Now, there is literally so much I could say about what Peter Gidden and I agreed on regarding the work and what Peter claimed he had done, hasn't done and was going to do, after looking at other customers feedback it's fairly obvious it's pointless as Peter just lies, denies things, claims he's never touched whatever the problem is, tells you the often hilarious
"it just needs bedding in" or whatever. Anything at all other than admit fault in any way at all.So I'll just post up some of the pics etc of his standard of workmanship.
I honestly don't care anymore about what his reply and defense or the hand on hip pouting statements about what I do for a living and that I am a possible drug user. I had to genuinely lol at that last one as it speaks volumes it really does.So choose to believe whoever you like, maybe I'm too picky or whatever but I have no doubt Peter Gidden will accuse me of lying about it all, faking the issues etc.
The pics alone speak volumes, well in my humble opinion they do anyway.I was told quite clearly by Peter that ALL of his MR2 turbo conversions come with every single fluid renewed with new fluid all round.
I'm no specialist or expert but this doesn't look like new clutch fluid to me? In fact, it kind of looks like it really should be renewed? I honestly don't know to be fair.
Now 60 miles along the motorway the clutch pedal fell to floor but lifting it repeatedly and pumping it with my leg got me an working clutch again, the cars temp gauge was in the red after idling for a few mins while I checked for leaks. I then called Peter who had earlier informed me he was out socializing that evening and the response I got was not very confidence inspiring and he honestly could not have come across more disinterested if he had tried. He told me that there was absolutely no way the car could be overheating as he had bled the system and put coolant in it. Turns out he had reused the old coolant, no idea why as I asked him to use the fresh coolant I showed him that was in the boot of my car and that was left there when I dropped it off approximately 10 weeks ago for a job I was told very confidently in person by Peter in his own house as we were leaving to drop me at the train station, would take "2 weeks". Peter also said that if I could get the car in fifth I could "make it back to Scotland, keep in touch" and hung up. Well given that there was absolutely zero offer of getting the car back down to him right away and him taking a look at least, him insinuating I was lying about the cars temp gauge and general disinterest I thought to myself well now that I seem to have a clutch again I'll try and continue and hopefully with the car moving through the air it will cool down.
It did cool down whilst on the motorway and providing I kept pumping the clutch every 15 mins odds I could change gear if need be.Forgot to mention that the turbo speedometer he fitted packed in shortly after I left his unit as well, but I haven't had a chance to check the connection and wiring there yet.
More to come on Peters wiring in a bit.Obviously I made it home and I sent Peter a text to tell him so and give him a general run down of what happened etc.
Here is the text I sent and Peters subsequent responses.
Not how I would have responded to a customer after that text but like I said, maybe I'm just too picky.
Maybe I expect too much, sincerely meant btw.So the next day I decide to have a look and see if there is anything obvious I can see and I also decide to check connections and the plugs.
What I did find was that every single plug was nowhere near right enough, if I remover correctly 2 I could undo by hand with just the extension bar and plug socket.
I also started to notice what looked like to me anyway, some very very shoddy wiring, but like I said we will get to that.I've got RAC home start so I decided to give them a call and see what they might find, test for or diagnose etc.
RAC guy comes out and within a couple of mins of looking in the engine bay remarked at just how shocked he was at the wiring and general mess of things. Here's what his report, for what it's worth said,
The ignition lead plastic guide that would have taken all of I think 4 M6 bolts to actually fix to the rocker cover was completely loose and literally rattling around on top of the rocker cover.
Now to be honest, I'd have been happy enough if even a couple had been in place and reasonably tight. But not even one attempt at securing it with an old bolt from somewhere round the workshop? So after speaking to the guy that generally looks after the car up here in Scotland, you know Scotland where you can arrive directly outside your front door in fifth gear.
Lol. He suggested that I take it to Stainless Creations which isn't far from me, I'd did consider them to do the swap originally as I did with the guy that looks after the car most of the time up here but both were just too busy with other work. I had to nurse the car there followed by the RAC as it seriously didn't want to barely tick over. Dropped the car with them, they couldn't have been more helpful and agreed to look at the car and let me know asap.I must apologize for the typos, but I'm using this rotten iPhone and I have serious carpal tunnel in both hands so it's not the easiest.
Anyway, the next day or maybe a couple of days later I can't remember I get a call telling me they are pretty confident it's the fuel pump and quote me to remove, check and refit.
Hefty bill but I know dropping the tank on an MR2 is a right PITA so I tell them to go ahead, I don't really have a choice as I'm not doing what Peter Suggested and getting my car towed by a mate a few miles down the road and then lying through my teeth to get it returned to a guy that seems totally disinterested and as we are now discovering, has work thatIs far from up to an acceptable standard in my and several others opinions that I should should have listened to from the start.
Peter is an incredibleSalesman he really is, certainly extremely talented in that department for sure.
Now telling that little lie to the RAC is obviously hardly the crime of the century, but I wasn't willing to do it for my own personal reasons along with the fact I'd lost all confidence in this traders ability to reliably and truthfully fix my car.
So a few a few days later and the faulty fuel pump is removed and all at the garage tell me they are very confident that it is not a quality branded uprated fuel pump but most likely a cheap Chinese copy like this, note the indentation mark,
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2921837310
And here is the fuel pump removed from my car,
Now, obviously I cannot be 100% positive that this is indeed a cheap Chinese
copy or indeed the actual one removed from the car, but come on, who am I more likely to believe now considering?Now I honestly, hand in heart hope I and the garage are wrong, it isn't a cheap copy and I really did get a TRE uprated fuel pump as reccomended I really do.
The one that was removed from my car seems very cheap quality, actually rattles when you give it a shake, has no brand markings on it, i was certainly never given the box it was delivered in as most garages I've had work on my car have always given me the packaging any performance parts I've paid for have and as far as I can see looks absolutely nothing like the listed TRE 255 lph fuel pump I was persuaded to get instead of my usual Walbro 255.Here is a link from TRE's website listing the 255 lph pump for my car,
http://trefuelpumps.com/i-88965-toyota- ... -pump.html
Sadly there were more issues found and the next one that really shocked me was that new, freshly fitted blueprint fuel filter that I had been charged for was in fact the original one that had been on the car from the day I got it. A non turbo one.And here's just one of many pics I took when I was under the car the day I collected it having had its new Walbro fitted and several other issues attended to as well.
One of which I personally consider was more than a little dangerous to say the least,
Doesn't look like anyone has been near the thing at all does it? No oil marks, nuts/bolts don't look like they have seen a spanner or socket, and basically no signs anywhere at all to indicate it was even touched.
And here is the new, correct, turbo fuel filter after being sourced and fitted,
Quite difference eh?
Now, that's enough for now, I'll try and continue this tomorrow as there is a fair bit more to go through and show.
Obviously I'll show the garage invoice as I'm sure I'll be accessed of actually taking these parts off and replacing with substandard, incorrect and faulty items just because I don't want to pay my bill or whatever nonsense. Just like I will have been the one that removed 6 lower gearbox mounting bolts out of spite or something equally as desperate.
Now, protein break for me.
Got to make sure those "gym drugs" are being put to use and all that. 
