve was melted in half and the other one with bad compression was just starting to melt. Did an entire valve job on it and had the head resurfaced, whole new timing set, water pump, thermostat, rebuilt the supercharger, engine oil and coolant flush, etc. after all was said and done I had it for another two days before the customer picked it up and I test drove it for about 6 hours and before that it idled for about 2 hours, first couple hours were break-in driving, very low RPM driving around the back streets, the next two were on and off throttle going about town and another 2 hours of highway driving in the upper RPM's. It ran flawlessly, no noises, no leaks, solid as can be. The customer was being dropped off by one of my family members as he was the one that introduced us, customer said he couldn't get the full amount from the ATM by his house and asked if he could take the Cobalt to go pull more out of the ATM near my shop and I allowed it, trusting him since he's a friend of a family member, 30 minutes later and he was a no-show, ATM was just around the corner. Family member calls him to see what's up and he's already nearly home and never intended to pay me the rest, it is over an hour drive to get back to his place and he made it there in just over 30 minutes. A few days later while trying to come to an agreement on him paying what's owed he tried to tell me the car was overheating and this and that, etc. so he wouldn't be paying me the rest of what he owed, which I knew was a lie since I rigorously tested it and all temps were perfect and he drove the piss out of it to get it home the day he picked it up, he wouldn't let me look at the car again to even confirm either. Fast forward a few days later and he was selling the Cobalt on Craigslist, my buddy saw it and showed me the listing and he went undercover to go check it out, the customer told my friend that he just had the entire engine rebuilt by a specialist shop and that it runs perfect, my buddy took it for a test drive and it had zero issues. My guess is he spent all the insurance money already. Moral of the story? Don't trust anyone, stick to your professional instinct no matter who the customer is. If they needed more time to pay or something along those lines I have no problem meeting them half way, I know everyone hurts for money. I would have done everything to the best of my ability to help them out but this customer out right scammed me, I recently heard again from this same customer and now the story is different, they swear they paid the entire amount and that they sold the car to a junk yard which is again not true, I saw that exact same yellow cobalt, same license plate and everything and still see it around town every once in a while. Fired him as a customer and never looked back. The crazy part is that you'd think if someone had a problem with work rendered on their car, they'd take it back to the shop that fixed it, but nope, just another reason I knew he was full of it.

[@Snarfelle]

@@CheekyChan services were not paid for the test drive back to the shop with the customer would have been the right thing to do in that situation

[@gags730]

Good Comment...BUT the issue is... 'when will the customer discover HIS mistake' ? ...and will they accept they made the mistake. I don't know what changed with the people in this world but they have become so pig-headed and for them to admit they did something wrong is like stealing their pride from them. Every day it gets a little worse. Way too many people think that 'being right' is everything. It's easier for them to point the finger and blame someone else than double-check everything they did. These are the people that normally don't get a second set of eyes with more experience to double-check the work they did... Just blaming someone else is what they do because it's easier and saves them from ever being wrong. People have no integrity anymore and 'learning' from actual mistakes is something beyond them when they feel they are 'masters' at what they do and what they know. It's amazing today how many people refuse the notion that they can still learn something... never mind learn something from their own mistakes. I spent 30+ years in my technical field and I am very rarely wrong...but to think I can never be wrong would be lunacy. No matter how long you spent in a field you still screw up every now and then and those mistakes normally come because we get cocky, because we jumped a step, took a short cut, or thought 'that don't really matter' and just like that you screw something up with a rookie mistake. Shame on me. If a customer tells me straight up they screwed something up I am more willing to help them and do everything I can to help them just because they are honest, humble, and have integrity.... It goes a long, long way in my book and it will til the day I die.

[@Slithey7433]

If the customer had any integrity, they’d admit what the real problem was and make some attempt to reconcile with you.

[@Ls7jeff]

Much respect to you for being a stand up guy I had that exact problem on a LS motor where the lifter plunger got stuck and was keeping the valve open just enough to blow thru and not enough to hit the piston The sad part is that when they realize you were right they will never be stand up enough to admit it to you

[@robharris9656]

that was my guess as well, either the lifter hung up or they preloaded it too much , Im assuming this is a hyd lifter, if solid i suspect they had the lifter adj improperly

[@charlesprody9244]

Maybe a plugged primary exhaust tube? Chinga headers?

[@mikevanson1335]

I believe the problem is in the lifter valve job was perfect goob job

[@brummiesteve590]

Honesty at its finest, leakage check on camera. I,d have gone down independent inspection route before paying these people. To many people go down this route now, trying to get free work done. Respect to you, all the best.

[@dougsweldingfabrication953]

I respect your honesty and integrity in going the extra mile to ensure quality work. Much appreciated

[@powellmachineinc3179]

I appreciate that!

[@MrOtis07]

As being a fellow gear head we have all delt at some point with shitty machine shops and shotty work . I give this guy a tremendous amount of credit by standing by his work and showing exactly what he did . Just from this video alone you would definitely have my business. Great job explaining everything.

