Should I be unhappy with this mechanics work?

[benbloom]

I recently took my truck in to my local mechanic to deal with a timing issue, they fixed the timing issues but also recommended i change my spark plug wires. i agreed, but now that i am seeing the newly installed wires I'm wondering if they did a terrible job. the wires are way longer than need be, and floppily all over the place. i expected them to look more professional, and organized. one wire was even resting on the exhaust manifold and was badly burned. il post pictures.
What would you fellas do if this was your truck? should i bring it up and ask them to put my old wires back, and do it myself?
Or did they do an okay job, and I'm fretting over nothing...?
all opinions are appreciated, thanks!!

[jocko]

mech should replace the burned one - and, yes, that's an indication of a shoddy job. I wouldn't be too concerned with the length as long as they're properly routed and not lying on hot stuff (anymore). It's perhaps an indication they are a pre-cut/fitted boot type and he didn't install the ends (i.e. didn't have to). Based on the burnt wire, that might be a good thing.

By the way, the passenger side ones lying on the heater hose are not ok. Personally, I'd go show him the burnt one, tell him you want the old ones back on - then go buy your own and install them. Probably won't work, but, at least you will get his attention and maybe he'll redo it a little more professionally.

[mike16]

generic one size fits all ignition solution/ did you give them the ok to just instlal them or to custom fit them to your trucks specific application. and are you willing to pay thier rate per hour to have it done right. its a simple enough job to do your self espcially if your OCD about under hood appearance

[68350]

I think it looks like crap. If I was paying someone to do wires, I would expect them to be on wire looms that keep them from touching anything hot and routed nicely

[cypressbog]

Unsatisfactory work. Personally, I check their work before leaving any shop after they did any work and point out unacceptable work. Take it back and demand a new set of custom installed wires installed by a mechanic other than the one you lost trust in. You could have bought some cheap ready made wires and done better yourself.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Wrong wires.

I'm no expert, but seems you need some wire retainers on those valve covers. That's not necessarily on them.

[leftybass209]

Originally Posted by benbloom

What would you fellas do if this was your truck? should i bring it up and ask them to put my old wires back, and do it myself?
Or did they do an okay job, and I'm fretting over nothing...?
all opinions are appreciated, thanks!!

If it were my truck, I'd take it back and ask them if they have any experience working on older engines. I would give them an opportunity to fix their mistake. If they understand and correct the fault, it could be a sign of a good responsible shop. However, if they couldn't see the glaring incompetence in that spark plug wire routing I'd start probing them as to where their education came from.

My automotive service management class taught that when people have complaints, many don't bring up their concerns with the shop, but rather just go elsewhere.

ALWAYS hold businesses accountable for service provided. Negative feedback has the potential to improve technicians' skills.

[benbloom]

Thanks guys, actually some good news, i haven't payed yet, does that make my position any better? obviously i want to be decent to the guy if he is the same to me, but should i try to ask him to put my old ones back and do it myself? or just pay for the wires and go to a better shop
?

[jdw]

Seriously? There's nothing to debate here. That's not even shoddy wiring, that's junk tossed under the hood that won't work, doesn't work. I wouldn't be be less than pissed; and you should at the very least receive a full refund, if not funds to repair whatever else they messed up.

[cdowns]

Me i'd worry alot more about that shoddy rubber fuel line than the wires

[Redline novdog]

Aren't plug wires supposed to run underneath the rams horn exhaust manifolds? looks like a hurried job to me.

[msgross]

1. ditto on the fuel line, that could be a dangerous situation.

2. he probably already tossed your old wires

3. did you give him specifics on the install? It would have cost you more to route them as the original were, I assume that your old wires weren't run that way either though. Ramhorns should be routed under but that is a lot more labor than you might want to pay.

4. personnaly, I'd never pay a mech to install wires. However, if they are functional then he did his job, even if it wasn't the cleanest.

I'd buy a basic set of these and install them myself, pretty easy just remove one valve cover bolt at a time. If any wires are too long then you can shorten them and reattach the boots yourself. Just don't remove more than one wire at a time.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/3814030...chn=ps&lpid=82

[EARNHARDT#3]

That looks like it was done by their oil change guy LOL

[raggedjim]

You can't pay someone to love your truck like you do...

That looks like typical "paid by the hour" work to me.

Good luck, Rg

[Codez67Chevy]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

You can't pay someone to love your truck like you do...

That looks like typical "paid by the hour" work to me.

Good luck, Rg

That is exactly right on the spot! Unless you go to a shop that is all about working on classic vehicles, you'll never get the professionalism and care that only you can give.

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by Codez67Chevy

That is exactly right on the spot! Unless you go to a shop that is all about working on classic vehicles, you'll never get the professionalism and care that only you can give.

Right on.

"you took your truck to them". You asked them to do work that either you were unable to do or unwilling to do. when they asked if you wanted new wires you said yes. You didn't ask if they were custom fitted wires. Those are one size fits all and take 5 to 10 minutes to install. Custom fitted wires took me hours last week and were a pain in the but.
"You have to decide what you want up front. Communicate that to them. Agree to pay the freight to get what you want". Or simply do it yourself.

