My CTSC Nightmare... 56k Warning!

[SaberX]

Hopefully nothing you read here happens to your brand new Autorotor CTSC... if it does, well good luck! Here's my story...:frown:

After waiting weeks longer than expected to get my CTSC in the Autorotor group buy I finally installed my CTSC this summer. I was pleased with the results - but from the first day JohnZ and I noticed some oil coming out of the bolt on the blower snout. He called Comptech and they assured him "a little oil is normal". Well, with every day I drove the car more oil was not only accumulating but it was losing oil at a faster rate.

During the next 3 months I kept calling Comptech explaining my situation but they kept reassuring me that it seemed "ok" but they were going to check with Autorotor. Well I would never hear back from them - assuming I was getting lost in the shuffle.... I finally couldn't stand it any more. I was having to put oil in the blower on a regular basis and it didn't seem like the techs at Comptech were "getting" the severity of the situation. My whole engine bay, belt, everything was getting covered in oil. So I took a bunch of pictures and sent them to the lead engineer. These are the annotated photos I sent.

Well they finally admitted there could be an issue and decided that we should start on getting the issue sorted out. Here's where it gets interesting.

First, even with the picutres Comptech couldn't tell me that the blower would be covered under warranty! They said that Autorotor would have to look at it and decide if it would be covered under warranty. What!?! The thing is blowing oil all over my engine from day one and you can't tell me you'll fix it for free? Comptech also told me that according to their warranty policy only parts were covered under warranty (assuming Autorotor would warantee the fix at all) and NOT LABOR. However, labor was at their discretion so they may choose to pay for my R&R costs.

At this point I was given two options: 1- Buy a brand new blower at as close to cost as they could sell it to me and send mine in and hope that it was warranty-able so that I would reimbursed. or 2 - park my car and rip the blower off and send it to Comptech and have them sort it out. I was told to expect 1-2 weeks complete turnaround time including shipping for option 2. The implication being that once they got the thumbs up from Autorotor, Comptech would ship me a new blower ASAP. I chose option 2 as I don't really have a few grand to throw at a new blower and hope I get reimbursed. (Turns out Autorotor will only repair blowers and won't authorize Comptech to send a new one out.)

It turns out that JohnZ(ZahnTech) was nice enough to come to my house and remove the blower so my car could stay parked in my garage while it was ripped apart. When we took the blower off we saw even more upsetting oil issues. Not only had I been blowing oil out, I had been blowing oil into my engine. Covering everything was a thick film on 20/50 oil everywhere. In the blower, in the engine, EVERYWHERE. I was so pissed. So I decided to take some more pictures and send them to Comptech:

I figured with all this evidence Comptech could just do the right thing for a customer who spent several thousand dollars with them and ship me a new unit. Unfortunately, it was the same thing. "Sorry, we can't do anything until we get it and Autorotor says its defective."

So I pack it up on August 28th and ship it off. It arrives to Comptech on Sept. 5th. They look at it and decide they still have to send it to Autorotor - but they have to send it to Autorotor US on the east coast. So they send it over to Connecticut somewhere. When it arrives Autorotor US says, "We can't service this or even look at it. We can ship it to Sweden for you or ship it to our US repair facility." Comptech decided the US repair was the best call, so the blower gets shipped from Connecticut to the repair facility which is a few miles from Comptech! Ugh! Red tape....

Once the blower arrives at the repair facility they promptly let Comptech know on Sept 20th that they "will not even be able to look at the blower for at least two weeks"! After calling Comptech every other day for updates I finally find this info out yesterday. I was crushed! I should add that Comptech did say they would try to pressure the repair place to fix it sooner - but it didn't sound like they could do much of anything.

So to recap - its taken 15 days since Comptech recieved my blower to make it a few miles away to a blower repair facility that won't even look at it for another two weeks. Realistically, if I'm lucky, I'm looking at another month without a blower coming back to me.

What upsets me is not just the time without my car working- its the fact that it was like pulling teeth to get Comptech to recognize my issue and work with me....and then it was just a bunch of unknowns and hollow stories about how I should be back on the road in no time.

I bought a "Comptech" supercharger kit not an "Autorotor" kit. I shouldn't have to care about Autorotor and their return policy, it should just happen. I know not every company can afford to absorbs costs like that, but I believe I provided enough evidence for my warranty claim. Now on top of all my hassle I'm going to be out another few hundred bucks in shipping and R&R on a blower that didn't work correctly from day one.

