Reader Question: My name is Melissa, and I have had some problems with my vehicle and I am trying to find an answer, or explanation about one question. I own a 1988 Ford Bronco ii, and I took it to my mechanic because it had very low oil pressure.

He said that the crankshaft, lifters, oil pump, and timing chain all needed replaced. Well, he did the repairs, and I picked up my vehicle 3 days later. Very shortly after, the water pump started leaking. The engine (2.9) had gotten hot a few times and now my mechanic says that I have ruined a piston. Is this possible? Or did my mechanic possibly do something that could have caused this to happen? Should a Ford Bronco ii be having these problems? PLEASE RESPOND,

Thank You, MELISSA

Hmmm, Houston we have a problem! I can see how frustrated you must be, and you’re probably out some pretty heavy cash so far. First, I would really like to know about the oil pressure. Was it really a problem, or did the dash gauge just say it was? Just because the dash gauge (or light) is reading low oil pressure doesn’t necessarily mean that there is internal engine wear. It could be a sending unit (which tells the gauge how much pressure there is) or a faulty gauge. Anyway, a gauge problem is relatively small compared to a piston problem. It would be nice if you can verify you had a real oil pressure problem in the first place. Yes, all these bad things can happen to a Ford Bronco ii…and unfortunately it looks like it happened to yours.

Next, ask yourself these questions: Did the truck over heat after the repair was made and was not over heating before? Did you continue to drive the truck while it was over heating? The answers to these questions will help you determine who should take responsibility for this problem. If the truck really over heated and you continued to drive it.that could be negligence on your part.

Your mechanic had to remove the water pump to do the crankshaft and timing chain job. He could have disturbed the gaskets and caused the pump to start leaking. This outcome is fairly common when working with older cars, and performing large jobs requiring removal of parts for access. At my shop if the pump looks like it is more than 2 years old, we would have sold you a new pump when we did the crankshaft job. There should be no extra labor charges since we already have to take it off, and replacing it along with the other repairs can save you lots of money later on..like now.

What is wrong with the truck now? Will it run? Does the engine miss or run badly? A “bad” piston will cause the car to idle rough and run poorly. Do you have white steam coming from the tail pipe? If the piston is bad, it can cause excess pressure to build up in the engine when it is running. This pressure can cause lots of steam out of the tailpipe if there is sufficient water in the radiator to make steam.

Here’s an easy diagnostic exercise that you can try while the engine is COLD:

1. Remove the radiator cap and verify that there is plenty of water in the radiator.
2. Add water if necessary.
3. Start the truck.
4. Stand back and watch the radiator opening for a few seconds.

If there is internal engine damage, you could see the anti-freeze shooting out of the radiator neck. Do this only when the water and the engine are cold or you will burn yourself.

If there truly is internal damage to the motor, you really should replace the motor if you intend to keep the truck another few years. Realizing that the mechanic already over-hauled half of the motor and you still have problems, it still might be more cost-effective in the long run to replace your motor with a rebuilt one rather than repair this damaged motor further. Yes, you are looking at a lot more money, but in my opinion that is the only way to fix this problem correctly if it really is a “bad piston.” The engine in a Ford Bronco ii is small in size to begin with, and 14 years old, why beat a dead horse? Get another one (engine).

Now, if you are in the mood to take a gamble…here is another idea. If you do have smoke out the tail pipe, and you do have an engine miss, then you could ask your mechanic to remove the cylinder heads and have them sent out to a machine shop to check for cracks. At that time the mechanic can look at the pistons and see if there is a problem. If he does not see a visible problem with the pistons (and to be honest they are “probably ok”) then tell him to have the cylinder heads re-surfaced and replace all valves, valve guides, and valve stem seals.

The mechanic will have to replace the head gasket when he does this job, and that is probably the problem anyway–a “blown head gasket.” This fix will “overhaul” the top half of the engine. It will get you by and would be cheaper for you at this time, but it won’t be the best fix for an older and probably high mileage vehicle. Remember, the pistons and all the other internal parts got just as hot as the head gasket from the over heating, and will probably need to be replaced at some point.but this fix would give you the chance to start saving for the new motor or a new truck.

