DONT USE GENE, USERNAME REBUILTSYSTEMS on EBay! Fuel Distributor rebuild

[zimvsdib]

The user Rebuiltsystems on Ebay is not recommended for a distributor rebuild. Don't use him.

I sent my fuel distributor in to him for a rebuild 2 months ago. The car had a stuck plunger from gas varnish andhe car wouldn't start up.

After receiving the "rebuilt" unit i put it back together and nothing. The car didn't start. I spend the next couple days hunting down other problems and buying some other new parts because I assumed the distributor was perfect.

Anyway after much frustration i thought of this.
I have 2 cars so i pulled off the donor distributor from the 2nd car to check his work. Vrooom. The car started effortlessly.
The rebuild was crap.
After explaining this i requested a refund, he claims his warranty doesn't cover a refund but to send it back in.
That's BS and i could contact ebay, paypal or my credit card company to get a refund.

I told him this but also said i would give him one more chance to fix it "if" he was confident he could. But today i did a search on him and the first thing that popped up was this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGzsrlpFKBs

This guys is in the same situation on his merc. Another dissatisfied customer.
I'm thinking i should skip sending it back and just work on my refund. Any thoughts, anyone use this guy?

He's real short with the word on email. Not much customer service. My fear is, wasting more time/money if i get it back and it still isn't working correctly.

[Mark D]

If the guy screwed it up the first time I wouldn't send it back again and expect the results to be any different. Get your refund from the Ebay guy and send the distributor out to a DMC vendor. They should be able to rebuild it or swap it for a good one for a decent price as long as you ship them your core.

[dmc6960]

Just as a sanity check, but did you ever set the base mixture adjustment after installing the rebuilt one?

That needs to be done. Then after the base adjustment is set, you can start the car, and do a fine adjustment.

[zimvsdib]

WTF I can't believe what im finding here. IT seems a though people who get parts like these rebuilt don't put them on the next day so after a month they get to it but by then it's too late. Ebay wont' let you leave feedback or file a complaint. I'm really worried now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exJS42L9SKY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1fIIUSAPBM

[alexwolf1216]

eBay also doesnt cover service work. i had the screen repaired on a Galaxy S3. It came back and didnt work, so I filed a complaint. They sided with the seller saying that it wasnt covered. I appealed, asking why they allowed it then, and they again sided with the seller. Services arent protected. Sucks.

[zimvsdib]

eBay also doesnt cover service work. i had the screen repaired on a Galaxy S3. It came back and didnt work, so I filed a complaint. They sided with the seller saying that it wasnt covered. I appealed, asking why they allowed it then, and they again sided with the seller. Services arent protected. Sucks.

This is so Fucked! I'm sure if i send it back it will be the same thing. This last video shows the guy opening his "rebuilt" distributor and the guy didn't even change the diaphragm!

EBAY and Paypal are such shit companies that dance around any liability.


sigh...

i just lost 250$ plus i have to pay someone new $500 to rebuild it. BTW who the fuck can i trust with this service.
I only trust myself to do anything correct anymore...

[alexwolf1216]

This is so Fucked! I'm sure if i send it back it will be the same thing. This last video shows the guy opening his "rebuilt" distributor and the guy didn't even change the diaphragm!

EBAY and Paypal are such shit companies that dance around any liability.


sigh...

i just lost 250$ plus i have to pay someone new $500 to rebuild it. BTW who the fuck can i trust with this service.
I only trust myself to do anything correct anymore...

Agreed. I attempted to boycott eBay and Paypal, but sadly i rely far too much on both....it was a lesson for me. Not as expensive as yours, but still hurt.

[dmc6960]

I only trust myself to do anything correct anymore...

You haven't answered my question yet. And if you didn't do what I'm asking, or dont know what I'm talking about, then you didn't do it correct.


Just as a sanity check, but did you ever set the base mixture adjustment after installing the rebuilt one?

That needs to be done. Then after the base adjustment is set, you can start the car, and do a fine adjustment.

[zimvsdib]

Just as a sanity check, but did you ever set the base mixture adjustment after installing the rebuilt one?

That needs to be done. Then after the base adjustment is set, you can start the car, and do a fine adjustment.



Sorry i didn't see your reply since my browser didn't refresh.

