SCAM*****FRAUD*****BAD ENGINES JCS VOLKS MACHINE

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Michael Rameus
Country: United States
SCAM*****FRAUD*****BAD ENGINES JCS VOLKS MACHINE

Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 12:43 pm    Post subject:    Reply with quote
'69Custom wrote:
I've had the misfortune of having the morons at JCS Volsmachine build me an engine. I did a lot of homework before deciding on them, including recommendations/endorsements from two local VW folks who have had dealings with their people.  

The website looked solid and I emailed back and forth with Jeff (who turned out to be Mike, speaking for/as Jeff) for several weeks, asking questions about their work and the origins of parts they use. It turns out that Mike had no real engine knowledge and had to  consult with someone who did every time I asked a question, which I found out later.  

It seemed fine in the beginning and they even allowed me to substitute some parts to avoid getting stuck with the no name Chinese stuff they were using. I had ordered some German and Scat parts, and shipped them to the shop. They were inspected and approved for use. Unfortunately, they didn't inspect well because I later found out the lightened flywheel I bought from Scat didn't have a chamfer in the teeth and my starter grinds occasionally. I don't blame them for that though.  

The first problem came with my invoice when they overcharged for the clutch kit after quoting me a price, but we resolved that.  

I was apprehensive immediately when I went to pick up my engine and saw what a rat hole their shop is. This place does not inspire confidence in any way, shape or form.  

Problem two: I ordered their full flow pump for oil filter with my engine based on their website. The website only displayed the pump with screw on filter. I was both pissed and unprepared when I received my engine and the case had been tapped and a brass fitting installed. I didn't ask for that and had no parts to install the filter remotely. Naturally, the pulley tin clearance was a two-fold problem: first, the brass fitting they use caused me to have to cut my crank pulley tin and, second, problem 3: the pump itself had cast fins sticking out so far that they pushed the pulley tin aft. When I installed the crank pulley, the tin was sandwiched between pump and pulley and the engine wouldn't turn.  

It took awhile to figure out what was going on. I had called them and they insisted that it was my fault for using an aftermarket serpentine pulley that was probably too thick and was pressing on the tin when torqued down. They told me they would mail me a stock pulley to demonstrate because my old original one was bent. I also chewed them out for the pump install.  

It came, it was installed, and lo' and behold...same problem! I called back and told them so. That day it was discovered at my end that it was the pump fins pushing the tin out. After they were cut off, and thinner-headed bolts for mounting installed, the pulley fit fine.  

After I worked out these two issues, I had other, more severe problems with the build and had to remove the engine and send it back to them. Problem 4: Thirty miles in, the engine began spewing oil from around the pump. Pulling the pump off yielded that there was a huge flaw in the seam of the case halves where the pump mounted. There was a gap that had apparently been filled with sealant until the hot oil blew it out. There was nothing I could do about that.  

So, I called, removed the engine, broke it back down to the long block, and drove it all the way back to the shop. Again, they tried to blame me because of the change in pump bolts and cutting of the fins. Image them remove the pump in front of me so they could see the real cause. All of a sudden the guy making the accusations was speechless. They agreed to fix it and ship the engine back to me.  

I mentioned the full flow pump problem. Their solution was, I found after I got the engine back, while they had it still, to grind down the installed brass elbow to make it a little smaller, gouging my case in the process, and then installing a single port crank pulley tin that would clear it. This is how they demonstrated their fix. Of course their tin wasn't anywhere near compatible with my dual port tin that I had freshly painted so I couldn't use it. Their butchering did nothing but weaken the brass and still stuck out of my tin where the hole was cut.

Maybe I'm fortunate that this was the extent of my problems with them.
Then again, seems they weren't finished with me just yet after all!

This week saw a new discovery in my ongoing JCS woes. It would seem that the folks at this shop aren't aware of what needs to be done when installing extra long flywheel dowel pins.

I'd like to personally thank those gentleman for my $600 parts bill in needing to replace what we're only four-year-old starter, clutch kit, flywheel, pins, seals and gland nut, along with whatever other incidentals and labor that will come with those costs.
_________________
-Tim








PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 8:35 pm    Post subject: my JCS engine    Reply with quote
I bought a 1776 engine from JCS & installed it in my Westy 1 yr & 2 weeks ago. In March, the engine came apart & left me & my family stranded 130 miles from home. At this time the engine has approx 800 miles on it. We have it towed home, called JCS, sent the engine back, they fixed it, but added they have no idea why it blew. While JCS was rebuilding my engine, I bought a turnkey spare from a well known mechanic in my bus club. July comes around, my JCS engine arrives & I install it, go through the break in, at 300 miles, change oil, adjust valves. Every single time I put gas in my bus, or before driving I check the oil. August comes around, time for vacation, 900 mile trip to the keys, 130 miles north of Miami in Ft. Pierce, engine blew again, called JCS the man there told me at least I'm on vacation & in a VW Bus, so just chill out. Towed it to a authorized VW repair shop in Miami, does a top-end rebuild. The repair shop had no idea why the valve had seized & popped a hole in #1 piston. I have all the parts, pictures, repair bills, documentation, etc... sent all of this to ATK engines, & JCS engines, with some hope they would reply to me, they didn't. When that engine blew the second time, the dakota digital was a steady 360,
doing 50 mph on 95 S. If you buy ATK,/JCS expect to break down, I have twice already & they evidently don't give a [***] what this has cost me. I'll post some pics of the heads if you guys want to see them. What pisses me off the most is I babied that engine, installed a cht, checked the oil constantly, & adjusted valves accordingly & we still blew up twice & JCS/ATK don't give a [***]. Perfomance engine my ass! Big piece of [***] is what it is!
_________________
Fried-egg-havin' lame guy looking for a McKenzie Motors tag Frame.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:55 pm    Post subject:    Reply with quote
Just a follow up. Checked my certified letter to JCS and ATK, it has been over 2 months. NO reply from ATK at all! I guess if you live far enough away they feel like they don't have to worry or respond. Not poor customer service. NO customer service.
_________________
Fried-egg-havin' lame guy looking for a McKenzie Motors tag Frame.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:43 pm    Post subject: JCS MOTORS    Reply with quote
Has anyone had any experience with JCS motors in Irwindale, CA. I purchased a JCS1914cc TK 110 cam engine from them. The engine never ran well and was under power from the beginning. I conducted the break in as described on the website but the performance never improved. After taking compression checks the highest compression was 100 psi well below what would be expected. Broke down the engine and found to the main bearing to be extremely warn for only 300 miles. The pistons were not balanced amoung other things. Shot some pictures and sent to JCS and they did not consider this to be anything out of the ordinary. Anyone had experience with these individuals in the past.
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:17 pm    Post subject:    Reply with quote
JUNK engine builders ... with paper work and certifed letters to prove it. STAY AWAY. Terrible customer service or should I say NO customer service.
_________________
Fried-egg-havin' lame guy looking for a McKenzie Motors tag Frame.

PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:28 am    Post subject:    Reply with quote
I've had the misfortune of having the morons at JCS Volsmachine build me an engine. I did a lot of homework before deciding on them, including recommendations/endorsements from two local VW folks who have had dealings with their people.  

The website looked solid and I emailed back and forth with Jeff (who turned out to be Mike, speaking for/as Jeff) for several weeks, asking questions about their work and the origins of parts they use. It turns out that Mike had no real engine knowledge and had to  consult with someone who did every time I asked a question, which I found out later.  

It seemed fine in the beginning and they even allowed me to substitute some parts to avoid getting stuck with the no name Chinese stuff they were using. I had ordered some German and Scat parts, and shipped them to the shop. They were inspected and approved for use. Unfortunately, they didn't inspect well because I later found out the lightened flywheel I bought from Scat didn't have a chamfer in the teeth and my starter grinds occasionally. I don't blame them for that though.  

The first problem came with my invoice when they overcharged for the clutch kit after quoting me a price, but we resolved that.  

I was apprehensive immediately when I went to pick up my engine and saw what a rat hole their shop is. This place does not inspire confidence in any way, shape or form.  

Problem two: I ordered their full flow pump for oil filter with my engine based on their website. The website only displayed the pump with screw on filter. I was both pissed and unprepared when I received my engine and the case had been tapped and a brass fitting installed. I didn't ask for that and had no parts to install the filter remotely. Naturally, the pulley tin clearance was a two-fold problem: first, the brass fitting they use caused me to have to cut my crank pulley tin and, second, problem 3: the pump itself had cast fins sticking out so far that they pushed the pulley tin aft. When I installed the crank pulley, the tin was sandwiched between pump and pulley and the engine wouldn't turn.  

It took awhile to figure out what was going on. I had called them and they insisted that it was my fault for using an aftermarket serpentine pulley that was probably too thick and was pressing on the tin when torqued down. They told me they would mail me a stock pulley to demonstrate because my old original one was bent. I also chewed them out for the pump install.  

It came, it was installed, and lo' and behold...same problem! I called back and told them so. That day it was discovered at my end that it was the pump fins pushing the tin out. After they were cut off, and thinner-headed bolts for mounting installed, the pulley fit fine.  

After I worked out these two issues, I had other, more severe problems with the build and had to remove the engine and send it back to them. Problem 4: Thirty miles in, the engine began spewing oil from around the pump. Pulling the pump off yielded that there was a huge flaw in the seam of the case halves where the pump mounted. There was a gap that had apparently been filled with sealant until the hot oil blew it out. There was nothing I could do about that.  

