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I have a really HUGE complaint about clearwater cylinder heads also. I ordered a head from them... put in on the car, started it and realized its not the head that needs to be fixed, its the block. So we took if off and boxed it back up to send it back and called them to let them know it was THEIR part I was sending back, not the original off the car. They said I couldnt return it because we started the car with it on. NO WHERE ON THEIR WEBSITE OR ON THE RECIEPT did it say you can not return the part if you started the car. It was on the car for a total of 2 minutes. I spoke with BOB, the "president of the company". WOW, what a JERK, to put it lightly. I have never been so disrespected in my life. There is absolutly nothing wrong with the head... we just DONT NEED IT! He was calling me IDIOT, DUMB ###, and using all kinds of profanity at me. He hung up the phone on me and when I tried to call back, he picked up and hung up repeatedly. I am VERY PISSED off and I am disputing the whole charge with my bank as we speak. What a shady company, and a shady "owner". DO NOT EVER DO BUSINESS WITH CLEARWATER CYLINDER HEAD. You will be sorry, just like I am.
Clearwater Cylinder head fixed a cracked BMW head for me a few months ago that another shop had done some incorrect work on. Clearwater fixed the cracks and the other shop's damage at the price they quoted, in the time they said it would take. I put it on the car and my problems were fixed. I spoke to them a few times on the phone and was at the shop in person 3 times. They seem like reasonable, decent people.
As for the original post, I don't know if their return policy specifically covers your problem, but I wouldn't have allowed your return either. They can't re-sell a head you have used, even for only two minutes. If the guy on the phone was a jerk, maybe he shouldn't have been, or maybe you started it.
I HAVE A REPAIR SHOP IN MICHIGAN AND HAVE BEEN USING THEM FOR OVER 4 YRS NOW AND THEY ALWAYS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR ME
MIKE SOPER
SISTER LAKES AUTOMOTIVE
I had a great experience with CCH. I contacted them with a question on whether or not a head for my 2001 Isuzu rodeo was available, and I was told that it would have to be built; I told them to go ahead and was told it would take a day or so. About 2 hours later, I called them back to ask a question about what I should leave on the old head for the core, got a very straightforward answer, and was told that the head would be done by 3:30 that same day. I went to pick up the head and was treated to professional, knowledgeable service. They even removed the thermostat housing that I was having problems with as well as swapping some manifold studs from the old head to the new one. Upon installation, the head performed flawlessly, and I could not be happier. I would most certainly do business with these folks again, as they do know their business and their craft, and have been doing it for a long time.
I agree that this complaint is silly. They had every right not to take it back. But I'm not surprised about the way they spoke to you. I was looking at some 302 cast Chrysler small block heads and asked them a question on Ebay. Here's the conversation. Make of it what you will.
Dear headsbycch,
Hello, just a couple of questions about these heads.
You have listed the average combustion chamber volume as 68-72cc. This seems a little large for #302 heads - I thought they were normally around the 58cc mark. Can you confirm this is correct?
Thanks,
Could you please provide a shipping price to XXXXXXX?
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Clearwater's response:
i am getting my specs from aera if yours is more correct then go by yours. thanks
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My response (admittedly a bit narky but it was a pretty poor response to my questions)
How silly of me to assume that an engine shop would bother to measure the heads they sell. although your reply didn't answer my question it was nonetheless very informative - if this is the level of service you provide pre sales id hate to think what your after sales service is like. I'll find somewhere else with better service that can actually tell me something about their products, and how much it would cost to ship them. Thanks.
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Clearwater's reponse:
we are a production cyl hd shop who does 80 to 100 heads a day there is no time to cc heads and that is how we offer the low low prices that i am sure you see. what you need to do is pay some small hot rod shop 3 times the price and you will get them cc maybe?
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My response:
that's understandable. But my original question was simply querying the stated figures on the advertisement - an advertisement which also states "HERE AT CLEARWATER CYLINDER WE KNOW THAT CYLINDER HEADS CAN BE A CONFUSING ISSUE. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US". Having done exactly that, I didn't expect the surly response I received. I'm building an engine and before I purchase heads to go with the engine I obviously want to have an idea of the combustion chamber volume. All of the other sources I have checked indicate that the typical head volume of 302 cast heads is about 8-10cc smaller than your advertised volume. I thought it may have been a typo on your ad so I asked the question. If you stand by your figures then that's fine.
In my original message I also asked for a shipping quote for 2 heads xxxxxxx. I didn't receive a response to this question in any of your replies.
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Clearwater's response:
hey take your crap somehwere else
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My response:
It seems that I'll have to, as you appear to be full of it.
If the part in question is actually a warranty, then manufacturers generally will not have a problem returning/replacing the part. Now, if you as the consumer, don't do the proper reasearch/diagnose the problem correctly or do not properly install the part, why should the manufacturer have to eat the cost of the part? THIS is a perfect example of the type of backyard mechanic who doesn't know how to properly do vehicle repair AND the reason why auto parts companies have the return policies that they have. Why should they lose money because someone doesn't know what they are doing? Once you install a part on a vehicle, it is now a USED part. The manufacturer can't sell it as a new part anymore. How happy would you be if you bought a new part and found a used part in the box? You would be the first one on the phone complaining! Vehicle repair has gotten very complicated and people think they can do the repairs themselves when they have none the proper tools and specifications for the vehicle they are working on, let alone the proper diagnosis of the problem! Keep complaining there Skippy, you're the type of person who will always want someone else to pay for your incompetence. As to my experience, I've managed a successful autoparts store for over a decade and I've dealt with Bob for years now. Clearwater knows what they're doing, you my idiot friend do not.
No business wants to give your money back. It's like giving a 2 y/o candy. There are alot of [censored] bags that will try to return a bum part that they destroyed, and that is the reason why those deserving a refund suffer. There's not much you can do, but your onto something with the omission policy (not posting that you can't return it once you start the engine). If they were on their game they would cover their ### from all sides but if you ask me they left open one very important part; the ### hole. SO, you could try to ream it. lol goodbye everyone
ps your repairs might work if you didnt chince on the repair /and put in new seats /
what about if you put a head on an it leaks antifreeze into oil an locks up your motor due to anti freeze in oil spun the bearing from lack of lubrication/toar down motor an found that it was poor quality pinning and weld was sent to machine shop and pressure tested it saw for myself it was leaking between seats where it was pinned been a ase certified mechanic an lexus tech for 10 yrsnow been doing this for 45 and their trying to tell me it wasnt leaking might have to fly down an handle this.
Typical rant of an uneducated consumer. The typical practice with any auto part is if you opened the box, or installed it, it is not returnable! People like yourself are the reason that companies have to be so rigid with their policies -- if you didn't know what was wrong with your car, you should have had someone with knowledge and training diagnose it! I also believe they have a policy that request you notify them first before just tossing it in the box and sending it to them -- most companies do... Again, uneducated consumer, and obviously someone who shouldn't be trying to repair their own vehicle.
you are worse than a nagging wife. if you tried blowing up my phone with a bunch of calls i would do more than hang up on you. calling you dumb ### and etc are nice terms compared to what you'd get from me. this is what happens when amateurs try to do work on their own cars, and then blame it on the jobber or parts supplier. sir, and i use that term loosely ... you are a putz!
I had great customer service and help getting my head returned for core. Bob was real nice and gave me a great price. I would never expect them to take back a used head. You put it on you own it..that's common sense.