[@rmiller334]

Shoddy.

[@KidCoyle]

@@rmiller334Care to elaborate?

[@rmiller334]

@@KidCoyle not shotty.

[@KidCoyle]

@@rmiller334 Oh. Sorry. I see now. lol

[@twentycharactersuser]

Today I learned the past tense of “crank” is “crunk”. Great video and good job handling a problem customer.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Right on

[@stevekovach1117]

i love the south

[@SunofYork]

I am English by design and have lived in the US for 20 years... I learned "Should of went" pretty quickly but there are many more to discover. Sorry I drugged that up...

[@user-he7sf6ey6v]

Much respect for you guys, I wish all people would take time & learn something from this video.... Not only does he do quality work but he goes above & beyond to ensure the customer has exactly what they paid for.... Your better off without a customer like that... Keep up the hard work man....

[@ScottGeers-en1vt]

Thank you for maintaining such high ethics. I completely agree with you. I also appreciate you.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

I appreciate that

[@sethbarnes7608]

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million. I've been doing heads since I was 12, and those valves and seats looked perfect! Not only are you a great machinist, but the fact you took care of the customer despite his being a complete A hole, says you're a great business man as well

[@powellmachineinc3179]

TYVM!!

[@heatncool]

Thats being good at customer service, being good at business has to do with delegation, leadership & finances.

[@lewzero]

​@@heatncoolyeah, customer service couldn't POSSIBLY be a part of business. Customers and their money have absolutely nothing to do with your business making profit... How many companies and employees have you bankrupted to learn that bit of wisdom?

[@Mgoblue1023]

Sounds to me like it was a Dealership with a tech that thinks he’s smarter than parts manager and parts manager has no balls.

[@115foxron8]

After seeing what was shown and the attitude expressed, if I lived in that area and needed machine work done, I would NOT hesitate to use their services. I'd trust them COMPLETELY.

[@ottotater2787]

​​​​@@karlwithak.the pressure you speak of presses on the valve pressing it closed further and harder against the head increasing its seal, not decreasing it as you are suggesting. You're thinking backwards as to how engine pressure works and what would cause a leak. You have just advertised an extreme lack of knowledge of the most basic of engine physics. Dude the pressure you're speaking of presses in the OTHER direction. you're arguing against a leak check process that thousands and thousands of mechanics have been using for, I'm guessing a lot longer than you've been alive.

[@hankplays4563]

@@karlwithak. it looks like a stuck / leaking injector was a fault.. seems to me like you might be the customer.. FREE CYLINDER HEAD LMAO its customer error NOT THE VALVE JOB!!!

[@matthewwebb6001]

@@karlwithak. It's almost as if you are that customer he had to fire after not only giving him his money back but also overpaying. I don't know this machinist from Adam and it's the only video of his I've watched, but your uninformed internet warrior comment tells me that you have never held a set of heads in your hands. Truly a marvel to behold. Dude just take your L.

[@RH-cv1rg]

@@karlwithak. What you aren't considering is the valve is under no pressure in this test. This INCREASES the likely hood of a leak. If the engine was assembled and the cylinder under pressure, the pressure would tend to CLOSE the valve, seat it more securely, not the other way around.

[@RH-cv1rg]

@@karlwithak. So your 100% accurate test, springs attached, bench mounted, under pressure, will register a good valve job if the rings are left out? The rings leak? Any other components that could leak? The failure of your 100% accurate test should be obvious to a child....I'm sure you can see it.

[@johngaulding3710]

As a 25-year mechanic, we take it very personally to be accused of not doing something we charged for.

[@kingjames7273]

As a trucker eith 6 million under my belt I can assure you from experience that for every good engine shop/machinist there are 10 ripoff artists and their usually big expensive shops like caterpillar does not remachine the injector seats in our cylinder heads..why? Maybe so guys that don't know what's happening will let them keep selling them injectors at $3000usd each when a simple speacial grinding tool can fix the problem of injector seats not sealing combustion games taking out injectors.so in a nut shell there are good& bad

[@Schlipperschlopper]

@@kingjames7273 yes!! sadly true especialy today the workshops in EU take up to 400 Euro per hour !

[@bastogne315]

Yeah fraud...most crims don't like being accused of it.

[@jamesmooney5348]

Wow! Good on you! Wow! Honest as honest and hard working as anyone!

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Thank you!

[@TAGDIESEL]

Pumped up lifter, pushrod length not verified, no preload. Good on you for keeping your cool and handling it professionally. Ive had to say bye to a few customers at my shop as well. Ive mainly noticed these issues when it comes down to anything engine related or customer supplied parts.

[@bentheguru4986]

Yeah, for sure, installation issue, not the head job.

[@thurlravenscroft2572]

How’s about pushrod not installed by the customer.

