After the garage inspected the damage it appears that the bolt holding the jockey wheel to the block has absolutely no thread left on it and there is the remnants of a lot of liquid metal around where it bolts into the engine. Whether someone had just attempted to bond the stripped bolt in place or had filled the hole, drilled and then tapped it rather than using a helicoil or similiar is unclear (in this case the thread may have stripped as the bolt spun in the hole when the liquid steel gave way). Either way it was a complete lash up.
According to the garage, when the engine arrived even the rocker covers were sealed with blobs of paint and they weren't allowed to undo anything without permission from the supplier otherwise it would have invalidated the 90 day warranty and unless they had actually attempted to remove the jockey wheel there is no way they would have seen anything was amiss so it looks like it's down to the people who supplied the engine. Now comes the battle to get them to pay for the labour costs of replacing or repairing the engine and the recovery cost in additiion to any parts.
On the bright side it seems like ther is a good chance that the cambelt may have only jumped a tooth or two so internal damage may be small.
I'll keep you all posted.
ps.
Any good UK lawyers here (just in case!)
According to the garage, when the engine arrived even the rocker covers were sealed with blobs of paint and they weren't allowed to undo anything without permission from the supplier otherwise it would have invalidated the 90 day warranty and unless they had actually attempted to remove the jockey wheel there is no way they would have seen anything was amiss so it looks like it's down to the people who supplied the engine. Now comes the battle to get them to pay for the labour costs of replacing or repairing the engine and the recovery cost in additiion to any parts.
On the bright side it seems like ther is a good chance that the cambelt may have only jumped a tooth or two so internal damage may be small.
I'll keep you all posted.
ps.
Any good UK lawyers here (just in case!)