4spEd
Well-Known Member
I searched forums for CME or Carolina Machine Engines and didn’t find to may reviews and nothing bad. I also check BBB and same.
So I decided to go with Carolina Machine Engine for a rebuild of my 440, I gavet hem a call and talked to them and the sales person gave all the right answers.On April 27th I commit to purchasing their performance version 440D000P7 withthe $250 upcharge for
“This includes "Cleaning Properly" and installing the base intake manifold,harmonic damper, oil pump, oil pan, oil filter, timing cover, valve covers, and pre-lubing the engine."
Build estimate was 6-10 weeks, but due to the covers being installed they would addon additional week of time. So great I can have a running engine in time for the summer.
It wasn't until we started missing deadlines that I realized I was getting lip service. After all was said and done I was lied to numerous times as I have emails saying one thing then in the end they say no I dont have that, or it wason oversight or we dont give-out that info, yet there previous emailsspecifically said yes to each and every item. In the end all I wanted was money so we could part ways. They did give me a check but in no way did it makeup for lost time, labor etc.
Below is a summary of my experiences with them.
On April 29[SUP]th[/SUP] I received an email responding to my request for aspecific paint color for the engine and in that email I was advised that they started working on my engine
“I started your engine today. We will use our core and you can send yours when you like.”
So it appears things are going to go well.
On May 8[SUP]th[/SUP] I made them aware I had a forged crank internal balanced engine which they said no problem we will switch it from a cast external balanced build to a forged internal. I also asked for cam specs so Icould get a transmission built, A & A built a really good 727 for me.
On May 12[SUP]th[/SUP] I ask if sending my core in latter the following week willcause any delay in the build as they need the covers off my core. I was reassured no delay from this.
On May13 I ask for cam specs again so I can get a transmission built after severalemails I get
“Comp Cams 280 Magnum, part number 21-237-4”
On May 25[SUP]th[/SUP] I sent a recap email to put everything in one email. Sometime before the May 25[SUP]th[/SUP] email I received a call from CME seeing if I wanted to upgrade rockers to some roller rockers, I said yes and confirmed the had needle bearings as well.
From my email.
“There has been so many emails back and forth i wanted to recap everything in onearea. Below is what I understand, please let me know if there are any incorrect assumptions.
So to recap everything. this is a 440D007P7 with forged crank internal balanced. HEMI orange paint. 250 surcharge to complete the engine.
On my core coming to you to be reused are valve covers, oil pump(?), water pumphousing, distributor, fuel pump, timing cover, harmonic balancer, valve covers.The water pump housing has new bolts, distributer has new bolt and hold-down on it.
In boxes on pallet are the following new parts, valley pan and end boltspreaders, oil pan, pickup, windage tray, dipstick tube.
Theshort block was picked up today, and the parts are in boxes on pallet.
Thingsyou may need to supply and charge for, bolts for the following items intake,valley pan spreaders, second oil pan gasket, valve cover studs.
Thingsto be checked, oil pickup may need shorting to work with pan(web site says itmight).
Whencomplete i will receive a parts list of internal engine parts that are notstock.
Willyou send a cd of engine build pics?
Roller rockers have been added to the build.”
So now 10 weeks into it and looking for status update
“Your engine has most of the machining completed and will be going to final clean then to the assembly department”
So now I find out they are using my block and didn't use the core as they said they were on April 28th the core didn't get to them till around June 1st.
Whatit’s supposed to be done? More excuse’s
Onthe 16th week it On August 18[SUP]th[/SUP] it arrives. No pictures orpart numbers included in documentation so I ask about it,
Response,
“I can’t find any pictures, sorry.
The pistons are KB.
The boss will not give part numbers.”
But wait they said they would give me part numbers and pictures.
So install engine get everything ready to go, I prime oil pump fill antifreeze pressurize cooling system, oh damn water coming out of header. I have a different thread on that you can read here but they said I cracked the head.
http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...806-Cracked-cylinder-head-did-I-do-it-or-flaw
So on August 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] I start again with them on the cracked head. I also notice roller rockers which is on my final invoice are not in the engine, CME's response oops it didn’t make it onto build sheet. We will purchase and send to you. They certainly made it on the paid invoice.