[@bentheguru4986]

@@thurlravenscroft2572 Not exactly a "optional extra"

[@r.b.dickson8825]

I will say.. because it happened to me...Rocker arm needle bearings flat spotted causing the rocker to hang..

[@martygt3357]

I agree that push rod problem or lifter problem because the valves do not leak and exhaust valve is so black. Bad grind on the camshaft? Customer is blaming the wrong person.

[@perrym6937]

being a engine builder for 25 years i have discovered the internet has built a lot of morons

[@citylockapolytechnikeyllcc7936]

True, but it gives clients an idea of what they have paid "all that money for". Generally, education garners respect... and likely brings in a ton of new business clients.

[@honda27100]

Yeah maybe in their head they have 😆

[@MrPnew1]

The only head job that this customer has done is not the sort of head job that we are talking about here 😂

[@termonostruman]

Customers or shops ???

[@termonostruman]

@@MrPnew1 Shop has always to explain customer what is going on,, ahah head has a problem, i dont care,, I only made valve seats.... Its an head and customer is gonna put on his car,,,, we understand mechnics not him,m so we have to warn him, better make a full head job, a head sealing test, ect.. ok? Soltion is no-t: its not my fucking proble,m...

[@tate6809]

It's so refreshing to see a stand-up honest business owner who is not afraid to fire a bad customer. I hope that customer tells everyone he knows, and anyone who would believe him never goes to your shop, because they're also likely more trouble than they're worth.

[@Just_A_Name14]

You can’t fire a customer 😂. You just refuse to do business with them

[@user-bk2tm1ls9f]

@@Just_A_Name14that’s what firing a customer is. I had a salon purchasing headbands and scrunchies we sew. We got rid of those picky ass people and their clients came to us.

[@Slowmo896]

I was a tech for 20 yrs ,and sure everyone makes mistakes, I’ve made many mistakes before , you learn through mistakes,and learning how to fix mistakes is how you grow in your business,and grow your skill so they hopefully don’t happen again..NO ONE IS PERFECT! Yet you didn’t make a mistake and still went beyond what you should of..But it’s good to hear from someone who is a stand up guy, even in the face of another who knows he was wrong, yet I’d guess the customer was just covering his butt with his customer if it was another business, yet even though you didn’t make a mistake ,you still did what 99% of everyone else wouldn’t ever do..I’d do business with you any day of the week and twice on Sunday..

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Ty!

[@davidhauff8779]

An old boss of mine told me years ago..."not all business is good business". After having my own business for years, I knew exactly what he meant. Sometimes it's better to wash your hands of problem customers. Good video.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Well said!

[@davidpirtle1076]

This is the first video I've watched of yours. You handled a situation that was in no way your fault in any way with such grace. I had my own small engine shop for 15 years and couldn't count how many engine rebuilds I did. That was back in the day when it was actually worth the effort. My rule was hard and clear. If I built it, it was on me. You want to build it, you're on your own and I was in no way responsible for any problems after it crossed the threshold of my door.

[@bluexeyedxpassion]

one thing i noticed right off the bat with this video is that he wasn't anyway degrading the customer and shown from his to truck to the shop a full unedited video of the inspection shows this man not only knows his stuff but and hold his self even in situations like this. mad respect sir.

[@williamv3134]

Your expertise, integrity and professionalism are rare commodities these days….not to mention your accurate diagnosis….Keep up the great work!

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Wow, thank you!

[@toddoconnor840]

You don’t find to many stand up guys like this one , good job my friend

[@Pegleg302]

You are an Honorable Man. I would have liked to have asked the customer for a video of a leakdown test on that cylinder with the rockers off, don't let them get you down. Those of us that have been in the business know what you are dealing with.

[@danieldougherty5144]

Now that was a very interesting take on how a business owner took responsibility for their services offered to fix and identify an issue and willing to take action on their behalf to resolve an issue. While an unhappy customer was unable to see the services provided were done properly and professionally. All and all this man handled the situation with absolute honesty and I understand sometimes you just have to part ways with certain people that will continue to push the issue of the problem that wasn’t there and neglect to check all the boxes of eliminating what the actual cause of the failure was.

[@brianobrian6637]

You are a true class act Man!! I really like how you did this. Clearly you have a lot of pride in what you do, As you should. It's a loss for this guy NOT you or your shop. Ain't no way he can talk any trash when int. Vs. Exh. Can't even be identified properly. + You showed beyond a shadow of a doubt your work was solid. You STILL paid his "invoice" to boot. This is what's called above & beyond guaranteed, stood behind & backed up to the hilt. GREAT to see personal service by a true working Man!

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Ty!

[@sonyyoung1036]

Every business should operate with the integrity you display and take care of their customers like you. You went above and beyond.

