Engine builder scam

[Dinobyte]

Originally Posted by ffindling

Usually, when I see a post like this, I have to think there's more here than what meets the eye. Joe Lapine has been around for years and has a very good reputation. He has done engine builds for a score of ERA clients and it seems without exception, they're happy campers. But I can't imagine any good engine builder abandonning a build because of leaky rear main. It usually isn't a big deal, replace the seal and proceed on. In this case, the engine wasn't even installed in a car making troubleshooting and repairing
the problem that much easier. I suspect that there is some other issue
here, perhaps Joe didn't build the shortblock in the first place. Many engine
builders are naturally reluctant to spend time and effort to patch up a poorly
done job that someone else did. It's hard to stand behind a product that
you didn't have total control over during its creation. Perhaps the
leak wasn't caused by a bad seal, but out of issues concerning the block
and/or crankshaft. As the saying goes, you can't make bricks without
straw. One can't reasonably expect any engine builder to make a good
engine out of parts that are better off in the scrap pile.

....Fred

Joe was responsible for everything...the block, the parts, the build. He did not deliver and wasted 4 months of my time. God bless you if you have a great engine from Joe, but that does not change the fact that he did not deliver and does not seem to be able to communicate issues until the very last minute.