Now I’m working on head issues and roller rockers with them.
It takes until first week of October to get the refurbished head from CME.
Put head on start engine breakin all good until I turn off change oil and go to restart, now engine is seized.
Get permission to start inspection from CME open valve covers no issues, oil pan no issues. Get more permission pop bearing cap. Oops bearings shot, after all bearings are checked on crank and rods there's not a good one. Have to then argue for another month with CME and they say in the
“boss says that you have some bad looking bearings and if that mess is ours, it is firsttime in 50,000 engines and 31 years 50000 plus engines no issue. send us crank bearings and oil."
P
Well guess there’s a first time. Finally after I have to ship crank and bearings to them they agree they screwed up. And they want me to ship them engine so they can rebuild. No way im not interested.
After much going back and forth they agree to pay for parts and we will part ways.
Another anomaly I noticed when I disassembled engine is the cam is not a CompCams Part its Bullet. When I asked about this the response was oh “we say like Comp Cams”. Seems I never get real answers to the emails from them as nowhere in email for cam part number are words similar orlike.
Soyou would think it’s all over, not so fast.
Soon Nov 23[SUP]rd[/SUP] I receive email check will go out tomorrow.
Well needless to say same delays and issues took place and I didn’t have check in my hands till December 21[SUP]st[/SUP].
I have been driving around for a month and a half now as I rebuilt with a friend mechanic of mine.
I don’t say do or don’t use CME that’s up to you I just share my experience.There are so many other issues that I haven’t include them all here. This is a summary of issues I had when dealing with CME.
In all hind sight I guess you get what you pay for and never be in a rush as someone will slow you down. I should have bought a crate dyno motor from MuscleMotors or MRL.
Summary is
No part numbers, No pictures, billed for roller rockers they weren't there and if engine didn't fail I would have never known. They did finally did send them after I called them out on it. They were spelled out on final invoice that was shipped with engine. Excessive time on build with no updates if I didn't ask nothing was offered. Cracked Head, Blasting medial left in engine causing all bearings and crank grooved.
So I decided to go with Carolina Machine Engine for a rebuild of my 440, I gavet hem a call and talked to them and the sales person gave all the right answers.On April 27th I commit to purchasing their performance version 440D000P7 withthe $250 upcharge for
“This includes "Cleaning Properly" and installing the base intake manifold,harmonic damper, oil pump, oil pan, oil filter, timing cover, valve covers, and pre-lubing the engine."
Build estimate was 6-10 weeks, but due to the covers being installed they would addon additional week of time. So great I can have a running engine in time for the summer.
It wasn't until we started missing deadlines that I realized I was getting lip service. After all was said and done I was lied to numerous times as I have emails saying one thing then in the end they say no I dont have that, or it wason oversight or we dont give-out that info, yet there previous emailsspecifically said yes to each and every item. In the end all I wanted was money so we could part ways. They did give me a check but in no way did it makeup for lost time, labor etc.
Below is a summary of my experiences with them.
On April 29[SUP]th[/SUP] I received an email responding to my request for aspecific paint color for the engine and in that email I was advised that they started working on my engine
“I started your engine today. We will use our core and you can send yours when you like.”
So it appears things are going to go well.
On May 8[SUP]th[/SUP] I made them aware I had a forged crank internal balanced engine which they said no problem we will switch it from a cast external balanced build to a forged internal. I also asked for cam specs so Icould get a transmission built, A & A built a really good 727 for me.
On May 12[SUP]th[/SUP] I ask if sending my core in latter the following week willcause any delay in the build as they need the covers off my core. I was reassured no delay from this.
On May13 I ask for cam specs again so I can get a transmission built after severalemails I get
“Comp Cams 280 Magnum, part number 21-237-4”
On May 25[SUP]th[/SUP] I sent a recap email to put everything in one email. Sometime before the May 25[SUP]th[/SUP] email I received a call from CME seeing if I wanted to upgrade rockers to some roller rockers, I said yes and confirmed the had needle bearings as well.
From my email.