Don't get me wrong, I think the CTSC is a great product and Comptech is not a bad company. I just think they could have handled the situation better. I also wanted to inform my fellow CTSC owners of possible pitfalls in the warranty process.

I'll keep updating this thread as I get more information.

 

[BioBanker]

Very sorry to hear of your problems. I too get some oil coming out the vent, but NOTHING like that.

It seems that Comptech just was not listening to you from the beginning. It seems like they shrugged it off as being typical venting. I wonder how closely they looked at those pictures. That is a shame.

I agree - you purchased a Comptech unit. It should be up to Comptech to make sure you're righted BEFORE they worry about whether or not Autorotor will right them.

That is what Id expect.

 

[The Kid]

I was scared something like this was going to happen. I think I may have the last of the old school superchargers produced and that was the only way I was buying one. I knew that the new one would have more power and all, but I didnt feel safe. Comptech is a good company and im sure in the end, they will do the right thing. Keep your head up.:wink:

One a side note, I too get that oil spray on my back window. I always assumed it was normal, not as bad as you...but I still get it.

 

[Vega$ NSX]

Aww man bummer! :frown: When I saw the topic headline and your name as the main poster my stomach sunk and I was hoping for the best. I remember back when we both went FI at about the same time, you with the CTSC and me with the FX500. After delay after delay I remember being a bit envious :tongue: of you because you were out tearing it up in your boosted car while I was still waiting. I figured that with the CTSC reputation you were going to have the more reliable system too. It was really cool to follow your progress as I patiently waited for my system to be built.

On the positive side, from the looks of it, there doesn't seem to be much/any engine damage. No blown engine; that's good. I also get the feeling that in the end Comptech and Autorotor will take care of you, but you will probably have to put up with a lot of delays and red tape. All I can say is that now is a good time to practice on your patience; it'll come in handy. I definitely know the 'naked' feeling of seeing your NSX daily but not being able to drive it. Hang in there, and if you ever come to Vegas again, I'll give you a ride to get your boost fix in the meantime. :biggrin:

 

[btcog82]

:frown:

 

[NSXROC]

Oh boy, Brian, I am so sorry to hear about the bad news. I hope your next contact with Comptech will yield some good news. I totally understand your frustration. I think it's BS Comptech is taking care of you this way. It doesn't sound like they are standing behind their product this time. If they still want to keep their good image, they need to step up. It doesn't matter if they got the parts from Autorotor. You bought the darn thing becuase it's offered by Comptech. The only reason that I got mine was the frequent good comments of the Comptech prodcuts and their customer service. I felt confident and safe with the Comptech unit.

Let me know if there's anything I can do for you. If you need to look at a car with CTSC working properly(I haven't really driven the car after the install), let me know.

Good luck.

 

[lutera]

If I were you, I'd be mad too and I don't understand why any oil spraying is normal

I was thinkning about buying CTSC in near future. This may change things........

 

[TURBO2GO]

Please keep us updated as to what happens. Yes, you are correct when you say you bought a Comptech kit and not an Autorotor kit. It is Comptech's problem if the parts they sell are bad, they can't pass the buck to autorotor on your time.

Thanks for posting. I will keep an eye on mine now. Do you have any idea where the problem is?

 

[apple27]

I was thinkning about buying CTSC in near future. This may change things........

Same here!

 

[PAUL M]

That sucks. Sorry to hear about it.I was hoping they would give you better customer service than that.Hope everything works out for you.
I'll keep an eye on mine now also
Paul M

 

[SaberX]

Please keep us updated as to what happens. Yes, you are correct when you say you bought a Comptech kit and not an Autorotor kit. It is Comptech's problem if the parts they sell are bad, they can't pass the buck to autorotor on your time.

Thanks for posting. I will keep an eye on mine now. Do you have any idea where the problem is?

Comptech thinks the problem stems from a bearing seal that is bad. This allows oil to get sucked in under vacuum and oil to get blown out under boost. Assuming this is the case, it should be a simple fix. But this is just their thoughts and is not confirmed. It also doesn't mean it will get fixed at the repair place any faster. I'm hoping it isn't something that needs some random part that is currently in Sweden. We shall see...