No i didn't. I assumed he measured it when he received the unit and during reassembly returned it to this position.
When i tried this unit on my car it starts for 1 second then dies. You may be correct about the base mixture adjustment. Is there a procedure to set it correctly?
I jumped rpm relay with 2 injectors pulled. No fuel came out (that seemed fine). Then i gently pressed down on the plate and the injectors gave a good strong spray and hum. This seems normal so i assumed the base adjustment was good. Maybe it needs a more exact measurement, can you please fill me in if this is incorrect?

If the guys know these distributors he might suggest that adjustment before he asks me to return it to him.

BTW Look if you watch this video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1fIIUSAPBM
You can see how this guys uses SUPER GLUE to to springs inside. Even if i got the unit working im afraid that it wont last long and may wreck other components such as injectors with the broken off super glue crystals.

[David T]

Sorry i didn't see your reply since my browser didn't refresh.

No i didn't. I assumed he measured it when he received the unit and during reassembly returned it to this position.
When i tried this unit on my car it starts for 1 second then dies. You may be correct about the base mixture adjustment. Is there a procedure to set it correctly?
I jumped rpm relay with 2 injectors pulled. No fuel came out (that seemed fine). Then i gently pressed down on the plate and the injectors gave a good strong spray and hum. This seems normal so i assumed the base adjustment was good. Maybe it needs a more exact measurement, can you please fill me in if this is incorrect?

If the guys know these distributors he might suggest that adjustment before he asks me to return it to him.

BTW Look if you watch this video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1fIIUSAPBM
You can see how this guys uses SUPER GLUE to to springs inside. Even if i got the unit working im afraid that it wont last long and may wreck other components such as injectors with the broken off super glue crystals.

In all fairness you need to try to work things out before badmouthing a vender. He should be given at least the chance to "make it right". Everyone can have a bad day. It is very possible it just needs to be adjusted. Besides, you may not get any justice from E Bay or Paypal. As for other venders who rebuild these things, there is SpecialT Auto. Not everyone is a fan of him either but for the most part he satisfies his customers. Assembling using glue is a short-cut and in most cases causes no harm.

[zimvsdib]

In all fairness you need to try to work things out before badmouthing a vender. He should be given at least the chance to "make it right". Everyone can have a bad day. It is very possible it just needs to be adjusted. Besides, you may not get any justice from E Bay or Paypal. As for other venders who rebuild these things, there is SpecialT Auto. Not everyone is a fan of him either but for the most part he satisfies his customers. Assembling using glue is a short-cut and in most cases causes no harm.

I agree David. Normally i wouldn't post anything about my own bad experience. It wasn't until i watched the videos and read the comments of others i thought about voicing this warning. The guy has great feedback on ebay but like everyone else who had an issue i'm too late to report ad feedback and ebay won't help people with "services" . I used to trust that feedback rating but will be forever wary of services for sale there.

Honestly though you must agree taking a shortcuts is just a shitty way to work on cars? Maybe its just me but when i work from someone i give them my all and do things correctly so they don't have problems down the road. I buy things from John Hervey all the time and ive defended him on here. He's slow and cranky but will always resolve things fairly. He's a great resource if you know how to work with his one-man operation.

dmc6960 has still not responded. I waiting to see if he thinks my way of checking the adjustment is textbook or if he has another suggestion.
maybe i can get it to work in which case i will still feel uneasy about whats inside this thing. If i don't get this to work, i will take the time to rebuild it myself correctly and show everyone how to do it right. I don't think people need to be so frightened about this component.

[dmc6960]

Sorry i didn't see your reply since my browser didn't refresh.

No i didn't. I assumed he measured it when he received the unit and during reassembly returned it to this position.
When i tried this unit on my car it starts for 1 second then dies. You may be correct about the base mixture adjustment. Is there a procedure to set it correctly?
I jumped rpm relay with 2 injectors pulled. No fuel came out (that seemed fine). Then i gently pressed down on the plate and the injectors gave a good strong spray and hum. This seems normal so i assumed the base adjustment was good. Maybe it needs a more exact measurement, can you please fill me in if this is incorrect?


Step 1 is to never assume anything.

