Did i get shafted?

[G3MINI]

Ok first off I prefer to DIY whenever possible but since getting my '91 EB I've learned that outside of oil changes I'm mechanically illiterate. I noticed that it has been running hot (gauge on the L in "normal") at nearly all times despite the fact that the temp outside recently has been in the teens. It does take a few moments to warm the car up but after 10-15 minutes of idle the gauge reads as stated above. I' ve been getting burned by "locally owned" alot lately so i figured I'd try a nationally recognized repair center (name withheld). Anyway, explained my problem and asked to have cooling system looked at. AFTER preforming a $50 flush they said that the fan clutch need to be replaced - $90. Once fanblades and clutch were removed it was noticed that the fan itself was cracked in SEVERAL places obviously in need of replacement - $65. Total of labor, parts, "shop supplies"(?), and taxes = $319.63. Which in my mind not totally unreasonalbe but guess what. They bring the car around and hand me the keys and say "...the gauge is broke. You need to have the sensor replaced but we're out of them." It reads L on "normal" still. Now I believe the fanblades needed replacement cause they showed it too me but the fan clutch and the coolant flush? Where they really needed? Also, should I complain since my reason for bringing it in, in the first place was not fixed?

 

[BradE.]

If the gauge was broken it should have been replaced FIRST! Sounds like these people don't know what they are doing. Or they intentionally sold you parts you might not have needed.

Since you say it still runs as "L" there is a good chance you didn't need the fan clutch.

 

[dogfriend]

They successfully got you to pay for repairs did not fix the original problem (although they are somewhat related). They are either really slick because they got you to pay for a lot more than you needed (the temp sensor is about $10) OR they are complete morons and they don't know where to start diagnosing the problem.

I would be tempted to go get a temp sender:

www.fordpartsnetwork.com
Description Electrical, Chassis Electrical, Senders, Temp Sending Unit, Explorer
List Price $10.51
Your Price $8.72

Take it back to them to install it. If it fixes the problem, they should refund the cost of the fan clutch (they probably won't but they should) unless they can somehow prove that it was bad. If it doesn't fix the problem, they should refund the cost of the fan clutch because it didn't fix the problem.

You should pay for the cost of the flush because you probably needed it, and the fan because it was cracked and needed replacement eventually anyway.

Your "nationally recognized" shops name doesn't start with an "S" and end with an "s", does it? They were sued by several states not long ago for selling unnecessary repairs.

 

[Robert]

Why on Earth didn't they look at the thermostat? Those are common signs when your thermostat has stuck closed. I doubt if you needed the fand clutch. If the fan had cracks all the way through the plastic then it was probably a good idea to replace it. The flush would have been done had they replaced your thermostat like they should have done. Your gauge is not broken either. If it starts off cold and then smoothly climbs to the "L" then it isn't broken. Possibly your temperature sender but more likely your thermostat. Both are cheap to replace. If you question either one, might as well do both while the coolant is drained (again).

 

[Opera House]

All those old fans have cracks

The design is such that it retains the strength even with cracks between the blades.

 

[G3MINI]

Thanks guys, You all were totally right. Replaced the Thermostat last night after work. Cost ~$30 ad labor time of 2 hours. The actual replacement parts cost me about $8 and $22 went to tools to fit in the confined spaces. The labor was so long oly because I kept loosing the last screw.
Now I just wonder how I should proceed in regards to the repair shop. Do I just drop it, go in and see what they will do for me, or just skip them and go straight to small claims court? Now that I have seen how easy the repair truely was it just makes me so angry that they couldn't catch this. GRRRRR.......

Anyways thanks again guys. She's purring like a kitten again.

 

[410Fortune]

Well lets see.
The Nylon fan is $35 from Ford, so they got you for $30 on that. but if it is cracked it should be replaced. And no they do not retain their strenght even with cracks! hahaha ever seen one go through a hood? Not pretty it can kill you or others.

The fan clutch should be replaced with the fan, I mean come on it;s not $300 for the part. They are $80 new from Napa I believe.

The thermostat should be changed/tested anytime you flush the cooling system or are having temp problems. They are $3 and now you have the right tools (I use a 1/4" drive 10mm socket that has been ground down to about 1/2 size, a 1/4"wobbly, a 6" q/4" extension, and a 1/4" ratchet, to get at that third bolt, you can also get to it with a 10mm wrench from behind the alternator)

Any reputable shop would replace your thermostat with this service.