[@bowtiekid329]

The complete actual video shows that there was no fault of the machine shop! By showing it on a real-time video AS you actually checked the seats and valves for leakage, pretty much showed that the problem was NOT with the valve job! It could have been a lifter not bleeding off as you mentioned! If I was the shop that sent the head back to you to recheck the valve job, after watching your live video, I would definitely be seeking a totally different solution to MY problem! End of story in my book! I had my automotive shop for over 50 years, and just sold it last year. You, as a machine shop owner, went far and above what you were required to do! My hat is off to you! I would not have been so generous, but you did what you felt you should do in this situation! Firing that shop for blaming YOU for something that is THEIR mistake, is totally the right call! Thanks for the video.

[@Murphy_Peoples]

Just found Powell Machine Inc. on YT today as I like watching engine build videos. This is brilliant. This is definitely the guy I'd use for any engine work. Wow! Definitely needed to fire that customer.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Welcome aboard!

[@user-fz3og2zu9e]

I'm not a religious person, but you sir, are a saint! Putting up with disgruntled customers is part of running a business, but there's always someone looking for a free lunch. The country needs more people like you .

[@rikspector]

I did picture framing for 45 years and on rare occasion made mistakes. I always corrected them, but I had customers who were just impossible. No matter how good it was ,they didn't like it so they were asked never to come back. It didn't hurt our reputation at all. You showed an enormous amount of restraint, I think I would have told him to go to a walk in the "hot" place:) Cheers, Rik Spector

[@kurtkauffman4148]

I found interior decorators to be the worst. Just retired 37 year licensed electrician getting told how to hang this way too heavy chandelier, wro~g kind of wire used. My boss tod me to pick up and go. As I said how sorry I was not being able to make her happy. Then charged 80 bucks for the service call.

[@kurtkauffman4148]

That was interior decorators are the worst

[@KreemieNewgatt]

@@kurtkauffman4148 The ones who studied architecture and design and got a degree aren't so bad. It's the bored housewives who call themselves decorators who are the problem.

[@badinfluence8269]

I have a machine shop and specialize in motorcycle and other small engines. and according to customers any problem after a rebuild is the Machinest's fault. I feel for you. You handled this with a great amount of grace. Keep up the good work, I really enjoy your videos.

[@jackwillson8099]

Same here harley customer are a pain in the ass been motorcycle machinist for 33 years

[@Freedomishere-im6ug]

Yep I did a motorcycle head the guy blame me Short answer was the exhaust system was collapsing internal and he did not believe it

[@Bryan-Hensley]

Where are you? I need MX machine work from time to time

[@EricCalebCullen]

I needed this. Been dealing with a customer like this, just needed to hear some reasoning

[@crankman219]

I have been in the crankshaft business for over 40 years now and I have never ever regretted the day i stopped dealing with the automotive stuff. I only serve the locomotive industry for over twenty five years now.

[@Carcrafter7165]

You handled the situation very professionally. Your integrity means a lot to me and that’s something you rarely see these days. Greetings from Silverstreet South Carolina.

[@Bsim2020]

That’s integrity right there. But I’d lay money that once that customer realizes that there’s nothing wrong with your valve job, not only will you not get an apology from him, but he won’t do the right thing and reimburse you for your work or the work you paid for on his behalf.

[@GTFCEO]

Love this man. So humble, so kind educating us when he could be enjoying his free time I'm sure he doesn't have much of. Has no problem with someone who knows more than him teaching him, them accents are so cool we both the same amount of country just ain't got accents from my state dangit

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Tyvm!!

[@PackardDog]

Subscribed. Way to be the bigger man and a person of integrity, even though you could have told that guy to go pound sand, you showed him up by outclassing him! I can totally picture that toolbox customer of yours!

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Thanks for the sub!

[@SlwRpr]

Good job young man. Retired machinist 47 years, right on!

[@sunset1300]

You're an honest man. In my previous life I was a body man-painter. I had a guy watching me paint his fender, He said that doesn't look that hard. I handed him the spray gun, you do it, He pulled the trigger and says the paint comes out, right.They can't do it but always ready to criticize.

[@joelee2371]

I never work in front of customers. The ones who insist on watching are the ones who nit-pick everything. That makes me nervous and causes me to screw up. Plus, unlike some folks, I can't work and visit with people at the same time. It slows down my productivity and it causes me to make mistakes.

[@talkshow5100]

They always have a friend or cousin that could do it better and cheaper. I use to tell them don't come back!

[@joelee2371]

@@talkshow5100 when they tell me they can have their buddy, relative, etc, do it cheaper or better, I just answer, "why are you here then? Go have them do it."

[@nickvinten7803]

Sounds like someone wanted a valve job for free, bravo for being so forthright 👏👏👏

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Ty!

