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Rimco / Fat Performance / Hilldebrandt Machine
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jsturtlebuggy
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just had some work done on a engine case by Rimco (linebore and opened for larger cylinders).
Very curtious and helpful, and work was done in a reasonable amount of time. Faster then I had expected.
I recommend them for machine work, have been using them for years.
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pupjoint
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am currently getting them to do my engine case machine/modification works now. will update once i receive it. Smile

yes, i am an international customer.
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pupjoint
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 8:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

hi anyone tried emailing Rimco? they were still replying on the 25th October, just sent a follow up email but bounced back not delivered. will try to call them later.
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BGEE68 Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

pupjoint wrote:
hi anyone tried emailing Rimco? they were still replying on the 25th October, just sent a follow up email but bounced back not delivered. will try to call them later.

I sent them an E-mail on Nov 4 asking about turbo prepping a set of 44IDF carbs.

No reply!

A few days later I called...Got their answering machine...no return call.

I could be rude/crude about business practices. However, I hope it's that they are just very busy...

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bigkjh
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PostPosted: Wed May 20, 2015 10:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So I had a bad experience with Rimco too. Sent them 40 hp rods that came back with .001" inconsistency in the big end. Gary says that this is within tolerance, but my local machinist disagrees. "Its enough to cause some oil pressure loss from the big end of the rod if the crankshaft is not ground to fit". Gary did not offer to resize the rod, which I would have expected after paying $190 for rebuilding and balancing. This included $25 "shipping and handling", but it took almost two weeks to get them here. Not too much? The Rimco website advertises rebuilt, balanced 40hp rods for $130 plus $10 shipping, outright no exchange required. "Internet special" was Gary's reply. Moral of the story, I should have paid closer attention to their pricing, and found someone who used closer tolerances when machining rods.
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billwood
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PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2015 2:26 pm    Post subject: RIMCO Reply with quote

Such a shame. When Todd was there they were the place to go, to but after they got bought out things went down hill.
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VWTECHEDITOR
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PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2015 3:13 pm    Post subject: RIMCO Reply with quote

Good Evening, Everyone,

Over the years, I've had RIMCO work on 4 cases for me. A 36HP, a 1300, and a couple of 1500s. The work has been done properly and communication was good. Price was as quoted and was reasonable. No problems there.

The only down side is that shipping to/from the East Coast has gotten so very expensive. Insured round trip shipping via most of the usual carriers typically runs around $125 for a crankcase. It may be time to find a local shop if for that reason only.

Art LeBrun
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tommu
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 4:24 pm    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

Surprised there's not more feedback here.

I had problems:

1) Resized and balanced Rods were 10 grams out.
2) Replacement rods were not balanced end to end.
3) RIMCO align bored my case and balanced the rotating mass. I asked for main bearings to fit. They sold me STD bearings for a .25 crank. My engine failed within 5 minutes of running in.
4) I had the balance redone at another location. They were pretty shocked at RIMCO's work.

I suggest avoiding them.
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larryducas
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 10:05 am    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

DON'T GO TO RIMCO !!!

i had 2 cases clearanced and line bored.

both cases came out with oval main journals.

Took them back, they said its supposed to be that way, but they would fix it.

A week later, I picked up the cases, they still have the issue. Crankshaft won't even turn due to undersize journals.

They refuse to say they did it wrong.

They refuse to machine it correctly.

I gather they do not know how to do it right.

I bought the crank, bearings and cam and pistons from them thinking that they would make sure everything fit.

They did not even look at the parts. Just charged my double the going price for the parts.

NEVER GO TO RIMCO / FAT PERFORMANCE
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larryducas
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 12:50 pm    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

Update.

The line boring was not done properly at Rimco.

Mark at Paradise Motorsports rebored it at the same .020 setting.

Now everything fits like it should.

This is now resolved.
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G Herbeck
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 11:50 am    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

Heard that Rimco is moving again back to SFS. I thinks that will be the second move within in 2 years. Doesn't have anything to do with not being able to pay the bills? Anyone else care?
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larryducas
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 12:10 pm    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

G Herbeck wrote:
Heard that Rimco is moving again back to SFS. I thinks that will be the second move within in 2 years. Doesn't have anything to do with not being able to pay the bills? Anyone else care?


I will never use them again.
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tommu
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 12:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

+1 they ruined the threads on my oil galleries too. I’ve had to JB-weld / x-Pando the plugs into place.
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sovereignsamba
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

Don claims I sent my head this way. I don't (can't) throw cash around i hand scrubbed these heads, before shipping out. I was expected to just swallow this? Im very disappointed in the shop, and sad that my hard earned cash went to waste.

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Fat performance

1558 N Case St, Orange, CA 92867

https://fatperformance-rimco.com
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sovereignsamba
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

I wish they could have at least saved the fin. I havent had the stomach to re assemble. Sad
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Busstom
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 12:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

Shane Rossbo wrote:
I wish they could have at least saved the fin. I havent had the stomach to re assemble. Sad

Funny he didn't call you upon unpackaging the heads and say "Hey, there's a broken cooling fin here, you still want me to work these things?"

