D.L.Olson - [email protected]

[Mike Fisher]

Dan sent me a box full of carburetors etc quick & with everything promised to me inside it! Will do business again with him! Looks like he has good prices on turn key engines.
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[GregMax]

If you're considering having Dan Olson build a motor for you, you might want to take a few minutes and read this.
I had Dan build a 1776 long-block for me. I paid his base price and a little extra for a new performance cam. When I got it home, I noticed that the distributor was 180 degrees from where it should be. Two of the cylinder studs were too short...there was only half a nut holding on both of them. Then, I checked the end-play. It had .027. I found that there was only one flywheel shim. It's a 12 hr drive from here to there so taking it back wasn't a good option. So, I did some calculations and stacked two more shims in there that should have brought it to the required three shims and .003-.005. I checked it again....I still had .027....? Looking closer I found that the thrust bearing was loose in the case. I could move it around with a probe. I sent Dan a note. He said "okay" bring it back and I'll fix it. I asked how that might have happened and the only explanation I got was "stuff happens".
I took the motor back to him. A few weeks later, he told me the case was bad and he'd have to use another one so it wouldn't be ready for a while. He said he'd ship it to me when it was done.
I had lost confidence and I had no idea when I was actually going to get a motor so I sent a note asking for a refund. Dan got a little hostile and said in no un-certain terms "there will not be a refund.. you will get the motor you ordered". I said "okay" but I need to get it soon.
A little over a week later the replacement long-block arrived. I saw that the distributor was in the right place, the cylinder studs were long enough and the end-play was right on. So, I put the rest of it together and put it in the car. All was well, until I started it. It was back-firing through the carburetor and making expensive sounding noises. It ran for a few minutes (less than 5) while I was trying to tune out the back-fire and trying to figure out what the noise was. Then I saw the oil slick growing on the floor so I shut it down. The oil was coming from behind the flywheel. Because of the noise, I figured it had to be something internal so I dropped the oil out of it. There was LOTS of metal in the oil. I know some metal in the oil after a rebuild is normal. This was excessive.
I contacted Dan. He never addressed the leak but he said to change the oil, start it again and send him a video. I refused. I said there's damage going on in there somewhere and I'm not going to start it again until I find out what it is. So, he said to ship it back to him and he'd look at it BUT if he didn't find anything pertaining to him, he'd be sending me a bill. By then I didn't have a lot of confidence in him nor did I trust what he might "find". Also I wasn't going to pay the shipping charge to get it back to him yet again. So I said no. I told him I'd take it apart here and let him know what I found. He didn't respond.
I pulled the flywheel and found a bad main seal. The spring was broken and out of its groove (no, I didn't do it getting it out). Also, the flywheel didn't have an O-ring in it. The pressure relief valves were both stuck. Not "sticky"....STUCK. I had to pull pretty hard with my removal tool to get them out. I'm guessing they hadn't been out in a while. All of this probably accounts for the oil leak.
The rocker arm assembly on the right head was loose. The nuts were just started on the studs...not even finger tight. I'm assuming that would account for the backfire and the noise. I pulled the rockers off and behind them I found flat washers approximately 1/8 thick. Evidently used as spacers. There were no O-rings on the studs but they wouldn't have done any good anyway because of the washers. The rockers on the left side were tight but they had the washers too. I don't understand why the washers were there.
I still hadn't figured out where all the metal in the oil was coming from so I decided to split the case. The new cam that I'd bought and paid for wasn't there. The new oil pump that I was supposed to get wasn't there. Both were old VW parts. Still okay but not new like I'd bargained for. Only two of the 4 main bearings had been replaced. The thrust bearing was glued into the case with sealer. The sealer had gotten clear down around the dowel pin and was plugging the oil passage. I never found the source of the metal in the oil. The only explanation I'd have would be that it didn't get cleaned very well after it was machined.
I sent Dan a note with this same information and again asked for my money back. He didn't explain or deny any of the issues. He simply accused me of having "tinker-itis".
I paid for a rebuilt "runnable" long-block. He had two chances and failed both times. At this time, another build is out of the question.
The last I heard from him, he says that I voided my warranty by taking it apart so he isn't going to do anything.

