8th Generation Honda Civic Forum - View Single Post

blue1 · 04-12-2007, 01:06 PM

Communication also seems to be a problem. I sent my orignial downpipe to them for a core and paid them to build a new downpipe. Here are the specifications that I provided to Ben moving from the turbine housing to where the downpipe connects to the midpipe (3" piping from end to end):

First part:
1) V-band flange for the turbine housing to downpipe connection.
2) After the 90 degree bend on the downpipe, I wanted a flex joint to be welded somewhere inline along with an bung for the stock O2 sensor.
3) V-band flange to connect to the second part.

Second Part:
1) V-band flange to connect to the first part.
2) 3" Random Technologies cat.
3) V-band flange to connect to the third part.

Third part:
1) V-band flange to connect to the second part.
2) Bung in for the other stock O2 sensor.
3) Three bolt flange to connect to the midpipe.

For the second part, I also said that I wanted a test pipe of the same size (so I could easily remove the cat when at the track). I also asked for another O2 bung to be welded somewhere so that I could connect my wideband O2 sensor.

Ben communicated this information to Toni and he went to work.

I had no further communications with them until the part arrived. I opened the box and the part was not built to the specification that I had requested and paid for. Here were the problems:

1) The first part in the above list did not have the flex joint incorporated.
2) The second part in the above list was fine.
3) The third part in the above list was fine however, they added the bung for the wideband O2 sensor. I don't know why this location was chosen since the wideband O2 sensor should be connected before the cat.

As you can see from the above list, there is one part still missing (i.e., the flex joint). It turns out that the flex joint was welded into the test pipe that was made. So what this means is if I want to use the cat, the assembly will not have a flex joint. If I want to use the flex joint, then I cannot use the cat.

I called and spoke to Toni about the problem and described the way that I wanted the part configured as in the first list in this post. His response was, "Ben did not tell me that was how you wanted the part made." I said that I was clear about what I wanted when I spoke to Ben and if there were any questions, they should have called or sent me an email to ask (for example, if I used the downpipe with the cat, I would not have the flex joint...When the part was being built, that should have raised a flag of concern). I then asked what they were going to do in order to correct the error since it was a miscommunication between Ben and Toni. Toni's response was that he would have to get back to me as to how much more it would cost to build the part as requested. At that point, I said that the error was not my fault and I should not be the one having to pay for the mistake. He held his position, I eventually just hung up and have not spoken to them since.

04-12-2007, 01:06 PM	#71 (permalink)
blue1 Senior Member Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,565	Communication also seems to be a problem. I sent my orignial downpipe to them for a core and paid them to build a new downpipe. Here are the specifications that I provided to Ben moving from the turbine housing to where the downpipe connects to the midpipe (3" piping from end to end): First part: 1) V-band flange for the turbine housing to downpipe connection. 2) After the 90 degree bend on the downpipe, I wanted a flex joint to be welded somewhere inline along with an bung for the stock O2 sensor. 3) V-band flange to connect to the second part. Second Part: 1) V-band flange to connect to the first part. 2) 3" Random Technologies cat. 3) V-band flange to connect to the third part. Third part: 1) V-band flange to connect to the second part. 2) Bung in for the other stock O2 sensor. 3) Three bolt flange to connect to the midpipe. For the second part, I also said that I wanted a test pipe of the same size (so I could easily remove the cat when at the track). I also asked for another O2 bung to be welded somewhere so that I could connect my wideband O2 sensor. Ben communicated this information to Toni and he went to work. I had no further communications with them until the part arrived. I opened the box and the part was not built to the specification that I had requested and paid for. Here were the problems: 1) The first part in the above list did not have the flex joint incorporated. 2) The second part in the above list was fine. 3) The third part in the above list was fine however, they added the bung for the wideband O2 sensor. I don't know why this location was chosen since the wideband O2 sensor should be connected before the cat. As you can see from the above list, there is one part still missing (i.e., the flex joint). It turns out that the flex joint was welded into the test pipe that was made. So what this means is if I want to use the cat, the assembly will not have a flex joint. If I want to use the flex joint, then I cannot use the cat. I called and spoke to Toni about the problem and described the way that I wanted the part configured as in the first list in this post. His response was, "Ben did not tell me that was how you wanted the part made." I said that I was clear about what I wanted when I spoke to Ben and if there were any questions, they should have called or sent me an email to ask (for example, if I used the downpipe with the cat, I would not have the flex joint...When the part was being built, that should have raised a flag of concern). I then asked what they were going to do in order to correct the error since it was a miscommunication between Ben and Toni. Toni's response was that he would have to get back to me as to how much more it would cost to build the part as requested. At that point, I said that the error was not my fault and I should not be the one having to pay for the mistake. He held his position, I eventually just hung up and have not spoken to them since.