1999-2009 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Our 99 auto 4 lpt with 180,000 miles had sludging issues a year ago, and required a $4000 engine overhaul, including new crank bearing journals, a rear main seal, and two new "thrust washers", which apparently limit lateral play in the crank.
Following the rebuild,it ran well, but there was a strange sensation that something was not as smooth as it used to be. Very sublte vibration pattern changes. Was it in my head???
It had good power, and good mpg. It had Amsoil 5W-40 throughout the next 30,000 exclusive highway miles, on the advise of the shop. We were told the rear main seal was guaranteed from leaking for 1 year.
At the 30,000 mile point, or 1 year to the day!!) the rear main seal started leaking, and we immediately called and informed the shop!
The indy shop (large well known shop in MN), said that they found the "thrust washer " that they had put in a year ago, IN THE OIL PAN !!!
They explained that the crankshaft had,then, slid laterally enough to damage the engine block, and caused the main seal to leak.
This, of course, was" not entirely their fault", and the brunt of the typical cost of the $5000 new short block cost would be borne by us to the tune of $3000, plus cost of engine mounts, etc, if needed. They would kick in the difference, as a good will gesture.
Prior to this ultimate decree, the shop guy had told us that a thrust bearing failure is extremely rare, especially in an auto transmission, and that he had only seen one in his long tenure with Saab. He had seen some on manual tranny cars, due to more pressure on the crank.
My question:
How likely is a thrust bearing to "pop out" in to the oil pan on its own??? We were told that it is only 50 thousandths thick, and in two parts, so I would think the engine would seem fine for a long time without it, especially when running 5W-40.
My suspicion, of course, is that the thing was disloged during the assembly of the crank shaft, and was never in the proper place from the start! It just took this long to cause severe symptoms.
The shop says that 30,000 miles is way beyond any implied warranty.
Our position is that the damage took 30,000 miles to show a noticeable symptom (oil leak)
Any help on understanding thrust washer retention would help greatly!!
We don't want to throw another $4000 in to the car, as it's blue book is about $4000 already!
Thank you in advance!!!
Craig
posted by 75.17.222...
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