 

[TURBO2GO]

Man this is pretty simple for Comptech. Look at the unit, if its a bad seal, take the loss, give the customer a new one (since its only been a few weeks), and then deal with autorotor on your own time. Send it back to wherever.

I hope someone from Comptech is reading this thread. Stuff like this is what kills future sales.

Its bad enough you may have to pay for all the labor. Least they can do is expedite getting you a new unit.

 

[NSXROC]

I hope someone from Comptech is reading this thread. Stuff like this is what kills future sales.
QUOTE]

I totally agree with you Turbo. If I had heard about this before my purchase, Comptech would not have gotten my business.

People will think if something severe happens on their unit, they might not get the help from Comptech.

 

[Hrant]

Brian, after I sent you a PM, I called Comptech to find out for myself, as we really cherish the relationship we have with Comptech which has been a long time supporter of our NSXCA - Sacramento Chapter.

I want to make clear that I am not speaking on behalf of Comptech. But I can assure that every effort is being made to satisfactorily resolve the issue with your blower. And Comptech more than often has gone beyond the warranty legalese to make sure that their customers are happy and enjoy their products.

Having said this, the reality in warrantying substantially costly products is that the retailer or manufacturer has to inspect and determine the cause of the defective product before committing to replacement or repair or offer other considerations - as there can be many causes and not all are due to defective product. That is a prudent safeguard and allows due process for all involved. Unfortunately, the manufacturer is based in Sweden and they have only two facilities in the US where such inspection/repair can be done. And Comptech volunteered to drive to the shop (I think it is some 45 miles away) the moment it was ready. It is my understanding that your blower is the first of the Autorotor blowers that has shown such oil consumption.

If I can surmise from your posts, Comptech did offer you a new blower at substantial discount as an interim solution until they find out what the problem is with your blower. However, this meant you had to tie some additional funds which obviously is a risk you are assuming based on assertions that the blower is defective. This may be indeed the case. But what if your blower is determined to be not defective and the problem is elsewhere? How would you have proposed an interim scenario that would safeguard both parties' interests?

Your frustration should not be with Comptech as they will do the right thing with you. It's the logistics of dealing with a company outside the US where communications take 72 hours to go back and forth, and their service capabilities within the US. This is outside of Comptech's control. Yes, waiting for 3-4 weeks to get this resolved is a bummer, but then again, the good news is that you are addressing your problem with Comptech which has a reputation of standing behind their product; they have far more to lose by not satisfactorily addressing your concerns if and when they determine what caused the problem.

Try to tap your reserves for more patience, I am sure it will work out :wink:

 

[SaberX]

Hrant - I appreciate you looking into this further. You make a very good and well reasoned response. Do I think Comptech is trying to help me? Yes. I also understand that Comptech needs to have policies that allow the company to remain profitable and not ship out new blowers the instant someone cries wolf.
The primary purpose of my post was to specifically call out the issue around blower oil leakage in the hopes that anyone in the future will be able to diagnose and resolve simliar issues ASAP. My posts second purpose was to illustrate what I feel is a cumbersome and unclear warranty process on the blower. Although it may be byproduct of Autorotor being in Sweden, my point of pain is still with Comptech. As a buyer, I just assumed it wouldn't be "this difficult" to get my blower sorted out. If I had known that any issue with my blower would have taken two months to get sorted out - would I have still bought the supercharger kit? Probably - it's just the best retail SC kit that money can buy for the NSX.
I know Comptech is doing what they can and I believe they will do the right thing. I will wait patiently and will be sure to update this thread with what I hope will be a positive outcome.

 

[Hrant]

Hrant - I appreciate you looking into this further.

.......

I know Comptech is doing what they can and I believe they will do the right thing. I will wait patiently and will be sure to update this thread with what I hope will be a positive outcome.

Brain, more than happy to do so especially if it will help. It is unfortunate that part of the issue appears to be in the communication since a certain amount of discharge is normal and it took until the pictures (some 3 mos later I presume) to get the ball rolling; and the ball rolled immediately thereafter if I am not mistaken. Comments by third parties regarding who took whom seriously, and who contacted whom when are not helpful nor warranted since they are not privy to all the details.