[D.L.Olson]

There is always one, in every 10-15 builds, that a issue may arise. But never have I not made a honest attempt at making it right.
But as we all know. Some people can eat off a silver tray, and still never be happy.

I have 20-30 builds out there per yr. No matter the slander of A, disgruntled,and most likely miserable person.

Funny thing, I was never given any shot at making any issue right.

[GregMax]

Even a reputable builder will have a bad one once in a while. I got two out of two. And they weren't small mistakes. I won't repeat it all but you can read my first post to get the details of what I found with both engines. Neither of them would have ever left a reputable builders shop. It's been a year now and Dan still hasn't addressed or denied any of the issues. Dan can use the word "slander" all he wants but I stand by everything I said and I have documentation to back it up.
Since this incident I've done some research... Research that I should have done before buying the engine. I found that the name Dan Olson is well known around the VW community, and not in a good way.
Do your research, and if you still decide to buy from Dan...good luck to you.

[Finndog]

Agree with Greg Max
_________________
A man without a belly is merely a boy.

[xhogoner]

On 26 Feb.17 , I called D.L.Olson , (Kingman Az.) about a 1776 long block engine that his son (Matt Olson) was selling for him on Orlando Craglist Fl. The add had a picture of his shop and the 1776 long block. He told me that I can get in touch with his son. I did talked to him about the engine and why he is selling it, also he was selling a carb also that was ran / matched to this engine, that it would not need to be adj. ( on phone records), was told that some body was looking at it too and was going to pick it up, but didn't leave a deposit. So my wife sent him $500. and we payed the fee to his Pay Pal account. Traveled a few hours to meet him at a bicycle shop north east of Orlando. He was late.We took the core engine out of my car and put the long block in to the car, then drove 3 hours home. The next day my son helped me take the engine out of my car and put it on a dolly. Took the valve covers off and it didn't hav 50e rocker arms and push rods, call Dan again he talked to his son and I had to travel for several hours to meet his son that was lost and late again, he didn't have all the parts and told me he would have it sent to me I gave him my address and would give me a call the next day . Never got a return call, called him back and was told it will be mailed to me. It took 2 weeks to get to me. Whiled waiting for the parts , I got new parts, put it on the engine, went to run it on my engine stand and it was knocking/ tapping on the left side of engine no noise on the right side or front ( YouTube 20170402 104541) 2 April 17. Called Dan again, he asked me to video and send it to him, was told not to run it anymore and to take it to his son, that was about 1 hour away. Asked if I need to take my parts off, he said just take off the muffler. Took it to his son see http://youtu.be/6SoVxTGoY2U . He told us that what the problem was , how to fix it, for go shipping and all that stuff you know what I mean So, I know that the a " "THAT WE ARE MEN OF OUR WORD AND I WILL TAKE CARE OF WHAT EVER WE GOT TO DO FOR YA" " He meet me at a VW event and he didn't have it. I fallowed him to his buddy mechanic to see the engine run, the 1st time we all heard it, checked the valves ran it the 2nd time same as first, checked rocker arms and ran it again still was making noise. I was starting to put this defective engine in my truck (I wish that I did) and Dan's son called his father. He told him to take the engine with him back to Az. The son instead to take the engine back with him, that it will be fixed and sent back. Several text back and forth after more than 2 weeks they, was told that they are working on it ,asked what they found 3 weeks more was told, that we are getting a camera ( more excuses) The beginning of June, Dan posted on Face Book on line,VW Swap Meet a engine. I asked about the engine that he had, he got very "BELLIGERENT" and
call me a D _ _ _ , he told me that if I didn't take it down that " I WILL BE AT YOUR FRONT DOOR IN 24 HOURS" I think that's called a threat , my family feel very unease with this man. He took it down before I could screenshot it. My wife got with Pay Pal and explained it to them and got the deposit credited back to the credit card. I don't want this defective engine , I have several times asked for my money and parts back.
On 19 June was told by the father and son , that it was a broken valve spring, that a 40 - 50 yr. old , so if it was a 1776 engine ( "That we are men of our word, etc.") it had to be machined for that. Now THEY are coming up with some warrentee excuse, . The Bottom line is this engine was known to have problems, and why did it take so long, was told a passing away of a family member the end of May, that didn't stop him posting on YouTube. I might not get my money back and now being told that I will be charge every day $15. I think that is called extortion ( SCAM).
I don't want The Olsons to scam any body else.
This is not the first time, The APPLE don't fall to far from the tree , Matt was banded from TheSamba and I want to make a request for his father to be the same (The Tree)