The Ford coolant temp gage is junk, I would recommend getting a real mechanical water temp gage and installingit yourself if you really want to know what the "L" means...........

 

[X-1]

You got shafted!!
The fan which is a redesign is 40.00's from ford, the clutch from advanced cost me 30.00's, total time to install, less than an hour. That job should have gone for around 200 at the most. Replacing the clutch, and fan was a good thing to do, one the clutch slows with age, and the fan can come apart and go thru the radiator. I wouldn't let that shop have your ex again.

 

[410Fortune]

After getting shafted by every shop and dealership I took my truck to over and over again for years and years I slowly learned how to do it all myself because I didnt have the $$$ to keep paying them to fix the stuff they screwed up ( I didnt know any better).

You are better off taking that extra $$$ and buying tools........

I think I gave Midas like $2000 over two years to re-do all sorts of crap on my truck, everything they touched turned to crap, not gold. EVERYTHING they worked on had to be worked on again because they did substandard work using sub standard parts.......mine as well flush that $$$ down the toilet.

So now 6 years later I have a completely re-built and modified BII, built the way I want it, for less $$$ then it would have cost to pay somebody else to keep it running, and the ONLY thing I will ever take her to a shop for again is alignment, and I am in the process of learning how to do that myself so I can quit getting screwed by alignment shops too.......

The satisfaction of doing it yourself is worth it. I can "feel" if my truck has a slightly loose wheel bearing, because I built the whole damn thing we are "in touch " with each other......

 

[Robert]

G3MINI - Did you get your original parts back? If you did and you can have an accredited shop verify that your parts weren't bad, then it would be worth persueing. If you didn't get your old parts back then it will be a matter of your word against theirs as to whether or not the parts they replaced actually needed to be replaced. It won't cost you anything but possibly bad feelings to go back to the shop an see if they will credit you some for the repairs that did nothing to fix the problem you brought it in for. If you do, be sure and question them as to why they never tried a thermostat.

 

[Bruce Rock]

Cracked fan

Almost every segment of the hub between the blades has cracks in it on my Exporer. Some cracks are more than 1/32 inch wide, not just hairline. I decided not to change it after reading several posts saying this was acceptable and that no one has heard of a plastic fan blade on an Explorer flying off. Has this changed?

My older brother had a 63 chevy with a metal fan that developed a fatigue crack. It put a dent in the hood.

 

[410Fortune]

Fan is $35 from Ford, with the right tools (can borrow from auto part stores) the job can be done in 15 minutes. I cannot see the reasoning behindnot replacing it.
POtential dent in hood, ripped up radiator or worse = $$$$$$$ way more then 35$, plus being stranded somewherewith no fan???

hmmmmmmmmmm I wouldnt hesitate to replace it.....

 

[Broccoli1]

The only thing you can do in regards to the National Repair Ripoff is contact the shops' manager and then the main office. I doubt you will get far with the store manager but you want to start a "chain of command" list of personel you dealt with when you contact the main office with your complaint. Small claims court is not going to help you one bit. In small claims court -EVEN IF -you win it doesn't garauntee payment from the losing party. You have now only won a judgement in your favor- there is a whole different process for actually getting your money. Anyway, write the letter and assume you are not going to get any refund; that way if they do decide to give you a credit of some sort for the sloppy work it will be a bonus
Ed

 

[Robert]

I guess it depends on where you file the small claims lawsuit. Here in Mesa Arizona I took a small repair shop to small claims court over a botched camshft installation on my Ranger and won. I won about $300. The shop owner kept putting me off for two weeks every time I went in for my money so I called up the courts and asked what I could do. Within a day someone had called me (I think he said he was a Constable, but I can't remember for sure). He went down to the shop and confiscated a brand new engine that the owner had sitting in his store. The owner called me the next day to come pick up my check. I got the check and went straight to his bank to cash it. Once I had the cash all I had to do was call the Constable and tell him he could take the engine back. If you win a judgement against a shop or other business, it is very easy to get paid. If you win a judgement against a private party it can be much more difficult.