I posted this on the Yamaha page, but since the dealership also sells Arctic Cat quads I thought I would also post it here.

Some of you may have read my posts about my cracked cylinder. Here is how the dealership handled , or didn't handle, the problem.

After having C & S Sports Center in Mt. Pleasant, MI bore my cylinder and install my new Ross 102mm piston, it would not start. I took it back and they found out that they did not get the cam chain on the lower sprocket so the cam was not spinning. They fixed that for me. After I got it started and with less than 1 hour on the new job, the cylinder cracked around the front left cylinder bolt area and oil was leaking from the base gasket. I was told by a reputable source that this was almost always caused by the cylinder bolts not being installed properly. There are 2 different sizes, and if they are put in the wrong place they will strip out.

Thinking I was helping the shop out by saving them some time, I took off the plastics and the gas tank and the head. I took it in to C & S and when they took the cylinder bolts out they WERE in INCORRECTLY. They had a short and long bolt on each side. At first the mechanic told me they would take care of it and fix it at no charge, then the store owner, Jim, got involved. He said that I could have switched the bolts and that since it was aftermarket work, not stock, that I should have expected it to break. They would not fix any of it and he said I would have to pay for new cylinder and to have it bored again! He said "we don't do any of that racing stuff and we can't be responsible if it breaks". I asked him why I wasn't told this BEFORE they did the work. He did not have an answer. I asked him what is his policy was on workmanship errors. Jim said they had a 30 day warranty on workmanship, but he didn't know what caused it to break and because I couldn't prove that it was a workmanship problem they were not going to cover it. That's it. End of story.

After talking with Yamaha Customer Service, the shop eventually agreed to bore a new cylinder and put it back together, but I would have to buy the new cylider (at cost) and the gaskets.

I told the shop owner, Jim, "I have $18,000 into my Raptor. I was planning on buying a new YFZ450 from you in a couple months. Are you willing to lose a customer, and all my friends as customers, over a $300 cylinder that broke because of something your mechanic did wrong?" He said, "I will not warranty this, end of story."

So, like a chump, I bought a new cylinder and gasket set. They are going to put the piston and cylinder back together for me. When I pick it up, that will be the last time I ever set foot in C & S Sports Center. I urge others to put yourself in my shoes. Please think twice about spending your hard earned dollars at C & S.

Here is a list of things I know they did wrong:

1) Cylinder bolts in wrong holes, probably not torqued properly, stripped threads, cracked cylinder
2) Cam chain not put on lower sprocket, cam woudn't turn, so I know they did not set valve lash properly
3) No gasket at all put on cam chain tensioner
4) Did not torque valve cover bolts. I watched them do this - they just put them in with a T handle allen wrench
5) Cam gear bolts over tightened - after I gave them the specs from Hotcams

Later Jim told me that if I bought a new YFZ450 that they would fix my Raptor for free. Seems a little shady, to me.

RR1

 

I would tell Jim I was definately gonna buy the 450. Of course that would never materalize. Anyway, on your bike.....so they have done nothing correct on your bike. WHY are they working on your bike again? Do you glut for punishment?
Gary