[xhogoner]

It is still dragging on with Dan and Son. I have address with Evertt and I have had a conversation with Dan on the 29 June 17. in this conversation , I told him that I haven't changed my phone, address, etc., But they have both blocked me and that every thing that him and his son have sent to Evertt , non of it is true. Also that there is a difference in slander and the truth. I posted on YouTube the defective engine that he still have and all new parts for over 3 months. The engine has worn lifters guides, that makes it sound like a knock as told by Dan him self, this is normal and it will run for a long time. Any body can hear it. " So it tells me they knew of this when they sold it" . The video of the engine speaks for it self.

As for all the other stuff that both of them are saying is really irreverently has nothing to do with the main reasons why they took this engine back and you can say they kept it. But lets me tell you the TRUTH, I got this engine with a lot of part missing that I did pay for, IE the push rods , rocker arm, Intake manifold, parts for carb. etc. The engine had the wrong air deflectors on it and it was held on by wire ( good workmen ship). How hard is it to remove the old push rod tubes , that had no push rods in them, install 2 air deflector in the right way and install new spring loaded tube in according with the manufactures instructions ( I have a copy and pictures of them before the engine headed west) You can see the post of his son telling me that " WE ARE MEN OF OUR WORDS " on YouTube, he said it all.

So this is what he (Dan) wants me to do, pull the original post and to pull down the stuff on YouTube and then he will refund me some of my money back.

This man and son team needs to be banded from TheSamba, he has done this before and will do it again.

[bugdriver2011]

D.L. Olson needs to make this right. Friends have had problems with engines they have had built and the builders got right on it and corrected the issue. He needs to stand behind his product and get this take care of.

[gyroman010]

D.L.Olson should refund the money he stole. What he has done is fraud in interstate commerce. seems he has sold the same engine a few times already. Give a bad name to engine builders.
You get mad when someone posts a video of your shoddy work on Youtube and threaten them ,saying you won't pay till the video is taken down. you have had plenty of time to refund the customer. Be glad it wasn't me you did this too. I would have served you and had my day in court.

[xhogoner]

Again no return calls from Father and son, I have called him and He has said that he would call me back, he never does." I can't lie about these two so they can do this again to another person". He has told you, " so it has been dealt with "and it hasn't. You asked him to send me my new parts that I put on that defective engine that they sold me, that hasn't happen and he said that this engine has been running with no problems just some noise ( knoke / taping on the #3 and #4 side) and that's normal , it has been 4 month and no engine, no refund nothing but harassment from Father and a spatially his son. If I take down the truth they will send me a refund , I think this is called extortion. Again , the son was banned and the same should be for his Father, he backs his son up and has knowledge of what he does. They both work out of the same shop. I
have been very patience with both of them. I have really tried to work with them. I told him that this would effect his lively hood, put he don't seem to care. All I want is for this to end. I am out almost $2400.00 for the defective engine that his son took to Az. and all I want is my money back. I don't want another engine, I wouldn't trust them to build a lawn mower engine. I am very leery of the the parts that was on it, so just pay me for that . I have asked to send me what you owe and how to send it to me several times. I have built a new engine that coast me about $2000.00 , So I am out of pocket over $4400. " So what do we have to do to band him just like his son. He won't post a feed back, and If he does. It is not going to have a bit of truth in it.

