Japanese Auto Engines

Reviews 4

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Anonymous User

Best shop Ive found!! I needed a new engine for my 90 Yota pickup, found these guys through an add on craigslist, at first I thought the price was a little low, but went to look around there shop anyway. I asked to see there work and was walked around the whole shop, I was even able to pick out which engine I wanted installed in my truck and told to write the ID number so it could be verified later. I was taken around to each vehicle they were already working on in various stages, and shown there work. After grilling there manager for close to 2 hours and walking around to look at everything in there shop, I was willing to take a gamble and leave my baby there. Due to work I couldnt make it back for another week, when I did my truck started up beautifully, it was quite, and it felt like a new truck the whole way home, there was minor lifter noise, and was told to bring it back after 2,000 miles so they could do a final tune on it. Several weeks later I returned for its final tune up, after that, the lifter noise was gone, and it was so quite!!! My original engine had a wrist-pin bearing going out, noisy lifters, the start of a lower end knock, and sounded like WW3 rolling down the road, we were impressed it made it the 20 miles to the shop. Now it runs like a top, I have been driving it ever sense, and am still in love! This shop has restored my baby to new!!! When I was talking to him he told me straight up, that about 2 out of 10 re-built engines will blow the head gasket again, but if it did, and I pulled over to turn the truck off, and called them they would help tow it back and everything would be fixed under warranty, but that most people if the head gasket blew, they would continue to drive the car home and cause damage that was not covered. After reading the reviews he seems to be pretty spot on, about 20% of the people who got new engines had problems. Most didnt follow his 1 simple request of stopping and letting them come get it. And then they give negative comments about how much of a rip off these guys are. Other than taking my truck back for its final tune up I have not had to return to there shop. My truck still starts and runs like a champ every morning, and I look forward to getting another 350K miles out of this engine as well! Do yourself a favor, save your money and go here, if you have a problem follow there instructions and youll be taken care of. These guys are top notch!!

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Mark Glastetter

I had my engine replaced here in Jan-2015. I paid about $2000 for it to be done. I had a mechanic lined up to do the work. Bob told me he could do the same work for about $400 less than my mechanic quoted me. Within a short time there were "other problems" when the engine had a weird vibration and the engine light came on. I was told it was my distributor, even though I told them the knock censor was bad according to my code reader. I paid an additional $160 for a used distributor that I don’t even know was the problem and it took a week to diagnose and repair the problem. I got it back and then the temp gauge was up and down randomly because the system had not been purged properly. Then the summer heat came around and I found out they had opened the AC line and did not recharge it. Then I noticed a little tick in the motor on cold days. It turned out to be an exhaust leak where the manifold bolts to the head which was part of the motor replacement. I quickly tired of the problems and lack of expediency with this shop so I took it to another mechanic. I had to have the knock censor replaced, coolant purged, and AC recharged at a total cost of $885.25 and I didn’t even bother with having the little exhaust leak fixed. In my opinion, I would not recommend having work done here. If you must buy an engine from them, have your mechanic test all aspects of the engine before putting it in a vehicle. Then pay with a CC so you can have the charges reversed if the engine is bad. Then have YOUR mechanic do the work. It may cost you a little more initially, but could save a lot of headaches down the road. There is also a place in Lynnwood that sells used engines within the same price range. Bob, you can rectify this situation by refunding me part of the labor I was charged for this work, as the work was sub par. I would say about $400 would call it about even, you have my phone number. At that point I would be willing revise my review.

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steve fischer

I would never, ever use this shop again! Funny about rules of thumb, theyre usually true. Usually a clean shop does better work. Makes sense. If they dont have enough pride in their work to keep their work environment clean, what kind of pride do they have in their work. When you walk in, what do you see? I had a Honda engine exchange and had to have 2 tows back to their shop for repairs in the first 3 weeks of getting the exchange done. About 2 months ago it starts running hot.The gauge is like a yo-yo. The temperature gauge never got into the red. It never showed the usual signs of overheating. Its been running hot, but not so hot as to have me pull to side of road. After 3 new thermostats, a new radiator and hoses and a new temp sensor to the gauge I was out of options and had to find out what was wrong.10 months and 12,000 miles later I am told by a shop I respect that I have either a blown head gasket (1,500$) or a cracked head (2,300$). I called Japanese Auto Engines and was told that they put "engine heat tabs" on their rebuilds. Its a tab that melts at a certain temperature. Sure enough mine had melted and they wont warranty the engine because it was a "coolant" issue and it got to hot. To keep costs down, they take the usable parts off your old engine and put on the rebuild. Thats understandable. Its also why I asked for a new water pump,timing belt and clutch put in at the time of the exchange. Right now I have no idea what parts they used from my old engine or what good parts off it they might have "cherry picked". I have no idea if they even did as requested at the time and put the new parts on. I have no idea if the head on the rebuild was really machined or just slapped on with a new head gasket. Funny that could cause the situation Im in now. I also wonder what temp that tab was set for. How convenient to have the tab melt if the car runs hot so warranties dont have to be covered.

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Nicole Latimer

I live 2 1/2 hours away and I was told about this place from a friend. I thought my favorite car was going to be in the junk yard, because I was not able to find a motor.I looked for months, meanwhile adding one quart of oil in my car every 120 miles or so. OOPS.. I called this place and when he told me he had one I just started to cry. I drove up there and for an additional few hundred dollars ( worth every penny) he installed my used, yet new motor. He also offered me (for a couple dollars more,) since he had to take the motor out anyways, to replace the timing and all gaskets. I said yes, please. He was so nice and it came with a warranty. On the way home a check engine light came one, I thought here we go!!! I called the next day as they were already closed and I told him what came on and he said that I would be fine to bring it back up within the week. I took my car back up and he did not give me the greatest news, however he is a man of his word and said he would fix anything that goes wrong, and paid $90.00 towards a rental, because he was worried about me driving such a long way to get home. It ended up being a small oil leak in one of the gaskets, but he wanted to drive the car and continue to test drive the car so I would be safe. Mind you I have a 12 year old Mazda 6, however I love that car and because of this place I am able to keep my car. It does not burn oil every 120 miles anymore. I can now continue to go too college and have a good car to drive. I recommend this place to anyone that wants to save money and keep their car.

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