[@au123ful]

It truly is rare to hear someone go above and beyond and it sucks the customer was still in denial. I once went to a shop to have a car inspected and they told me oh you just need a tune and an access port so they made me buy all this stuff and in the end they told me that the engine was bad and had bad compression when and I should have had a pre purchase inspection. I was not knowledgeable about cars so I’m surprised they didn’t think about checking the compression on a turbocharged car before making me buy things that I do not need. I was really disappointed with the shop but I also did not complain I just sucked it up. I know a lot about cars now and I always check compression even on my own car just to see how she is holding up with the abuse of being turbocharged.

[@patk7265]

Your one stand up guy , if your shop was in my area I would definitely be taking my work to you. It's hard to find competent machinist in my area. You rock sir !

[@buellb0y]

*you’re (you are) 🙄

[@PatrickKeenan-np4de]

Did that make you feel better ?@@buellb0y

[@douglasglidebradley5734]

Fellow, your a good man. Not many people would do what you did for a hardhead. More power to you sir.

[@operandexpanse]

At the end of the day, the business is more important than whatever emotions you have about a client. I’ve gotten rid of a few clients with my software business, but I always try to do it in a way that makes them the least likely to be left feeling sour. Not for them, but for the business. I don’t want anyone feeling like they have something against my business if possible.

[@garybelanger4264]

You did the right thing, you did everything you could do to keep customer happy but sometimes people just don't want to listen.

[@KG84C]

Standing by your work and integrity, well done from Australia 🇦🇺. That customer has more hide than a team of elephants.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Ty!!

[@jessdigs]

If you were closer, you'd be my go to machine shop. Honest work is so hard to come by these days. Keep it up.

[@bobbybelcher6800]

I appreciate your integrity ! This is horrible ! The truth will expose this person .

[@powellmachineinc3179]

we really appreciate that, glad to have u!

[@kenamosjr.bo_51]

Absolutely have had this from a too long of pushrod - and they were bought as a set and not checked before install, my fault as a beginner mechanic 40 yrs ago. Since then have seen a couple times on dirt car engines from bad lifters. New doesn’t mean it’s ok, new fails too. Your outstanding person for the way you dealt with this.

[@goldCrystalhaze]

Your honesty and professionalism are obvious, you handled this very well. Even though mistakes can and will happen to anyone, having faith to your work and to people you work with is very important. I subscribed to your channel after watching this video.

[@dougvanausdal3162]

I like the way you went at this, when you stand up for your own work and can prove your work. You did the right thing, because in the long run you will be better off, i trust a man who is willing to explain his work and show it to , wish more people was like you. Thanks for being a up standing hard working business man .

[@jimnewman2024]

37 years and over 8 years owning my shop. They will try to blame you for there mistakes! Evidently they was not a good customer anyway and I would have never paid him a dime. Don’t let them try to run over you.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Yep, unfortunately

[@hybridmusclegarage4590]

SO FREAKIN TRUE!!

[@gordocarbo]

@@powellmachineinc3179 Assuming the customer saw this or was told what was their response?

[@powellmachineinc3179]

@gordocarbo yes we sent them the original video, they still assured me I did something wrong

[@petedavidsen1760]

Impressive customer relations, even when the customer is wrong, but hey it makes your shop look great, money well spent!

[@speckkrod7520]

Thanks for the lesson, everyone who watches this is a lot smarter in three areas , customer service , being an intelligent informed customer and how to check the quality of head/ valve work. Thank you for that!

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Thanks for watching!

[@woodey028]

Stay humble, never react.. always respond with common sense. God bless 🙏

[@grumpy_ol_man]

Amen brother! 30 year mechanic. Owned and operated my own shop. Fired a customer or two myself. We both know the problem was something on their end. Stay strong.

[@57chevyconv]

You handled this way beyond what most shops would have so I admire your commitment to try n please people that won't accept the reality of the situation. Keep up the great work 👍👍

[@axlsnakedog]

Right on man you did it right and thank gawd you didnt freak on the kid. Sometimes carry outs are a pain, love your show!❤

[@powellmachineinc3179]

I appreciate that

[@rpmtechnician]

I like how you stated that you made it right gave them the benefit of doubt but fired them as a customer. That's outstanding customer service. I agree on if you aren't educated or qualified don't tell others how to do your job. Thanks for sharing this with everyone. I picked up on some verbiage and details that will help me deal with difficult customers.

[@ER-qb1nk]

You went above and beyond to take care of the customer, in the absence of any fault on your part. You showed extreme integrity as evidenced by the number of years that you have been in business.

[@carbonEYE007]

You are a stand up dude and anyone who has work done can rest easy this is the type of thing every small business encounteres. You cannot please everyone. You certainly try and that’s all any customer can ask.

[@ezduzzit8770]

Mr Powell and his shop have been awesome to work with in my opinion/past experience,he is one of the easiest to get along with and has nothing but knowledge to share whenever you call , customer definitely needed to be fired !

[@mikeburdi3464]

I just subbed to your channel because of this video. You are a class act my friend. You actually handled this much better than I would have after proving that you were right. Peace and blessings to you and yours. 🙏🏻👍🏼

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Welcome aboard!!

