Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/18/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  So I purchased a refurbished LS3 from sikky on February 23, 2023. I did not receive it until almost 2 months later. The engine is one that sikky builds in house and it came with everything needed to install in my car. Transmission, wiring harness, front drive accessories, motor mounts etc. I had to plumb it in. Upon installing in my vehicle I started adding fluids. While adding coolant it started pouring out from 2 bolt holes on the passenger side. One I found out was a sensor that they did not block off and the other had no business leaking coolant. So I blocked off both thinking stuff happens. Then I start the car and after running it for several minutes find a decent pool of oil on the floor. I assume it's my fault because I'm no mechanic but have done an engine swap before. Nothing like this one. I figured I didn't tighten something up enough. So I pulled the engine. I have since pulled the engine about 6 or 7 times and have come to the conclusion that it is nothing I did or am doing but a defected product. Ive been emailing sikky and they seem content to just keep giving me items to trouble shoot. I paid for an inch and swap not to troubleshoot this engine and it is affecting everything in my life. I need this car to run is the bottom line Im not sure what the issue is cuz I'm not a mechanic but I just want a replacement to put in here and get this car running I thought for the longest time that I was doing something wrong and it's really taking a toll on my confidence. Hands down this is been one of the worst experiences of my life and for as much money as I paid for this engine I expected a quality product not to keep finding issues wrong. I noticed that the head bolts weren't torque down all the way I noticed this by setting it to the second pass value which they're supposed to go further than that so many degrees so they should be at least that second past value or more and I turned it half a turn before it clicked. All I want is what I paid for.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/27/2024

  We have been working with this customer and helping them along the way.  As he mentions in his complaint "he is no mechanic" and that is really where a lot of the issues and eventually  complaint stems from.  The problem is you need to have a very good understanding of mechanical things to pull this sort of swap off without any issues or problems.  The parts we design and engineer do make this swap a lot easier but still having a knowledge of what needs to be done goes a long way to preventing any headaches when this level of job is done.  This is most definitely the most complicated and advanced modification you can make to a vehicle.  It is doable with lower level of experience but needs to be expected that there will be small issues along the way.  For example, on the coolant leak all the long blocks (engines) that are sold come with two ports for the coolant temp sensor.  One side gets the sensor and the other side gets plugged. In some cases people will just put two sensors in as well but either way that's normal.  He didn't know that initially and that is why it was a leak till he emailed us and we figured out what hole he was talking about.  We have been quick to help and answer all his emails along the way helping him do this swap and lessening his learning curve to pull off an advanced installation like this one.  

  The only strange thing that he has run into is this leak he says is coming from a bolt hole next to the sensor.  This bolt hole does not make contact with a cooling jacket so our theory on this one is that when then engine was lifted with a hoist he used a bolt in that corner of the head to attach the lift chain to pick it up and put in the car.  If one used a bolt that was too long here and tightened it down it could push through the back of the aluminum hole opening up a direct path into the cooling jacked in the cylinder head.  This would be able to be identified but since these bolt holes are not used for anything his technique of plugging it would work fine as well to keep that from being a problem.  It's our understanding that he has added the plug as he should have to the coolant sensor port and has also plugged the bolt hole next to it so these issues are no longer a problem.  

  As far as his oil leak is concerned we have been trying to help him determine where it's coming from but the way these engines go together with new parts it's likely it's coming from something he installed that was not done correctly.  Usually when we see a leak it's from the oil pan gasket and the customer not applying the required sealant at the corners of the pan which is normal procedure.  There is also an oil pressure sensor port on the back of the valley cover that could be leaking which could cause the oil to go down the back of the engine.  

  We are happy to help diagnose this issue remotely as we have been doing but ultimately I think it might be in the customers best interest to get the help of a professional to solve the oil leak problem since there are only a few locations that could cause that an all easily fixable if you know what your doing.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/01/2024

   
  Complaint: 21440747
  
  Well you guys sure do you know how to make it sound good don't you. So let me ask you this why did I pay the same price that it would have cost me if I would have shipped my car to you and y'all put it in? I bet you I don't even respond to that one but I'm not stupid enough to put a bolt in the side of that thing with the lift just cuz I'm not a mechanic didn't mean I'm stupid. Where I was stupid was trusting y'all to give me a quality engine for the amount of money that I paid so far I found Miss torque bolts coolant leaking out of two different spots and the rear main seal leaking. I shouldn't have to troubleshoot this thing the church it up any way you want to I will be sticking with this complaint and I hope it stays on your website or wherever  they put this thing. Then I'll go to ******** do the same thing Instagram any social media I can this is why I do things myself because you can't trust people thank you sir. ***** be greatly appreciated if you answered the question that opened this response.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2024

  Not sure how you think you paid the same price as us doing the swap in house.  What's listed on our website is a base entry level build.  If you read the turnkey description it includes a used LS1 engine and a used T56 factory transmission.  It would have been far more expensive than what is listed for this base model swap if we did in house.  You can take that base price and then add about 20k on top at least to get all the new top of the line parts you bought so not sure where you're coming up with the idea that we would have been the same price if you shipped it here?  Might want to re-read the listing on the website that your referring to as it will make more sense if you do so. 

  You keep claiming that you were sold a defective product which couldn't be further from the truth.  Even if the rear main seal was leaking it's a 1520-dollar part max and the engine is well over 13k.  Not sure how this could make it defective?  Maybe the seal could have been defective.  Not impossible but being a brand-new seal it would be very rare.  We have sold and shipped these engines all over the world.  Never had any issues to date and they all go through the same process and are professionally built to a high degree of accuracy and reliability.  Some of the highest power competition vehicles in the world are running Sikky crate engines and have been for years.  There isn't anything wrong with the engine itself.  The only mystery at this point is what happened to that bolt hole and what caused that one leak.  It would be obvious if inspected what caused it though.  

  As for your claim of the mis torqued head bolts this is yet another clear example that you don't know what you're doing and have now "over torqued" the head bolts.  The torque procedure for these starts with a ft/lb measurement to start for the first pass then the second two passes of tightening are done by degrees of rotation.  This is because these bolts are designed to stretch and don't use a torque setting for final torquing.  Not sure what Ft/lb number you used when you tried to tighten them, but they are definitely tighter than they are supposed to be.  Your exact words "I noticed this by setting it to the second pass value".  You definitely should not have tightened them any further and especially not using a torque Ft/Lb specification like you mentioned.  There is no second pass value.  So again, no idea what or why you did that but depending on how far you went they "should" be ok but no way to tell.  This torque setting is very specific due to the expansion rates of aluminum and the specs of the bolts.  This stretch of the bolt creates the constant down pressure on the head and ensures no head gasket leaks.  Also, why these bolts are not reusable should you take the engine apart. 

  Here is a link to a ******* video that explains the proper method for torquing these bolts which was done during this engine's assembly.  ************************************************

  Again, I understand your frustrated but it's becoming clearer and clearer that most of these frustrations are because you're doing things you don't possess the knowledge or experience to be doing or that you are in over your head skill wise.  It would have been a good idea to employ the services of a professional by now to help you with this installation. It doesn't seem like any of the damage done to this point is detrimental to anything or the continued reliability of the perfectly good engine but before you continue to do anything it would be a good idea to get some help locally on the install part.   

  I read through your initial opening statement, and I don't see any questions to answer so not sure what you're referring to by "Would be greatly appreciated if you answered the question that opened this response."

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/08/2024

   
  Complaint: 21440747
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *****