San Bernardino Machine Shop

Joe Zamora

★☆☆☆☆

a year ago

Horrible Shop, do not take anything there. Owner is extremely unprofessional and gets irate when you ask about warranty POSTING FOR TRANSPARENCY IN THE COMMUNITY Motor was built all by SB Machine shop in San Bernardino, CA. Alberto was a friend of mine and said he could take care of the engine when I blew up the stock motor adding boost. I want it to BE CLEAR that I asked him for a price, not a discount. In the future for anyone regardless of our relationship if we ever have an arrangement related to monetary compensation, YOU need to set your price. I don’t ever want to hear you gave me a deal or didn’t give me your best work due to payment. Miles on the motor since rebuild are maybe 1500. Four oil changes and filters (following SB Machine shops break in oil cycle) and all temps and pressures were always monitored. The engine first had a Vtec issue where it wouldn’t engage correctly on the dyno, found internal issues on the head. Shortly after that it was back to running after a head rework, new head gasket. Then shortly after, maybe another 100 miles it started smoking from the turbo. Took turbo to PT turbos in San Bernardino for rebuild, reinstalled. Drove the car maybe another 40 miles and smoking again. PT Turbo once again rebuilt it, telling me there was contamination in the motor. I removed the oil, cut the filter, and found debris. Some metallic particles along with black flaky material that was not magnetic. I removed the number 4 con cap and found scratching and pitting. I tried to get SB Machine shop to refund me some money to pay another shop to rebuild the engine or give me some parts that I could use in value to the rebuild but I was refused and told that the warranty was just start up and dyno. Just a message for anyone about to choose #SBMachineShop to do more research, read the reviews. The more you do, the more information comes to light. Again, this is for transparency in the automotive community.

Diego

★☆☆☆☆

Edited a year ago

Took a Nissan VQ35 engine to get machined. Basic work cylinder bore/hone and align hone mains. Took 2 months to give me back mains that looked like they got hit with a mallet and a screw driver (literally the main bore has a groove 1/16” deep) which will now always have a decrease in oil pressure and not be good. He also lied about doing an align hone on the mains until I pointed it out and he gave me back the money for that. The bores were also undersized for the pistons that were going to be used and could have potentially locked a piston if assembled. His reasoning was that the piston coating was rubbed off, this makes no sense as I provided the spec recommended just seems like he didn’t care. Block Deck height was also taken down so much on block that now the front timing cover will not line up. The driver side is .030” lower than the passenger side and he claims that’s “normal” and that I should use thicker gaskets. I wouldn’t recommend that when one side will have .030” protrusion above deck. After picking up my engine after 2 months from SB had to pay another machine shop to machine an entirely new VQ35 block, and pay again. He refused to cover the cost of the new block I HAD TO SOURCE. Overall waste of time and money, won’t recommend this shop for any work, especially anything that needs to be done correctly and a timely manner. PSA the shop is a mess, he takes no pride in his work.

Alejandro Romo

★★★★★

Edited 5 years ago

I have used this place several times for my personal Jobs and have referred outside work here also, this place never disappoints. Always a pleasure to work with this guy!!