[@Kitkat5335]

As a customer that has been in this situation before, I can say it is never a good feeling to find out it was something you did and not the shop that did the work on the part. I was all of 18 years old, had been working on a 74 nova for the better part of 3 years to restore front end, engine, and transmission. I had a good friend I met through work that owned a shop that was all about restoring and tuning older vehicles, so I had him do the transmission since I was not confident I could do it myself. He did the work at a deal for me (cost of parts only) and got it back to me within a couple weeks since it was an after hours project for him. At this point I'm still learning and blindly follow what my dad told me in how to put everything together. Problem is, it was done wrong - toque converter was not installed properly to line slots with pump teeth. First time I started up the engine after everything was hooked up again....sheered the teeth right off the pump. I was disappointed and went to work the next day, little did I know my dad had taken it upon himself to call the shop and start accusing my friend of not doing the job properly. Needless to say, he came by the store I worked at and was not happy. After some damage control, I was able to get them to replace the pump....but that friendship was forever ruined. Moral of the story, which lines up with this video, make sure you aren't the one that installed something wrong before you go accusing the shop that does this day in and day out for a living.

[@Pudgedaddy6]

IF YOU DIDNT CHECK TO SEE THE TORQUE CONVERTOR WAS SEATED PROPERLY BEFORE INSTALLING, THATS YOUR FAULT!!

[@Kitkat5335]

@@Pudgedaddy6 Moral of story just wooshed over your head, didn't it?

[@Pudgedaddy6]

@@Kitkat5335 nope I understood it completely!

[@Kitkat5335]

@@Pudgedaddy6 Sure you did. So much so, that you had to say it all in caps as it if wasn't said in the first place. ~golf claps~

[@lucasfrench1841]

@@Pudgedaddy6 yeah but his dad did that not him he didnt even know about his dad complaining.

[@bettyro1959]

So good to see a man that has character in the face of an unknowledgeable customer. You went above and beyond what you needed to do to satisfy that customer. So hard to find people like you now days, great job! If I was in your area and needed machine work I would definetely look you up! I hope your business flourishes and keep up the great vids!

[@johnscheffler1514]

You did right man! Keep up the good work. There is always gonna be problems in your line of work. Youve been in business for almost 3 decades that says alot.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

I appreciate that!

[@v8packard]

👏 Well done. I am very willing to help customers diagnose a problem, but it's impossible if they don't listen or are unwilling to check things. I recently had a similar situation with a small block Ford. I did heads for a customer, someone else installed them. He called upset as could be, then engine wouldn't hardly run. I start asking questions, and he tells me his mechanic has decades of experience and says the heads are no good. He was demanding I make it right. I finally go over there, and his mechanic with decades of experience didn't know a Ford has cylinder 1 at the passenger front of the engine, and he wired the firing order wrong. I corrected that, it started right up and ran like a baby.

[@budlanctot3060]

Been there, seen that. I helped my son on a boat with a 351W. I knew Ford numbers their v8 cylinders different from most other manufacturers. But I found out they have 3 different firing orders for the 351W. WTH?? Why would they do that? Because they can, I guess.

[@jasoncampbell4723]

@@budlanctot3060well they also have 3 different 351s as well. I started laughing out loud cause the firing order was off!!!

[@AMS-dx7wo]

and hopefully, you billed the customer or his mechanic for your time/knowledge/labor. All too often we (I've been an automotive machinist for 60 yrs) give away our expertise. If the customer doesn't like paying the tab, tell him to take it up with HIS "decades of experience" incompetent mechanic. 🙂

[@wymple09]

@@budlanctot3060 Ford, that's why.

[@wymple09]

My dad had a mechanic do a ring & valve job on our 55 Caddy back in the 60's. It ran horribly and the mechanic was adamant that it was all done correctly. He accused the machine shop of screwing up the head work. Dad called the Cadillac garage up for advise. After work, a Cadillac mechanic stopped by and crossed the 2 center wires on the drivers side plugs. It ran perfectly. Because Cadillac did that on that engine.

[@rpmqualityautoservice8337]

Wow, can I relate to what you are saying! Customers knowing more and being smarter despite never having done the job! I build performance and race engines, and I HATE when I am told "I read in a magazine and I want to.. ." Yeah, pretty much guarantees that the build will not be what we could do if allowed to do what we do!

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Yep, that crap kills me

[@BB-rn6so]

I know exactly how you feel on this one. Some people know way more than the man who's been doing machine work and building the engines for 30 years... 😮

[@michaellambourne7387]

I have listen to your story twice now and I’m amazed at the way you handle this lawp! You have gone above and beyond the call of duty! Most shops would have told that dude to pound salt in his - - -!!! You are a stand up man!! Keep it going!!😊😊

[@powellmachineinc3179]

I appreciate it

[@codyking4848]

You guys did the heads on my 99 Mustang GT some years ago. Came highly recommended from a friend in Greenville, SC. Here we are almost 70,000 HARD high RPM track and daily driver miles later, zero problems.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Awesome, glad to hear it! Ty

[@douglash3129]

Daniel, you did a great job handling that situation, I have run across a few myself and it took everything in my power to stay calm and deal with the customer! But sometimes they start being Billy Bad Ass and you have to take the lose and send them on their way! You did real good man! CLASS!!!👍👍👍

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Ty sir!!