Step 2 is to crack the injectors. This is the base adjustment procedure I mentioned. You say that there is no fuel with the pump jumped and not touching the air meter. Good. How far do you have to push it to get anything? The injectors should be giving fuel the absolute instant you start pushing on the plate. Proper setting procedure is to turn the mixture screw clockwise until the injectors start to flow, then back it off until they just barely stop. That will start the car.

If it still doesn't work then there could be other problems. Many of which are relatively easy to diagnose and could either point to a specific problem with the distributor rebuild or discount it all together. Try pulling all of the injectors and placing into individual jars. Watch for any that are out of the norm. Giving fuel while others aren't, or vise versa. Fuel quantities. Do they all shut off at the same time when you let go of the air meter? Also would be prudent to check your primary and control fuel pressures. Do you have a k-jet fuel pressure tester?

[zimvsdib]

Thank you for the instructions. I ordered one of the measurement tools when i sensed trouble. Its still not here yet.


Proper setting procedure is to turn the mixture screw clockwise until the injectors start to flow, then back it off until they just barely stop. That will start the car.

Are you saying while the fuel pump is running without pushing the plate down to turn the mixture screw clockwise until the injectors start to flow, then back it off until they just barely stop? just want to be clear on this.

Thanks!

[NightFlyer]

I have a spare distributor that needs to be rebuilt - I actually bought it for the sole purpose of rebuilding it myself. Never got around to it yet, but the porsche 928 guys have a great step-by-step 'how to' guide on their website. Rebuild kits can obtained via eBay or from DPI.

[NightFlyer]

Thank you for the instructions. I ordered one of the measurement tools when i sensed trouble. Its still not here yet.



Are you saying while the fuel pump is running without pushing the plate down to turn the mixture screw clockwise until the injectors start to flow, then back it off until they just barely stop? just want to be clear on this.

Thanks!

Correct - that's called base-lining the CO (air/fuel) adjustment.

[dmc6960]

Are you saying while the fuel pump is running without pushing the plate down to turn the mixture screw clockwise until the injectors start to flow, then back it off until they just barely stop? just want to be clear on this.


Yep, that is exactly what I'm saying.

[jawn101]

Yowch. Pretty strong statements against this seller/rebuilder if you haven't taken the time to do your part to ensure the part was installed and configured correctly.

Still, hoping you get a satisfactory resolution. It would be great if it was as simple as setting the base mixture and then calibrating the A/F ratio.

[DashEight]

Yowch. Pretty strong statements against this seller/rebuilder if you haven't taken the time to do your part to ensure the part was installed and configured correctly.

Still, hoping you get a satisfactory resolution. It would be great if it was as simple as setting the base mixture and then calibrating the A/F ratio.

+1 not everything is plug and play. -P

[zimvsdib]

+1 not everything is plug and play. -P

Correct, everything is not plug n play. I'm learning that on this project, but its what i'm used to.

Regardless of that this vendor does not do quality work and i caution people about him. These are the facts about him from my experience and the 3 other people who took the time to post youtube videos about their experiences:
Reused the same diaphragm.
Uses crazy glue to attach the springs to the plates inside distributor.
Does not do a good job of cleaning the internals.
And is immune to ebays buyer protection because it is a "service" preformed.
Poor customer service

[zimvsdib]

Yep, that is exactly what I'm saying.

I followed the adjustment procedure exactly with the fuel pump running. The adjustment was set slightly backed off from letting any fuel out of the injectors.
Next i was able to start up the car.
Heavy seeking idle was present. I had to make almost 3 complete turns on the allen wrench to smooth out the idle. It was nice and calm around 7000.

I let it idle for a while. Then turned off the car and repeat. It worked great a couple more times but then started really rough with the rpms rattling back and forth between 5 and 10 really fast.

Turned it off. Restarted and it was calm.

Later i wanted to dive it around the block to test it and the erratic idle came back immediately. Only this time a restart did nothing to help.


I'm going down there now to try again and take a look at things. I'll take a video.

Something is still wrong.

(keep in mind that this car runs perfectly with it own distributor, This is the rebuilt unit on there)

[Bitsyncmaster]

You should never adjust the mixture to get the best idle. You need a dwell meter to set it. What you are doing setting best idle is making it very rich so the lambda goes open loop. Yes then you get a good idle (no hunting) but your burning up your CAT, O2 sensor and maybe getting 16 MPG.