Your post #15 helps refocus the issue where it belongs. And again if I understood your one issue correctly, it appears to me that "this difficult" is really the workings of Comptech and Autorotor going through their first warranty experience after whatever number of sold units. So there is a bit of a learning curve for both parties re the two cultures of doing business and the processes in place to expedite future claims.

And yes Comptech will do the right thing based on the outcome of what they find out. I won't comment on the dollar amount for option #1, but suffice it to note that I believe it was more than just good faith from their part. That is your positive signal right there.

 

[SaberX]

I won't comment on the dollar amount for option #1, but suffice it to note that I believe it was more than just good faith from their part. That is your positive signal right there.

Hrant - the only problem with option #1 is this. If I buy the new blower and other blower doesn't come back as a waranty fix then I just spent a couple thousand dollars more on a second blower (even at close to their cost) and I would have a big heavy oily paperweight with the first. Unfortunately, there was no way Comptech could tell me that I would be reimbursed and if I wasn't going to be reimbursed I would have to eat the cost. They explained that to me plain and simple. Knowing my luck so far, I just didn't want to risk that. So I personally, don't really feel like option #1 was really "that good" of an option for me and it was zero risk to them. Which is why I chose option #2. I think given the circumstances most people would have chosen #2.

 

[BD]

Hrant - the only problem with option #1 is this. If I buy the new blower and other blower doesn't come back as a waranty fix then I just spent a couple thousand dollars more on a second blower (even at close to their cost) and I would have a big heavy oily paperweight with the first. Unfortunately, there was no way Comptech could tell me that I would be reimbursed and if I wasn't going to be reimbursed I would have to eat the cost. They explained that to me plain and simple. Knowing my luck so far, I just didn't want to risk that. So I personally, don't really feel like option #1 was really "that good" of an option for me and it was zero risk to them. Which is why I chose option #2. I think given the circumstances most people would have chosen #2.

Better Business Bureau!!!

Comptech need to replace your unit, including parts and labor, and some. There is a good reason why their CTSC is retail at over $10 grand. Regardless the GB price.

 

[NSXROC]

Brian,

Did you buy the CTSC with a credit card? If yes, was it a gold or platinum card? I know most of the credit card companies offer purchase protections if the merchandise is bought totally on the card. You might want to look at the cardholder agreement or card member benefits and see if they can help you in any way.

 

[Racerxjling]

I agree that I would have chosen option #2. On a side note is there any recourse with the credit card company assuming you paid via cc. Good luck.

Jeff

 

[zahntech]

The reply was

"we sent it over to the east coast, to Autorotor and they could not look at it because they are just a sales office, then we sent it down the street to a repair shop,they don't have time to look at it for another two weeks"

 

[TURBO2GO]

Is Autorotor that big a company that Comptech to them is a nobody? Its one thing when an individual takes a unit to be looked at, its another when a vendor who has bought a hundred of your units does so. Can't Comptech say "we don't have two weeks for you to take a look" and get them to do it quicker? If its a production issue by chance, you'd want to know about it as soon as possible I would think.

 

[ryan1926]

Sorry to hear about your dilemma. After reading this post I immediately started inspecting my engine bay. I noticed that I was getting a very small amount of oil leaking from the spot that you mentioned. However, it was not nearly as much as yours. Is a slight oil leak from that particular location normal or something that will get worse over time? I have approx. 3K miles on my Autorotor SC. Thanks in advance!

 

[zahntech]

Is Autorotor that big a company that Comptech to them is a nobody? Its one thing when an individual takes a unit to be looked at, its another when a vendor who has bought a hundred of your units does so. Can't Comptech say "we don't have two weeks for you to take a look" and get them to do it quicker? If its a production issue by chance, you'd want to know about it as soon as possible I would think.

"Autorotor" is not the one "looking" at it, a small shop in Cali that Autorotor sugjested is inspecting and possibly repairing it...in two weeks.

 

[zahntech]

Sorry to hear about your dilemma. After reading this post I immediately started inspecting my engine bay. I noticed that I was getting a very small amount of oil leaking from the spot that you mentioned. However, it was not nearly as much as yours. Is a slight oil leak from that particular location normal or something that will get worse over time? I have approx. 3K miles on my Autorotor SC. Thanks in advance!

yes a small amount of oil from that area on the snout is normal,..this unit was loosing oil at a rapid rate.