[@J.R.in_WV]

I’m a mechanic not a machinist but you made it so easy to tell your machine work on that head was spot on that I have no doubt the issue was caused by defective or damaged parts, an error by the mechanic who assembled top end of that engine, or some combination of both. I’ve seen way too many brand new hydraulic lifters, both roller and flat tappet, fail in all kinds of different ways in the last few years to know full well that one of them failing is a very distinct possibility if a brand new build has valvetrain problems right after the first startup and run-in. As a matter of fact if the other 15 valves in that engine were sealing perfectly, as was the case here, I wouldn’t even begin to suspect an issue with the valve job the machine shop did until I’d ruled out a defective / stuck lifter and / or improper lash setting as a possible cause….which is extremely easy to do with a simple visual inspection and can be verified just as easily by removing the two rocker arms for the suspect cylinder and then doing a leak-down test….a process that takes less than 20 minutes on a fully assembled, running LS engine….and literally a couple minutes if you’ve already got the valve cover off (which you should). It’s pretty obvious this “mechanic” either doesn’t know how to do really basic troubleshooting, or is just so full of themselves they skip any sort of troubleshooting that might show their work or parts they installed are the issue and just tear the heads off and say it’s a valve sealing issue because “it can’t be anything they touched”. Either way they’re wrong and obviously a piss-poor mechanic….at least when it comes to engines anyway. Props to you for going the extra mile and doing everything you possibly could to prove them right, finding there’s no way they’re not dead wrong, and showing that your shop’s work is excellent and will stand up to scrutiny in such a way there’s no possibility that customer (or anyone) can say otherwise.

[@brucelarsen6650]

Never do a Head Job for a Shade-Tree mechanic again - Just Say "No." Or, have them show you their Toolbox: If there is a single "GlobeMaster" tool from that big $.99 Bin in it, Just Say "No." The there is a Framing Hammer anywhere near it, Just Say "No." If the potential customer sez a "Friend", "Cousin" or "In-law" is going to "do it" or even "help", Just Say "No." and do so loudly. If they just LOOK (even slightly) STUPID, Just Say "No." No law against that in ANY State of the Union - for a reason. Offer them a deal for the FULL RE-ASSEMBLY of the engine instead (your usual price). Let people learn on their OWN TIME and using THEIR OWN MONEY, not yours. Yes - you do such good work, you can be AND SHOULD BE a true Elitist. Your never have to refund work you chose NOT to do. Be pickier about what work you will and will NOT do. I saw that big Bridgeport in the shop. Tools like that cost more than most people's houses. That tells me you do NOT do "Cheap" or "Discount" work. So quite doing it. Period. Do the jobs start to finish, unless you know the shop or mechanic you are doing it for. You have a GOLDEN "Rep" to protect, and that was very difficult, very expensive and took years and years to get. That expensive jack-assed customer has already cost your own KID (AND YOU) oodles of Customer Good-Will, you KNOW IT, even though you (wrongly) paid him off, and he has to remind himself "Righty-Tighty, Lefty-Loosey" every time he picks up a wrench. ONE bad customer review can take years to overcome, and why you have been so diligent in the past.

[@JT-rc7vx]

Maybe a ring that's not seating?

[@BowTie513]

Or the wrong push rod

[@kevincrosby1760]

@@BowTie513 ...or a bent push rod, easily checked by rolling across a piece of glass. Bad or sticking lifter. Bad lifter bore. All things even "shade tree" mechanics used to check. FWIW, I fall well into the "shade tree" classification, and am old enough that adjusting points was a much-used skill in my younger years. I'm also at the point in my life where I can afford to pay my much-loved mechanic to deal with issues. "much loved" because he does excellent work for a fair price, and has earned my trust.

[@dcshooters]

My engine does the same thing, it's a manufacturing flaw where the head gasket is not flush ie the cylinder wall is not flat and is taking in air. Doesn't really effect anything except that cylinder will most likely always be running on lean due to manufacturing error by the manufacturer.

[@user-uv4so3md8j]

Damn man. Talk about paying the cost to be the boss. Thank you for your integrity.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Definitely

[@frankcastle5294]

I don't know Powell's personally but after watching this vid, I can honestly say that their integrity, workmanship and knowledge is worth the price of admission.

[@jwcruisin]

Absolutely enjoyed your video! It was educational in helping understand your testing process and highlighting some things the customer might not have done. Props to you and your shop!

