Strange Noise -
968Z - 02-28-2005
I'm am posting this on both boards to get as much input as possible. I just got the Devil back from major surgery (flex/damper disc). She runs fine, but there is now a clunking (tapping) noise coming from the back of the drive train, possibly from the torque coverter. The noise is apparent only at idle and in gear, and seems to diminish a bit after having been driven awhile. The shop said that the
rear flex plate and/or torque converter may have been damaged by driving the car with a bad damper/flex disc. I drove the car maybe a total of 40 miles to get it to the shop. Does this sound right? I have not heard of this being a problem before. Thoughts and ideas are welcome, as the pain of writing a $2000.00 check is still fresh in my mind. The shop where the work has been done have always seemed to be up front about everything. My concern is that if this could have been a problem, should it have been caught before the transmission went back in? I do not relish having to pay twice for something that should have been noticed.
Strange Noise -
flash - 03-22-2005
well, this goes to "due diligence" - to prepare your brief, there are a couple of questions:
what was the problem for which you took them the car in the first place?
can you be certain, and support that with any testimony or proof, that the "new problem" was not already there?
were they instructed to fix a specific problem, or rather to make the car right? if it is the former, you are screwed, if the latter they cannot charge you for additional labor to get back in there or another r&r, but they can charge you for parts
in california, we have the Bureau of Automobile Repair who loves to get into this kind of stuff, you may have a similar body there - if you are unable to reach a fair resolution through normal means, you may consider that option
hope that helps
Strange Noise -
968Z - 03-22-2005
Thanks for the reply. I took it in for the replacement of the flex disc, as I knew it was the problem, but I paid for a diagnosis just in case. I don't mind paying for the part, its the 6 hours of labor that bugs me. The gray area is the shop is saying that the rear disc was damaged due to driving it with the broken front flex disc approximately 40 miles. My understanding from several techs at the local Porsche dealership is that the rear disc would not be damaged from the front disc failure. The shop's second expanation is that the rear disc failed after the new disc was put in, but before I got the car back. As we don't have any such agency in Georgia, I think I'm screwed!
Strange Noise -
flash - 03-22-2005
ok - let me get this straight - the timeiline and chain of events is critical
you took it in with a suspicion of a particular problem, but paid for a full diagnosis
they repaired the suspected problem, but failed to turn up anything in the diagnosis, and it subsequently failed? if so, this would say that they did an unsatisfactory job on the diagnosis, since they should have pulled it and inspected it
when did this 40 miles occur? if it is before you dropped it off to them, it is irrelevant
per the second "explanation", are you saying the disk failed while in their possession? if so, again this would say that they did an unsatisfactory job in the diagnosis for the above reasons
this would be like changing a clutch disk but not inspecting the pressure plate or release bearing and such - clearly their responsibility in the course of "due diligence" (appropriate legal term in the event of litigation)
Strange Noise -
968Z - 03-22-2005
After the diagnosis I took the car home and parked it for a few weeks until I could afford to fix her.