[Finndog]

I see "Harley Dan"is still up to his old tricks.
Buyer beware.....very aware that they may have issues with the quality of the work that comes from this "shop".
_________________
A man without a belly is merely a boy.

[bugdriver2011]

How is a seller like this still allowed to advertise and sell to people? It appears from this forum he has a number of people that have been ripped off. Hopefully people will read the feed back before dealing with him.

[gyroman010]

xhogoner, you really need to post a running time line of all communication with these people. you have a timeline that will show they way these people really operate. that is my two cents,
seems like there are alot more customers who have had similar experience!

[xhogoner]

He could of fixed this over 4 months ago. But He hasn't, never posted a thing. Well I will ask again, "WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BE BANNED FROM THESAMBA".

[Roger66]

I just purchased a longblock from Dan in July, now I'm pretty nervous.

[xhogoner]

I am not a very religious person, but I pray that you have some type of blessing, you will need it. Did you see the YouTube "Dan Olson son at Williston Fl.2 April 2017" or the 20170402 104541 and check out Dan Olson VW 1600 CORE. It sounds like the defective engine that they sold me and took it back to Az. from Fl. and never got back or any type of refund. But I got a lot of excuses and L _ _ _.
It's over "5" months and nothing from the Father and son team," The Apple don't fall to far from the tree". Everett Barnes has pulled all of his current ads since he did not reply back to him.
Get your money back, I hope you payed them with Pay Pal, you can get you money back from them.
Its called karma , they will get theirs later and they deserve every thing that they got coming.

[xhogoner]

Going on over "SIX" months. with no reply to Buyer and seller feed back from Dan Olson .He was asked by the Administrator to return parts to me and that has not happen. He was band for a short time and is back on. He was asked to reply, but nothing yet.

[bugdriver2011]

Any updates on this xhogoner? Did this get resolved?

[xhogoner]

Over 7 months and both son and Father have done nothing but bull s---- me and many others, we all know that both of them are chronic liars and have many stories to tell everybody, but not the truth, I don't know what he told Everettb, but he banned him and let him back in one week. He (Dan) was asked to put something in this feedback and he hasn't " I wonder why". Dan and his son (matt that is banded and works in the same business with his father) have been asked to refund me what I paid for this defective engine that they took back to Arizona to fix it and send it back, but it couldn't be fixed and they were asked for a refund several times and was asked to send all the NEW parts that were on that "DEFECTIVE" engine or refund the price of the parts and that has not happen.

[TESPLEY]

Hello, I found an ad by Dan Olson about rebuilding a Volkswagen engine. I called him, and he told me how amazing he was and what he would do for me. I sent him a down payment of $1700, with $800 do when he delivered it to my house. He said it would take him a month. A month went by, And I asked him when he would deliver it. He told me he couldn’t because he needed to have work done on his truck, and I need to send him $500 more or I wouldn’t get it. I sent him the money, he was said he would deliver it the following weekend. He never showed. I ask him where it was, and he said “shit happens”. I withdrew the money from PayPal back into my account. He got all upset, and told me I need to give him the money back to his PayPal account. His son got involved, who was a lot nicer than he was, and said they would ship the motor as soon as I return the $500 to the PayPal account. Eventually we worked it out, and he got his $500, and I had to pay an additional shipping fee to get the motor he was supposed to deliver to my driveway. When I got the motor, it was not the one described to me. One of the exhaust flange Bolt holes was stripped out . He was supposed to paint it a special Color for me. The paint job is awful. The parts are old, and the whole engine block has been painted to make it look like it was new. The intake manifold is all pitted and painted over. Don’t ever do business with these people. I didn’t see the forum until after I made the purchase or I would not have done it. I am posting this here hoping the next person will see it before they do what I did. I can’t say enough about how bad this deal was, and how I got ripped off. Dad knows how to get the money from you, Innoway you can’t get it back, like direct deposit to his bank account, Rather than through PayPal, or some other secure form. Once again, do not do business with these people. You will regret it.