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Quality engine parts?

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PeterK

PeterK

Yoda
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See this page?
https://www.bpnorthwest.com/.sc/ms/dd/TR3...%20Heavy%20Duty

Looks like parts are made in the UK by the description? Wrong. I just received a set and they are County brand, made in India. Same story for their timing chain too. Maybe good, maybe not.

My Rule #1 - replacement parts from India don't go in my engine.

Geesh. I guess I should have ordered from Ken Gillander at BFE first.
 
Peter call them and question the add. They are good people. If there has been a change in the manufacturing they probably want to know.
 
While I have no doubt that SOME products from the Far East and India can be of a good quality, most companies buy these parts because they are cheaper plain and simple....they LOOK the same as a part from the OEM manufacturer but most do not give good service like an OEM part.

I'd sooner have a used set of tappets resurfaced than buy cheap new ones...just my take on things.

I have a 9/16 X 5/8 combination wrench in my tool box. It was part of a set I bought in a truckstop parking lot from a mobile tool seller back in 1979. I bought this set so I could adjust the brakes on my semi-trailer. After THREE of the wrenchs broke (I got a new one after each broke but I wasn't going to stay there all day until I stopped breaking them!) I decided to keep this one wrench as a reminder not to buy tools that were made in India.

I hope you don't have the same experience with your tappets.
 
I probably have to eat the shipping both ways (the amount I "saved" by not going with BFE in the first place.) But when it comes to engine internals, quality is everything. I've never heard good things about County brand, they're usually at the bottom of the heap. But I'm sure many people have no problems with their stuff or they wouldn't be in business. I'm just really irked about the web listing saying UK and the products are not. After all the problems people have had with lifters, the ZDDP threads, and cams getting eaten ... my bad I guess.

Thanks for the moral support. Still pi$$ed.
 
Did you call them ? it's still business time on the west coast
 
Maybe the Brits are remembering when the sun never set on their empire, and India was part of that. Even TRF uses County brand products.
 
Before I'd send 'em back at this point I'd be looking for a shop with Rockwell test gear. Do a little QC ~FOR~ 'em... If they come out as hard as stated, maybe I'd buy a second set. If NOT there'd be some heat-treated WORDS comin' at 'em over the phone...

Just my way, I guess. I'd mistrust 'em too. I've SEEN an "Ambassador". /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
PeterK said:
Geesh. I guess I should have ordered from Ken Gillander at BFE first.
Click to expand...
Last time I talked to Ken, he was no longer selling stock TRactor tappets. Instead, he supplies sleeves to allow using tappets from another motor.

Said he could not find a reliable supply of properly hardened TR tappets; and didn't have the resources to 100% test incoming tappets.

But that was some time ago, so perhaps he has found a source.
 
They called me after receiving my email asking for a return authorization. Said to send them back for a refund. I'm just out shipping. Good business but doubt I'd shop with them again as this was not the first time I had problems with a part but they took care of that too. Just hate having to send something back and wait for a replacement.

Rockwell test is somewhat destructive and if I wanted to pay for a test, I couldn't send them back.

I will try Ken since his site still listed phosphated and drilled tappets.

These are for my fast road TR4A engine that I've been trying to get to for a couple of years. I have a new Triumph Tune cam that I don't want to screw up in the first 20 minutes of run-in.

I just talked with Ken - talk about a night and day difference. Happy now. He has the tappets in stock, 52-53 hardness, phosphated and oil drain hole from the original TR suppliers in Shefield, England. Timing chain is sourced from Japan - also good for consistent quality products. Great guy, nice chat.
 
County brand pistons for my TR6 passed muster with my machine shop. They all looked good during the inspection and weighted in within acceptable limits. I agree with the earlier posting about having them checked for what ever machine shops know about and if they pass inspection who cares where they were made.
 
vettedog72 said:
County brand pistons
Click to expand...
Might be worth pointing out that County doesn't manufacture any of this stuff. Instead they get it from other sources, slap their stickers on it, and resell it.

Not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that the part you got from them today may not be made by the same people as the part someone else got yesterday. If they find a cheaper source, they switch.

County has had some problems in the past; and were considered somewhat poorer than Bap-Geon for example (back when both were competing). But overall they're OK.
 
PeterK said:
They called me after receiving my email asking for a return authorization. Said to send them back for a refund. I'm just out shipping. Good business but doubt I'd shop with them again as this was not the first time I had problems.

Rockwell test is somewhat destructive and if I wanted to pay for a test, I couldn't send them back.
Click to expand...

Yup. I know. that's why I said mebbe I'd buy a second set. But if it resulted in anything LESS than RH 50, well....

Glad it worked out the way it did, tho.
 
I guess the forum police helped my cause. BPNorthwest just called (2nd call) and offered to pay shipping for the return of the parts and said they are looking into why their UK parts were not mfg in UK.

They said they have people that monitor the forums and want to make sure that I was properly taken care of.

I call that great customer service but can't say more because they are listening /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Team.net also has a Moss rep lurking so I guess it's a good thing all around.

Anyway, again I am happy with the resolution and service I received.
 
Almost sounds like BPNW got caught by the same trap I mentioned ... they bought from County and it was County that switched sources.

Just goes to show, you should talk to the vendor first if you're unhappy with them. But I have to say that I've found at least one vendor to be more responsive in public than in private.

TRF used to monitor Team.Net as well, don't know if they still do or not.
 
I've also been impressed & very happy w/parts & service from BPNW. I go with the explanation that parts from the supplier changed, & it's really not reasonable to expect a volume reseller to examine each & every part that it moves.

Different folks have stated assessments of parts from County range from "acceptable" to "awful", so it really looks like a County issue. County is a UK company, so BPNW's reference to the parts being from the UK is honest, but they may be unaware of where County is getting them today.

It's a really good idea to let the resellers know if you're dissatisfied with parts. BPNW does offer both high-end & lower-cost alternatives, & I get the impression that they're attentive to maintaining a perception that their higher-end parts are of the best available quality. If their suppliers start skimping, I'm sure BPNW would want to know.
 
I can say that my experience with BPNW has been SUPERIOR. It is apparent that customer service is a top priority there. No problem with any of the parts I have purchased; no returns have been necessary.
 
" their suppliers start skimping, I'm sure BPNW would want to know."

As I said in my earlier post
 
I am happy to see the comments about BPNW. I purchased many of the internals for my engine from them including the King bearings and AE pistons. Having been somewhat disappointed by some of the items from a different source this is reassuring.
 
They know now /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

But to be fair to all, there's nothing wrong with parts made in India or any other place for that matter. But MY preference is to not put those parts inside my engine.

That's why I purchased parts stated as "from the UK." Only they weren't?

BPNW took care of me and went the extra bit to make sure I am satisfied.
 
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