Normal adjustment range is less than a quarter turn of the mixture.

[zimvsdib]

You should never adjust the mixture to get the best idle. You need a dwell meter to set it. What you are doing setting best idle is making it very rich so the lambda goes open loop. Yes then you get a good idle (no hunting) but your burning up your CAT, O2 sensor and maybe getting 16 MPG.

Normal adjustment range is less than a quarter turn of the mixture.

Dave, im following these instructions from Jim dmc6960 below. Is this an incorrect way to approach this?





Step 1 is to never assume anything.

Step 2 is to crack the injectors. This is the base adjustment procedure I mentioned. You say that there is no fuel with the pump jumped and not touching the air meter. Good. How far do you have to push it to get anything? The injectors should be giving fuel the absolute instant you start pushing on the plate. Proper setting procedure is to turn the mixture screw clockwise until the injectors start to flow, then back it off until they just barely stop. That will start the car.

If it still doesn't work then there could be other problems. Many of which are relatively easy to diagnose and could either point to a specific problem with the distributor rebuild or discount it all together. Try pulling all of the injectors and placing into individual jars. Watch for any that are out of the norm. Giving fuel while others aren't, or vise versa. Fuel quantities. Do they all shut off at the same time when you let go of the air meter? Also would be prudent to check your primary and control fuel pressures. Do you have a k-jet fuel pressure tester?

[DMCMW Dave]

Dave, im following these instructions from Jim dmc6960 below. Is this an incorrect way to approach this?

Jim's directions will get it started. You still need to tune it with the dwell meter approach (assuming the O2 sensor and ECU are working).

[zimvsdib]

Jim's directions will get it started. You still need to tune it with the dwell meter approach (assuming the O2 sensor and ECU are working).

Okay Dave, no problem. What should the dwell be at? and what should i be using to adjust it? Thanks!

Something else, do i have to do this procedure every time i swap out a fuel distributor? Because this car has its own distributor that operated the car correctly before. Now i'm changing settings quite a bit.

[David T]

Okay Dave, no problem. What should the dwell be at? and what should i be using to adjust it? Thanks!

Something else, do i have to do this procedure every time i swap out a fuel distributor? Because this car has its own distributor that operated the car correctly before. Now i'm changing settings quite a bit.

From your posts it is clear that you are not experienced at this kind of stuff. Putting in a fuel distributor is not "Plug and Play". It needs to be adjusted, even a rebuilt unit (ESPECIALLY A REBUILT UNIT BECAUSE IT HAS NO INITIAL ADJUSTMENT!). Check the #'s of the two units you are playing with. If they are not exactly the same they will not work the same. Before you go bashing a vender you need to be sure it is his fault. So far it seems clear you don't know what you are doing yet. Just because there are other dissatisfied customers it may be for the same reasons, they don't know what they are doing either. Venders can't stay in business if every part they send out is no good. You rarely hear from the happy customers but the unhappy ones make a LOT of noise! Work with the vender and you will probably get it to work.

[jawn101]

Okay Dave, no problem. What should the dwell be at? and what should i be using to adjust it? Thanks!

Something else, do i have to do this procedure every time i swap out a fuel distributor? Because this car has its own distributor that operated the car correctly before. Now i'm changing settings quite a bit.

Any time you change anything in a K-Jet system, you will need to validate the adjustments. K-Jet is a marvel of microscopic tolerances. It is not EFI.


From your posts it is clear that you are not experienced at this kind of stuff. Putting in a fuel distributor is not "Plug and Play". It needs to be adjusted, even a rebuilt unit (ESPECIALLY A REBUILT UNIT BECAUSE IT HAS NO INITIAL ADJUSTMENT!).

What he said. If you search "mixture" on the forum you will find nearly 400 posts where the dwell setting process is outlined. It isn't hard but also isn't just a matter of slapping a new part on the car and cranking as hard as you can on the mixture screw.

[DashEight]

Correct, everything is not plug n play. I'm learning that on this project, but its what i'm used to.

I'm used to plug and play also. Part of the DMC's charm are the victories that come from these problems once they are solved. -P