[benbloom]

yes true, i took it too them, however the job i did was similar to the one they did, and i had cut my wires to at least fit right, so i assumed when he brought it up that they would do a professional looking job, as they are professionals. he also said he wanted to charge 200$ (2hours) of labor for this job, which make me think they would be doing it right. anyone here could do the job they did in a realistic 10 minutes.
as for my fuel line, what should i be using...?
thanks for your opinion, i do agree i didn't handle it very well when telling them what i wanted to be done.

[Ruscal]

Good work takes time to do. I don't think you got your 2 hours worth. Wires should not touch anything but insulated clips. I would ask the mechanic to replace the damaged wire and secure the wires to not flop around.
I spent around 4 hours installing mine. They were secured by bolt on insulated trays down both sides of the valve covers and individual clips where needed. The wires were shortened appropriately to make things tidy. Mine is not an original restoration, so I could do what I wanted to get the job done.
Fuel lines are the same, no rubbing, no flopping, no hot. Keep them secure, cool and well clamped at the fittings.
Russ

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by benbloom

I recently took my truck in to my local mechanic to deal with a timing issue, they fixed the timing issues but also recommended i change my spark plug wires. i agreed, but now that i am seeing the newly installed wires I'm wondering if they did a terrible job. the wires are way longer than need be, and floppily all over the place. i expected them to look more professional, and organized. one wire was even resting on the exhaust manifold and was badly burned. il post pictures.
What would you fellas do if this was your truck? should i bring it up and ask them to put my old wires back, and do it myself?
Or did they do an okay job, and I'm fretting over nothing...?
all opinions are appreciated, thanks!!

That's just a hack job. My dog could do better!

[trac209]

I'll give you the best advice I can offer,if your going to be in the classic vehicle hobby get yourself to a point where you don't have to rely on mechanics to do the less complicated things. These vehicles are far beyond the knowledge base of today's tech who's main tool is a diagnostic computer. Although simplistic in nature it's like handing an 8 track player to a 16 year old lol. They simply haven't learned how old stuff works. Around here you can count shops on two fingers that even know what a carb is and they still won't touch them.

[my67c20]

Maybe a day late, but i am going to offer my 2 cents. First off, what did it look like before they replaced the wires? Sometimes, work is done compared to the original work. Second, you took it to a shop to fix a timing issue, why, and what was the issue? Third, why did you choose this garage? I see that you have a few posts on this forum, not sure in what capacity, but lots of helpful people here, and it costs nothing but the time to ask and respond. Not trying to call you out, and you don't need to answer the questions if you don't want to. Although it seems like you value this boards advice, so we can help. Personally, i would chalk it up to a lesson learned, and point this out to the owner, maybe have you credit some work in the future, then go out and buy a good set of cut to fit wires, and replace the fuel line in the process. After you finish the work, then maybe stop back at the garage and show them what you expected as a customer. I have found that sometimes, its better to take the lump then fight the system, cause you never know when you might need them later.

[TBONE1964]

Originally Posted by Redline novdog

Aren't plug wires supposed to run underneath the rams horn exhaust manifolds? looks like a hurried job to me.

Yes they are suppose to be routed under the manifolds on the 69-72 trucks with a 350. There are looms made for this from the factory. Yes it is a pain in the keester to install these wires correctly. The other problem is the over the counter parts store wires are always 6 inches longer than they should be regardless of if they are routed correctly or not.

My advise is to buy a set of Taylor 7 mm wires and a terminal crimping tool and make your own wires, not before doing the research it takes to route them they way they should be with the correct plug wire retainers.

Good luck,
Tom

[benbloom]

i brought it in because i don't have a timing light, and have never used one and so i thought might as well take her in replace the distributor cap and get the timing right. as for what it looked like before, I had actually put the last set of wires in myself, cut them to the right length and then installed them similarly to how they did it, except my job looked quite a bit more tidy, and the only downside was they had to be kind of clamped back to fit the plugs tighter every tune up. i chose these guys because they are local, and the guy in the office is a good guy it seems. your right, i should have done this one myself, and having this forum is a huge reason why it would have been possible. thanks for the advice, and to you all for the help!

[special-K]

It is what you get most places if you just say replace the wires. That's what the parts guys will send and that's what the mechanic puts on. The job probably didn't come to him in factory looms under the manifolds, so unless there were others in use, he is going to put new plug wires in the same way. I do my own and to get ones that fit going over the top I get something like '75 Vette wires, IIRC. Those would have HEI, but the wires were run over the top like my truck.

[Lou Boffa]

x2 on what Tbone and others have said. Once you have made and installed your own set, you will never go back to pre cut wires. Buy a good crimping tool. Make 2 sets at a time and save the second for when you do your next tune up. No excuse for sloppy work...imho.