Urgent!! trany rebuild - now engine problems???

[nariusb]

I had my tranny rebuild on my 1989 525i with m20 and 4hp22 transmision at AAMCO. The guy just called me and says tranny is in but the engine now sputters, doesn't idle well at all, stalls. Now they can't start it. They say I need a new cat converter?? The car was running great until I lost forward gears and the cat was not showing any signs of dying.
What did they do?? Please help.

[joshua43214]

Cat will not cause a no start. Its possible they broke it when they pulled the trans. In the auto repair world, trans installers are at the bottom of the food chain, some of these guys are real animals and places like AAMCO tend to get the worst of the lot.

Keep in mind, they probably dont have a single actual techinician on the payroll, they have a bunch of monkeys out front riping transmissions from cars, and some guys in the back rebuilding them at light speed. They have absolutley no clue how to diagnose an engine problem, but they will all fancy themselves mechanics and will be happy to tell you how to get the most from your 1968 Nova.

They broke it, they fix it. The car ran when you droped it off, it needs to run when you get it back. If they have to pay another shop to make it run, then thats what they have to do. I have had really horrible luck with AAMCO and I have had to repair some incredible butcher jobs they have done on trans installs.

Don't let them replace the exhaust, if you really do need a cat, you are better off at Midas than letting AAMCO replace it. Do not get nasty with them, just be firm abut wanting your car back running properly. They do have your car as a hostage afterall.

Most likely they forgot to plug something in.

[BigKriss]

ditto. Josh has made good points.

[genphreak]

ditto. Josh has made good points.**** yea. I've met plenty in the trade like this. We're probably better about being nicer when we screw something up, but I have no doubt Australia is worse for the 'anyone can have a go approach' to technical tasks... make sure you make diary notes in case things get bad. You can always go and look over the car if they have it hostage, take a cam in your pocket so u can take pics of the work they have done if it is obviously screwed. The guys that fitted my exhaust broke the flexible joint on the manifold (literally) ripping the old one off. I had to go buy a new one for them. Due to their terrible workmanship Kriss and had to take it off again and and refit it on a weekend that we were doing the front end... manifold nuts were threaded on the studs, all sorts of stupidity on a simple bolt on job. What they did to my car was scary. Never take your Bimmer (or any car really) to a monkey shop, it's far too risky in my book. :) nick

[nariusb]

Thanks guys,
do you know if the computer has to be rebooted somehow to readapt to a replaced tranny? They said they were able to start it yesterday with difficulty.
But it doensn't start today. What could cause this? You say cat cant's be a problem of starting, why??
Thanks

[genphreak]

Thanks guys,
do you know if the computer has to be rebooted somehow to readapt to a replaced tranny? They said they were able to start it yesterday with difficulty. But it doensn't start today. What could cause this? You say cat cant's be a problem of starting, why?? Thanks You don;t have to work it out, they screwed it up. If you tell them anything, it will be blamed as the cause when something else screws up. Beware and be firm as Joshua says. But I'd be noting it all jic I have to write letters to the local paper.

[BigKriss]

what model of e34 do you have? The cat is completely independent of the engine. You were saying the engine was running great before. I'm assuming they are saying there is a hole in the car - making the exhaust louder. To reboot the computer you disconnet the negative terminal of the battery for a while.

[Ross]

Get your car the F away from Aamco. These guys are Earl Scheib with a wrench!

[joshua43214]

Since aside from doing its job as an emissions part, all a cat does is route the exhaust to the muffler then out the tail pipe. Until the engine is running, you have no exhaust, so the car will start unless the cat is totaly blocked, which is not possible since it ran when you droped it off. If the cat is partialy blocked, the car will start and run with reduced power and possibly stall on decel. Partial blockage tends to get worse as the cat heats up, so the car would start, and run until the cat gets hot, then show signs of trouble. All of this is meaningless, since cats fail over time rather than instantly, so unless they somehow managed to melt the thing, there is no way that a car you drove in with good performance had a cat fail overnight as it sat on the floor.

[nariusb]

Ok, now the car iles like a kitten, they say, but at around 1500 rpm it goes crazy, sputters, makes noizes.
I talked to Kirt and he suggested a cold reboot with battery cables disconnected and shorted for two hours.
Again it's a 1989 525i with m20 engine and ZF 4hp22 tranny. Is it cable driven or does it have a tranny computer?????


Get your car the F away from Aamco. These guys are Earl Scheib with a wrench!

[genphreak]

Since aside from doing its job as an emissions part, all a cat does is route the exhaust to the muffler then out the tail pipe. Until the engine is running, you have no exhaust, so the car will start unless the cat is totaly blocked, which is not possible since it ran when you droped it off. If the cat is partialy blocked, the car will start and run with reduced power and possibly stall on decel. Partial blockage tends to get worse as the cat heats up, so the car would start, and run until the cat gets hot, then show signs of trouble. All of this is meaningless, since cats fail over time rather than instantly, so unless they somehow managed to melt the thing, there is no way that a car you drove in with good performance had a cat fail overnight as it sat on the floor.Those are the quotes you need to be using with them, Nariusb. Stay at arms length, retain a high moral ground. Do not let them suck you into their problems. They can always call on someone that knows too... it just might take effort or a favour or money, none of which need to involve you, who just wanted the tranny fixed... :) Nick

[Ross]