[@JimDoherty-wi8up]

Your approach was first class and above and beyond what you needed to do for this customer.

[@paulberkland5700]

Lifter absolutely makes sense. Thank you for sharing the knowledge. Great video, great business etjic

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Thanks for watching!

[@basshead4lyfe252]

Your customer service skills are absolutely phenomenal!!! I commend you on your patience and dedication to your profession and the way you handled the situation and I assure you ….you may have lost one customer but gained a lot more because of the way you carried yourself

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Thank you! 😊

[@glen646]

I think you are correct. It could only be a lifter issue. Your efforts to resolve this issue are above and beyond. I bet the customer doesn't call you to let you know what the real problem was.

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Ty sir!!

[@nickstover9156]

is it also possible that the cam could have been made incorrectly?

[@kevinfloyd808]

Pushrod length problem, maybe these head have been faced and now pushrod holding open, is one other possibility. If customer not outright lying.thats the one possibility where swapping the head could have fixed it, even though it was not a head problem. More likely scenario head swap didn't fix it, customer found and fixed problem after the swap but wouldn't admit it..

[@danraby4344]

You would think he would have known better to use a thicker head gasket no.

[@jackpeck9831]

You certainly went over and beyond what you needed to do. Great job my friend you should be commended.

[@InspireNThrive206]

And this is what make a shop great! Above and beyond

[@coloreye7963]

I’ve been in the business of plastics (color development) for almost 30 years and we let our customers talk to us like crap, constantly agree to replace materials that’s not our fault and dictate how our business is ran these days….drives me bonkers.

[@DavidSumnerHTX]

In any service industry, you run into customers like this. No amount of bending over backwards is going to make them happy. Let them be somebody else’s headache. Great video. If I were in need of a valve job, you’d be the guy I reached out to.

[@StevebuckBuck]

Dude the nicer you get , makes it worse...

[@solosailorsv8065]

Sad But True ; I fix people's boats when none of the harbor people can figure something out. But I'd NEVER make a biz of it. Yachtie customers can be REALLY non-Corinthian and litigious. But many boat "experts" take these boaters for thousands, while they guess their way through the systems. so....don't buy a BOAT... if you can't fix it, LoL !!

[@StevebuckBuck]

@@solosailorsv8065 well you're a badass cause I can't stand it when I have to not talk about their lame ass houses

[@solosailorsv8065]

@@StevebuckBuck Steve, I'm a retired aerospace eng so me fixing boats is overkill. The people who fix boats ( even, my batteries need replacing....cuz the charger is dead and I don't know enough to guess about) you know the type. I just do the worst case stuff, only for people who are honorable. So maybe 0.2,% of the jobs. Not a competitor, just a last ditch FixDaBoat

[@StevebuckBuck]

@@solosailorsv8065 dude that's my style minus 50 percent..in Florida no one won more at motocross selling siding and well you know than me, till I'd had enough..now I knock door's,and do whatever , for honorable people..today , right now I'm washing a big house metal roof and all., and I'm crazy grateful that God gave me the body for all of it... I bet you're parent's were so proud

[@miketaylor6282]

You’re definitely the better man for taking the high road and in doing so protecting your company’s name.

[@jamesdean8308]

Integrity wins the day, every day !!! You did all you could do and beyond to satisfy a customer who had their mind already set on being right at all cost, including yours !!! You did the right thing, entirely, with even going so far as to lose quite a bit of hard earned cash !!! In the end, it's obvious by almost 30 years of doing business that you have a reputation in the industry for doing quality work !!! Stay the course and keep doing the right thing !!!

[@funnyfarm5555]

Your channel just showed up in my recommendations today. Brand new lifters can be bad or go bad sooner than they should. Been there done that. Don't know just how many engines I have rebuilt in 60 years for myself or farmer boss. I blueprinted one in college; that was a unique experience. We were given a random engine from a wrecking yard load and tore them down, researched what type and size engine we had, blueprinted them and put them back together and they had to start and run for 30 seconds. Glad I had done a good job with other instructors as they made sure I had perfect working carb and starter. Engine me and my partner got only had the distributer.

[@martinkoche4375]

Your patience is admirable. Nice work Very cool Very informative and great work thank y’all

[@powellmachineinc3179]

Thanks for watching!

[@theshed8802]

Good dose of experts on this video. All with more knowledge than people who do this stuff for a living. I suspect some might be friends of the owner of the heads. That said, certainly looks like the exhaust valve wasn't seating properly, but that is a symptom. As you showed, the valve, the valve seat itself, and the valve sealing are fine. The guide is obviously fine, you couldn't help yourself, you still checked it when you put the valve back in. As such, the problem is most likely lifter or push rod related. Wouldn't be the first time someone had muddled up some push rods, and one long one has ended up in the bunch.

[@jameshuffman835]

Straight up there!! I agree that's an " assemblers" problem 👍