If you choose this alternative, ask your mechanic to cover the cost of the labor for at least half of this job. Why you ask? I suspect a leaky water pump caused your truck to over heat, and this pump probably should have been replaced at the time of the first repair. I also feel that the mechanic should be willing to cover some of the labor cost associated with the next course of action that needs to be made. The short amount of time that has taken place and the large amount of work you just paid for should also be in your favor. It will take him about 10-12 actual working hours to complete all of the work, so you are not really asking him to “give you money back”, but rather perform the job at a reduced rate for customer goodwill.

You will need to purchase (from the mechanic, so he at least makes a few dollars from this job) the head gasket set for this job.maybe $75, thermostat and misc. small parts $30, the radiator cleaning and the cylinder head work at the machine shop.$85 and $225 respectively. And of course a new water pump, not rebuilt I have never had good luck with them)–$70. Once the work is completed, you will have had a valve job performed on this motor. You will be out a few hundred dollars, but at this point it might be a good option for you if you can’t afford to replace the motor at this time. Your mechanic can remove the egg off his face due to not inspecting the job thoroughly, and you might continue to do business with him? It’s the best win/win situation for your current predicament.

Some other things the mechanic should do when performing the head gasket job: replace the thermostat and check inside the radiator for any corrosion buildup or blockage. Normally when we do a head gasket job we send the radiator to a radiator shop for internal cleaning. The cause of the head gasket failure was due to over heating, so anything that could improve cooling of the engine should be checked and or replaced at this time

Reader Question,

“The new car dealer does a good job working on my car, but they are so impersonal. Are the independent shops, and quick lube places better? How do I know I am being treated fairly?”

If you have a new car dealer that you are happy with and they do quality work please bring them some donuts when you take your car in for service, because you found a gold mine.

The service advisor is usually the one that is doing the good job for you at the car dealer and just like an independent shop; when you find a good one let them know you will be a loyal customer as long as you are treated fairly and with respect. Speaking with the general manager will usually not solve the problem and could actually infuriate you more. Service advisors are usually commission people and love to see you ask for them by name when you drive up to the service counter.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions you might have about your repair bill to the service writer. If he or she knows that you actually LOOK at the bill, and don’t have a problem asking for an explanation they might be a little less likely to “pad your bill”.

So could I charge you an additional hour or TWO (at $70 an hour) and hide it somewhere in the bill, YEP! And this is what I usually see happening to the public, not some outright huge lie like you see on the TV about car repair scams.

A small charge like an additional hour to perform a service that really should have not been an additional charge in the first place.

Example– A charge to replace the waterpump gasket when you were already charged to replace the water pump itself. Or a “small parts” charge.

Example–Charging for the water pump gasket when it is included in the box with the new water pump.

I estimate most of the repair bills that I see from other shops to have at least a 10-20 percent “fluff charge” or pad to the overall bill. You say that is a small percentage? If you spent $1200 on ALL repairs and service to your car last year, you could have over paid your mechanic by $120-240–each year. Just because you did not fully inspect your receipt.

The majority of my customers do not even LOOK at my bill; they rely on what I tell them. They are in a hurry when they pick up their car, and don’t want to be bothered with the tedious act of saving money.

I actually like it that way, because I don’t like confrontation! If you give me a little flack about a charge on your bill I will usually “adjust it” to make you happy. Try it, don’t be unfair or dishonest yourself, but if you feel something is too high or not justified–politely complain.

I have heard some other (of course not mine) shops say “charge them what you want, they can’t figure out our invoices anyway”. They are exactly right, you can’t figure out their invoices, and that is done on purpose. Even I have trouble understanding the car dealer service order. If your invoice says “brake job $250″ you need an explanation of what they consider a “brake job”. Most every shop will be different in their meaning of job descriptions, and you really need it in writing their full job description and what parts were used.

When a customer comes to pick up their car and wants me to give a line by line explanation of the charges, it really tests my faith in being honest and fair. I am only human, and although I think of myself as an honest person I have to admit that there have been times when my prices were inflated some to cover some additional time we spent on diagnosing the problem, or some additional work that I felt we should have been paid for.

I would not do this to someone whom I knew would want a full explanation of accounting face to face at the service counter. It is to your advantage to ASK for a itemized face to face explanation with the service writer (not some cashier at the car dealer or quick lube place) of the work that was done to your car.