I feel for you buddy. My first priority would be to get the car OUT of there they are guessing and fooling around with things they know nothing about.
There is a good chance they will cause more damage. I would insist the car be brought to a qualified shop for repair. It sounds as if they have been fooling around a while now and occassionally stumble into a little luck. Maybe call the local dealer and ask them to bail you out.Perhaps they will extend a discount to the trans shop. If the dealer guys will help out maybe Aaamco will be glad to be rid of it.They could be on the hook for some very expensive parts if they do it wrong. The dealer will have it going in minutes I'm sure.
Lots of people love to rip the "stealer" but aside from the salesmen and some of the service writers the techs are there to help you. Try to deal with a tech or a writer who has worked with the tools.
Good Luck keep us posted
Ross

[nariusb]

Thanks for you suggestions guys, appreciate.
To update: the shop did a shogun reboot and it cranks, want's to but doesn't start. There must be something too much out of whack in engine electricaly and computer adaptation doesn't have enough range to do that. I have changed to bigger m30 AFM electronics + larger 19lb injectors + EAT chip. Could all this be a cause now that tranny is replaced and computer rebooted?
Again the car ran great before this.
I hate to have to pay these guys and tow car to have to pay somewhere else for engine troubleshooting.


Those are the quotes you need to be using with them, Nariusb. Stay at arms length, retain a high moral ground. Do not let them suck you into their problems. They can always call on someone that knows too... it just might take effort or a favour or money, none of which need to involve you, who just wanted the tranny fixed... :) Nick

[632 Regal]

have THEM pay to have it towed to a BMW dealer on their account not yours!!! Read what people are trying to tell you here.
Thanks for you suggestions guys, appreciate.
To update: the shop did a shogun reboot and it cranks, want's to but doesn't start. There must be something too much out of whack in engine electricaly and computer adaptation doesn't have enough range to do that. I have changed to bigger m30 AFM electronics + larger 19lb injectors + EAT chip. Could all this be a cause now that tranny is replaced and computer rebooted?
Again the car ran great before this.
I hate to have to pay these guys and tow car to have to pay somewhere else for engine troubleshooting.

[SharkmanBMW]

have THEM pay to have it towed to a BMW dealer on their account not yours!!! Read what people are trying to tell you here.

ditto,
make them pass the problem forward on their dime, to someone that is experienced with bimmers.... aamco "mechanics" probably have their heads up their asses!

[BillionPa]

they probably dented one of the steel fuel lines going underneath the car when they were putzing around, and now there isnt enough fuel pressure to get things working properly.


the following was typed when i was tired..... dont follow its advice, but its still here for reference AFTER the problem is fixed

the primary dme relay could have failed conveniently when they were working on the car, happens sometimes.

I would throw one of them in there with a new fuel pump relay not only to narrow down the problem, but because they are good to have.

if i were in your position, i would replace those, and visually check the lines under the car, then if the lines are ok and it still wont work, have double a - mco have dealer techs run a diagnostic.

[genphreak]

Thanks for you suggestions guys, appreciate.
To update: the shop did a shogun reboot and it cranks, want's to but doesn't start. There must be something too much out of whack in engine electricaly and computer adaptation doesn't have enough range to do that. I have changed to bigger m30 AFM electronics + larger 19lb injectors + EAT chip. Could all this be a cause now that tranny is replaced and computer rebooted?
Again the car ran great before this.
I hate to have to pay these guys and tow car to have to pay somewhere else for engine troubleshooting.Why would you have to do that....?

[mamilapon]

Get a tow truck, pay them for what they've done and take it to someone who knows.

[mamilapon]

You can always take it home and do some real troubleshooting at your leisure with the help of this forum.

[nariusb]

Today I drove to AAMCO. Before I demand anything I ask to take a look at the car. They say they tried to get it started yesterday for hours. I go through ABC's: fuel-check, air-check, spark - oh hoo, shiiittt no spark. No wonder it doesn't start, god damn morons. I found a ingnition wire from the coil riped off and hiding behind the rubber boot.
I had a spare at home and of course the car started and runs great.
I'd like to that you guys for your help and please to everyone never take your car to chain stores like AAMCO, Jify lube, Midas etc...

[632 Regal]

take a big breath, man you got lucky!!!
Today I drove to AAMCO. Before I demand anything I ask to take a look at the car. They say they tried to get it started yesterday for hours. I go through ABC's: fuel-check, air-check, spark - oh hoo, shiiittt no spark. No wonder it doesn't start, god damn morons. I found a ingnition wire from the coil riped off and hiding behind the rubber boot.
I had a spare at home and of course the car started and runs great.
I'd like to that you guys for your help and please to everyone never take your car to chain stores like AAMCO, Jify lube, Midas etc...

[Mendozart]

No ****. I'm glad it turned out alright. I would definitely check everywhere their hands have been to avoid any future problems.

[Ross]

Change your oil! Those dickheads cranked and cranked dumping raw fuel into and washing the cylinders for days. That fuel is now in your oil.
A bone head I used to live near put so much fuel in the crankcase of a big block Chevy(in a jacked-up 4X4 truck,you get the picture)that he blew a valve cover clean off, well hanging by some torn metal on a few bolts. Come to think of it I heard he works at Aamco!

[nariusb]

I MUST change it - oil reaks of gas. I drove home and I hope I didn't do any damage yet. My only hope that I just replaced it with 15w50 Mobil 1 a month ago and it will get me through.


Change your oil! Those dickheads cranked and cranked dumping raw fuel into and washing the cylinders for days. That fuel is now in your oil.
A bone head I used to live near put so much fuel in the crankcase of a big block Chevy(in a jacked-up 4X4 truck,you get the picture)that he blew a valve cover clean off, well hanging by some torn metal on a few bolts. Come to think of it I heard he works at Aamco!

[Jon K]

I would dump the oil in it and throw in some cheap **** walmart or kmart 5w30 oil, flush that right out and drop in some good stuff - this will help getting the risidual stuff out of the valve cover area if possible.