“There has been so many emails back and forth i wanted to recap everything in onearea. Below is what I understand, please let me know if there are any incorrect assumptions.
So to recap everything. this is a 440D007P7 with forged crank internal balanced. HEMI orange paint. 250 surcharge to complete the engine.
On my core coming to you to be reused are valve covers, oil pump(?), water pumphousing, distributor, fuel pump, timing cover, harmonic balancer, valve covers.The water pump housing has new bolts, distributer has new bolt and hold-down on it.
In boxes on pallet are the following new parts, valley pan and end boltspreaders, oil pan, pickup, windage tray, dipstick tube.
Theshort block was picked up today, and the parts are in boxes on pallet.
Thingsyou may need to supply and charge for, bolts for the following items intake,valley pan spreaders, second oil pan gasket, valve cover studs.
Thingsto be checked, oil pickup may need shorting to work with pan(web site says itmight).
Whencomplete i will receive a parts list of internal engine parts that are notstock.
Willyou send a cd of engine build pics?
Roller rockers have been added to the build.”
So now 10 weeks into it and looking for status update
“Your engine has most of the machining completed and will be going to final clean then to the assembly department”
So now I find out they are using my block and didn't use the core as they said they were on April 28th the core didn't get to them till around June 1st.
Whatit’s supposed to be done? More excuse’s
Onthe 16th week it On August 18[SUP]th[/SUP] it arrives. No pictures orpart numbers included in documentation so I ask about it,
Response,
“I can’t find any pictures, sorry.
The pistons are KB.
The boss will not give part numbers.”
But wait they said they would give me part numbers and pictures.
So install engine get everything ready to go, I prime oil pump fill antifreeze pressurize cooling system, oh damn water coming out of header. I have a different thread on that you can read here but they said I cracked the head.
http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...806-Cracked-cylinder-head-did-I-do-it-or-flaw
So on August 22[SUP]nd[/SUP] I start again with them on the cracked head. I also notice roller rockers which is on my final invoice are not in the engine, CME's response oops it didn’t make it onto build sheet. We will purchase and send to you. They certainly made it on the paid invoice.
Now I’m working on head issues and roller rockers with them.
It takes until first week of October to get the refurbished head from CME.
Put head on start engine breakin all good until I turn off change oil and go to restart, now engine is seized.
Get permission to start inspection from CME open valve covers no issues, oil pan no issues. Get more permission pop bearing cap. Oops bearings shot, after all bearings are checked on crank and rods there's not a good one. Have to then argue for another month with CME and they say in the
“boss says that you have some bad looking bearings and if that mess is ours, it is firsttime in 50,000 engines and 31 years 50000 plus engines no issue. send us crank bearings and oil."
P
Well guess there’s a first time. Finally after I have to ship crank and bearings to them they agree they screwed up. And they want me to ship them engine so they can rebuild. No way im not interested.
After much going back and forth they agree to pay for parts and we will part ways.
Another anomaly I noticed when I disassembled engine is the cam is not a CompCams Part its Bullet. When I asked about this the response was oh “we say like Comp Cams”. Seems I never get real answers to the emails from them as nowhere in email for cam part number are words similar orlike.
Soyou would think it’s all over, not so fast.
Soon Nov 23[SUP]rd[/SUP] I receive email check will go out tomorrow.
Well needless to say same delays and issues took place and I didn’t have check in my hands till December 21[SUP]st[/SUP].
I have been driving around for a month and a half now as I rebuilt with a friend mechanic of mine.
I don’t say do or don’t use CME that’s up to you I just share my experience.There are so many other issues that I haven’t include them all here. This is a summary of issues I had when dealing with CME.
In all hind sight I guess you get what you pay for and never be in a rush as someone will slow you down. I should have bought a crate dyno motor from MuscleMotors or MRL.
Summary is
No part numbers, No pictures, billed for roller rockers they weren't there and if engine didn't fail I would have never known. They did finally did send them after I called them out on it. They were spelled out on final invoice that was shipped with engine. Excessive time on build with no updates if I didn't ask nothing was offered. Cracked Head, Blasting medial left in engine causing all bearings and crank grooved.