Sadly, there's a reason he didn't call you. Sad
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2shaggy
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 9:12 am    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

A few years ago I took a pair of type1 heads to them for a 3 angle valve job on the valves&seats,they got the heads done very fast,when I got home I took one of the valves out and there was only angles cut on the valves,called them and was told that's how it's done that's a competition valve job;really,I discussed what I wanted and paided a lot thinking angles would be on seats as well,they are not the same company that was once known. Buyer Be Ware!
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nlorntson
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 02, 2019 4:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

These guys are THIEVES! DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM.

I had a 36hp case line bored, a crank polished and rods rebuilt. All were done quite well and the engine went together just fine.

A month later I send a pair of disassembled and perfectly clean heads to them to get new guides, seats, and studs where needed. I get a call back from Don saying they will totally rebuild the heads with new everything for $936. I say absolutely not, just do the seats and guides and replace three studs.

Don calls me back and says the place doing the heads refuses to do only what I want done. I asked him to let me know the name of the place doing the work so I could call them and work it out. I had assumed it would be done in their shop. Don refused to give me the name of the shop doing the work so I told him to just ship the heads back to me.

A week later still no heads or tracking number so I call. I get the office gal and tell her I want my heads shipped back now. She packages them up and sends me tracking information. I get the box a week or so later and inside is a pair of filthy corroded heads that are completely unusable and unrepairable.

I call them back and tell them I got someone else's heads. I can send pictures of the ones I sent showing all the markings, casting numbers and condition so they send the right ones. A while later someone that says he is the owner calls me back and offers to take $200 off the bill. I tell him that Don refused to give me the name of the shop that was doing the work. The owner says he has no idea what Don was saying, they do the work there. What a joke. I say no, just send my heads back now. Then this joker tells me the machinist had just started welding on them. I ask why when no work has been authorized and no welding was needed? He says he'll call me back.

Here we are two weeks later. No call, no contact, they won't answer their phone. I send an email saying I want pictures before they box up my heads and send them so we can agree they are mine and on the condition when they arrive. I get an email back saying OK they'll get them boxed up and returned.

Three days later and still nothing.

I conclude these guys are totally dishonest and for all I know are out of business. I'll likely never see those heads again. I'm probably gonna call the police and see what they recommend, and will likely have to sue them in small claims court to at least get it on the record that these guys are totally dishonest and have stolen my parts.

So terribly disappointing that business like this are out there and have no problem stealing.
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Ian
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 25, 2019 9:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

Here is my review of Rimco 2019.

I packaged a Type 4 case, a Type 4 crank, and a set of 2L rods and shipped to Rimco. I sent through USPS with insurance. Parts arrived at Rimco and they promptly inspected and called. I made arrangements with my customer to call in the payment to Don and get everything taken care of.

Don mentioned that the rods needed to be sent out to be reconditioned. OK.

We agreed on trying to polish the crank as it had a couple knicks in one of the journals, which did not work out, so the crank was sent off for grinding. OK.

Engine case needed oil galley plugs fixed and line bored. Don mentioned that he thought the case should be decked as well, so that was agreed to. Don also said that he would back cut a main bearing for the Type 4 case as .020" oversize with a standard thrust and a .010" crank isn't available. OK.

Machine work was completed to the tune of $1000 plus return shipping.

When the parts arrived, I noticed that a big chunk was literally broken off of the engine case. I called Rimco and was super duper polite, as I always am, and Don said that the case did not arrive broken when I shipped it, and he did not remember a piece being broken off of it. The missing piece was not in the return shipping box. Don agreed to send me a junk case half so I could have my buddy weld the missing piece back on.

I wanted to inspect the line bore and crank grind before messing with the welding, because after I read this review thread I noticed a couple people mentioning they had bad line bores. I opened up the box of main bearings and what do I see...a super squished main bearing. Then I tried to put the bearing that they back cut the thrust, onto the crankshaft, and it wouldn't fit. It had a flat spot from also getting squished. They charged $125 for the main bearings with the thrust cut.

After reading the reviews here, I decided to cut my losses with these guys and have my friend who is local weld the case and cut a main bearing for me. I had to order a complete new set of main bearings and pay to have the case welded and the thrust cut. Even though it was my friend I still pay for his work.

I was finally able to put the crankshaft in the case with the new main bearings and it spins smoothly.

The case is welded and the new bearing is fit, but the issue is that with a machine shop, you are expecting and paying for perfection. It literally is all that matters in machine work. It was quite obvious to me that the crankshaft was never fit to the engine case or the main bearings. If it was, then why are the main bearings all squished. I believe that Fat Performance bought RIMCO simply for the name and previous reputation of a good company. RIMCO as we used to know it does not exist anymore.

I speak the truth and don't make up stories. I wish I would have looked at this feedback thread first. I can't believe these guys build racing engines. Shocked

Engine upon teardown, note no case chip.

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How I packaged the engine case, crank, and rods for shipping (socks not included).

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Engine case returned to me with a piece missing.

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Crooked oil galley plug.

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Squished main bearing.

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Backcut thrust bearing and squished main bearing (sharpie marks are mine)

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Engine case with the repair piece welded on.

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vwinnovator
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:59 am    Post subject: Re: Rimco Reply with quote

WOW Shocked
just getting a broken case back would have been grounds to go after a full refund and an undamaged replacement case...

so glad I stopped using them a decade ago after they played the "we cut your thrust main on both sides so you have to buy our special cut to size thrust brgs" game..
4 cases with different thrust brg measurements...
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