So, I called, removed the engine, broke it back down to the long block, and drove it all the way back to the shop. Again, they tried to blame me because of the change in pump bolts and cutting of the fins. Image them remove the pump in front of me so they could see the real cause. All of a sudden the guy making the accusations was speechless. They agreed to fix it and ship the engine back to me.  

I mentioned the full flow pump problem. Their solution was, I found after I got the engine back, while they had it still, to grind down the installed brass elbow to make it a little smaller, gouging my case in the process, and then installing a single port crank pulley tin that would clear it. This is how they demonstrated their fix. Of course their tin wasn't anywhere near compatible with my dual port tin that I had freshly painted so I couldn't use it. Their butchering did nothing but weaken the brass and still stuck out of my tin where the hole was cut.

Maybe I'm fortunate that this was the extent of my problems with them.
_________________
-Tim

1969 Frankenbug
1965 Ford Mustang
#2gunfire F-U-M-P!
~"I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken." ~The Boss
Please excuse any typos as my iPhone doesn't speak English very well.  
    


Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 11:51 pm    Post subject:    Reply with quote
I have a customers car here with a JSC engine that seized after ONLY 2000 miles! The shop that installed it wouldn't back her up and neither would JSC. They said it was a faulty oil line, really? lol I found a LOT of problems with this engine. Whatever crap they used to seal the engine was all over and blocking oil passages, 3 of the 4 rods were seized to the crank cause they put a cam, big valve heads, and dual carbs but no oil sump, wtf? Apparently they have no idea and the added HP and rpm's that the engine would have would actually create an issue with an engine that only has 3 qts of oil stock. The copper seal sealant they used on everything else was all over the inside of the engine as well and OVERLY used as well. I personally would NOT recommend these guys at all. It cost my customer $5000 total the 1st time and now another $2000 to me for rebuilding it and fixing other issues that were overlooked.
_________________
Responsibility is a heavy responsibility.


Comments

  • 0
    chuck hee
    just tore down a engine from jcs for a customer. he just purchased it and was having me tune his dual webers. i found a broken valve adjuster due to horribly set up rocker geometry. i then just wanted to check the engine out and found many more problems. including terribly scored main and rod bearings. #2 piston was installed with the arrow pointing away from the flywheel, meaning backwards. endplay was set around .010". the case used was a .050" line bore.

    terrible.....
  • 0
    Zephyr
    DON'T buy JCS they will sell you a junk engine  and let you blow it up and claim its your fault.

    I bought a engine oriellys auto parts and they went through JCS witch at the time I was impressed.

    Ok I purchase A 2180cc stroker and they shipped it to me I was happy until I hit 800 miles and it blew I took it to a shop had them check it out and they told me that it was a 1600cc so you could only imagine how mad I was.
    So I contacted oriellys stripped me engine and sent it back it took them 3 months to build a new engine a ship it back to me I was happy broke it in and took it for drive when i hit 100 miles it started popping and misfire I freaked out shut it down and checked it out all the geometry for the valves /rockers / rods were all off so I called JCS and talk gorge and he doesn't even listen to my problem just keeps telling me I flatten the cam I was at the auto shop with my mechanic and I put him on the phone with gorge and he kept telling him the same thing finely he said send the engine back so I did taking photos of it before hand.

    So I sent the engine back and it took about 4 months for them to fix it and send it back this so I install it again break it in again since it looks like half a new engine like they took it apart and replace half the block with a different half I have the photos to prove it and and dove it to work and back 2.5 times on my 3rd drive I parked it worked all day and came out to go home and fired it up it started up and putted to a seize I was at this point feed up I had less then 15 miles on this engine and it broke I took it to a mechanic again and had him check it out and he said the cam was broken that it was the builder of the engines fault and it would cost me as more to fix it than it's worth that he saw so many things wrong with the engine that he would ask for his money back at this point I told him everything that has happen with it and he said return it and see if they'll replace it or give me a refund and he did say that it was the company's fault the engine froze
    So I contacted oriellys again and they rushed me to pull it and return it to them. So I did and I've been waiting 4 months again for them to tell me what's going on
    I called today and they said they weren't going to warranty until they broke it down to see what happen
    I'm upset with this company
    I bought this engine August 2013 and its August 1 2015 and I've paid more on insurance then the cars worth to store it in the hopes that they might return my engine in a timely manner and one that works this is the forth time it's gone back for there mistakes and there trying to screw me out of my engine plus let's not forget about money wasted on labor shops parts gaskets and other none sense you should never have to pay for on a new engine cmon JCS pull it together firer you engine builder or something because bad business like this is costing you money , customer and your reputation

    DONT BUY FROM THESE GUYS
    They'll rip you off and have to hard feeling about it

    2 years of trouble and I still have a broken engine thanks JCS
    THANK YOU JEFF FOR YOUR GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE
    SAD JOKE OF A COMPAMY

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