is ultratune trying to rip me off

[lordfarquar123]

So my lads 2007 ve berlina got hot on a trip back from melbourne didn't over heat just hot. Got the raa out and he said the thermostat was gone as the top and bottom radiator hoses where different temps. So we got her towed home and as the closest "mechanics" to me are ultratune i booked it in with them to get the therrmostat done. Only to get a call from them telling me that they didn't think it was the thermostat it was the welch plugs in the valley and they had to take the heads off to replace them and replace the timing chains and it was minimum 3 grand and not replace the thermostat
Hoping someone here can help put my mind at ease and answer some queries i have

1 was the raa guy correct saying the thermostat was screwed

2 is ultratune trying to rip me off

3 are there welch plugs in the valley and do the heads have to come off to replace them

any help would be great

 

[_R_J_K_]

Looks like there's two in the valley (see pic), and they sit under the intake runners so yes the heads would have to come off. Timing chains shouldn't really have to be replaced but maybe it's a 'while we're there' job because so much of the engine has to come apart. Can't really say I've heard of this being a problem before, did they at least call you to ask or did they just perform the work?

Hard to say if the RAA guy was correct (sounds like a reasonable assumption though). Maybe ask for pictures if they haven't performed the work yet.

 

[shane_3800]

I've never seen these leak.... Yet.
If they're leaking they will need to be done but that's not going to cause your overheating issue.

 

[Fu Manchu]

We had a local guy tell use the same thing and spun the same story. He told me to get rid of the car.

Took it elsewhere.

So what was it?
It was a leaking from a faulty thermostat.
$400 job. Gearbox out.

Also had a leaking coolant inlet tube. Had the seal replaced.

That failed because of a bad job, so when I had time, I redid it myself properly.

I’d suggest there are a lot of garages out there coming up with some wild **** to make some solid profit to compensate for earlier in the financial year from Covid.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Of note, I think the wrong things are circled there! Holy ****! I think the compression might be a bit average there on that cylinder!!!

 

[Skylarking]

If you asked for the thermostat to be done and they found another issues, then they should get authorisation to work on that other issue. They should not proceed with that work until they get it, especially for something with an expected $3k bill...

If they actually preceded with the other work without authorisation, I’d talk to your state consumer affairs as I don't think you‘d have to pay in such cases. And they will have to make good on any unauthorised dismantling associated with any unauthorised work. But I doubt the’d be that silly to do such unauthorised work.

As to what the problem is, who knows... may be the engine got too hot because of a faulty thermostat which caused the welsh plugs to loosen, though I doubt it but I don’t know. At some stage, you’ve got to trust your mechanic is doing the right think (some don’t). Trustworthy mechanics won’t have a problem with showing or explaining what’s wrong and/or explaining and why it may have failed. Trustworthy mechanics won’t do unauthorised work.

If your lad wasn’t underplaying the overheating, then I’d guess thermostat reduced flow rates and that’s why the top and bottom radiator hoses had a large difference in temps. The question becomes how hot the block got and whether you trust your mechanic...

Sad how a thermostat now costs 4 hours labour to replace, otherwise I’d simply change it and monitor performance and look for water leaks... such used to be a 10 minute job...

 

[J_D 2.0]

We had a local guy tell use the same thing and spun the same story. He told me to get rid of the car.

Took it elsewhere.

So what was it?
It was a leaking from a faulty thermostat.
$400 job. Gearbox out.

Also had a leaking coolant inlet tube. Had the seal replaced.

That failed because of a bad job, so when I had time, I redid it myself properly.

I’d suggest there are a lot of garages out there coming up with some wild **** to make some solid profit to compensate for earlier in the financial year from Covid.

I just did the coolant inlet tube seals on my SV6 because it was leaking. The leak pattern looked like it was coming from the valley initially as the coolant was spraying upwards.

The thermostat has never been replaced on my SV6 but if it ever needs to be done I’ll be ripping the thermostat out altogether. Fuk doing it a second time!

 

[DavesSV6Tonner]

If the engine isn't leaking any coolant externally then I fail to see that one of those welch plugs in the valley is causing the raised running temperature.

I would get the car back and get a second opinion.

 

[lmoengnr]

Of note, I think the wrong things are circled there! Holy ****! I think the compression might be a bit average there on that cylinder!!!

The cylinder with the 'ported' piston?

 

[hookalaya]

At 3k if i got the car back and it still overheated... after a quick trip back to said ultra tune...ide be getting locked up on aggravated 1st degree Murder Charges