Watch out for Mizumoto

[eppoh]

My garage is full with another project, so I sent my Honda to a shop for the timing belt job.

 

I bought the kit from a vendor on ebay that has been mentioned here before- Mizuomoto.

 

Big mistake. After the job was done. the crank seal started leaking oil immediately,. I was not leaking with the old seals.

 

The shop pulled the seal and found that it had no metal reinforcement on the inside of the seal, like the original or the one they bought from the local parts store.

 

This is gonna cost me a lot extra to pay the shop for this cheap quality seal.

 

I won't make that mistake again. Hope no one on this board does either.

 

Mizumoto offered a 40 dollar refund.

[davebugs]

I've heard them mentioned.

 

I've had good luck and service from theimportexperts who I learned about here at USMB. Prices are similar to the place you had issues with.

 

I've bought a lot of timing components from them. Occasionally have an issue - which they handle well, quickly, and fair.

 

Had a problem a week ago. Shorted a part in the box and the "makeup shipment" arrived 4 hours after the job was done. Handled quickly and well the return of the items.

 

No personal experiance with their cam/crank seals but I've mentioned here I did get them when getting an idler set for a 2.5 SOHC for friends but we haven't done the install yet. Seem to be the same materials and construction as OEM when I looked them over.

 

Sucks when parts fail. There is a known bad supplier of VW diesel timing components with many store fronts - and they are all "Prothe". And those used engines are like 4k. Folks "save" maybe 100 bucks buy buying this guys crap. They find the TDI forum after major damage from the kit. Kind of like folks discover this site after overheating issues.

 

Annouing enough when you're doing the work. When you're paying someone else it's even worse.

[idosubaru]

the mistake was using aftermarket seals. i, and others, have had aftermarket seals leak before too. someone on another forum mic'ed some seals before and compared dimensions against OEM, showing a difference on a Subaru seal. some suppliers probably carry Subaru OEM supplier parts too, i just haven't bothered to look into it since there's no cost savings benefit for me.

[Quidam]

 

I bought the kit from a vendor on ebay that has been mentioned here before- Mizuomoto.

 

Big mistake. After the job was done. the crank seal started leaking oil immediately,

 

The shop pulled the seal and found that it had no metal reinforcement on the inside of the seal, like the original or the one they bought from the local parts store.

 

I won't make that mistake again. Hope no one on this board does either.

 

Mizumoto offered a 40 dollar refund.

 

Some thoughts. You supplied the parts so the mechanic won't warranty them.

 

The metal "tension spring" was MISSING. No?

 

Why did the mechanic not catch a missing spring?

 

Fourty bucks is fourty bucks. Did you take it? They wouldn't have control of whether or not the spring was in it after it left them.

 

Doug

[davebugs]

the mistake was using aftermarket seals. i, and others, have had aftermarket seals leak before too. someone on another forum mic'ed some seals before and compared dimensions against OEM, showing a difference on a Subaru seal. some suppliers probably carry Subaru OEM supplier parts too, i just haven't bothered to look into it since there's no cost savings benefit for me.

 

I have always used OEM cam/crank seals. I also happen to like their WP gaskets but last kit I bought the WP from theimportexperts and the WP gasket was the OEM style (rubber coated metal) and seemed quality.

[eppoh]

Some thoughts. You supplied the parts so the mechanic won't warranty them.

 

The metal "tension spring" was MISSING. No?

 

Why did the mechanic not catch a missing spring?

 

Fourty bucks is fourty bucks. Did you take it? They wouldn't have control of whether or not the spring was in it after it left them.

 

Doug

 

It was not the tension spring that was missing. There is a metal sleeve that supports the inside wall of the seal- that was missing.

 

The shop that did it ,said they noticed but assumed it was a superseded part.

 

No, since I supplied the part, they did not warranty the work, but they were very gracious about it and did not charge me any extra labor to go back in and replace the faulty seal.

 

I paid them an extra hours labor anyway for their trouble. Not their fault. I want to maintain a good relationship with them, since they are so accommodating and technically proficient.

 

I will avoid Mizumoto from now on.

 

I recall checking with importexperts but maybe they did not have the kit I needed.

[idosubaru]

No, since I supplied the part, they did not warranty the work, but they were very gracious about it and did not charge me any extra labor to go back in and replace the faulty seal.

 

I paid them an extra hours labor anyway for their trouble. Not their fault. I want to maintain a good relationship with them, since they are so accommodating and technically proficient.

 

I will avoid Mizumoto from now on.

 

I recall checking with importexperts but maybe they did not have the kit I needed.

that is awesome for it to shake out like that. that is a really generous move for them and stand up move from you as well.

 

even if you go with the importexperts i'd still go with Subaru *seals* every time unless someone here verifies for certain the others are Subaru OEM supplied seals too.

[GeneralDisorder]

I buy their kits and install their supplied (brown - probably Buna-n) seals all the time. If properly installed with a proper tool (hard to do on a Honda being transverse) they are just fine.

 

I have probably installed several DOZEN of these kits and not a single complaint. On the Subaru kits they always supply 4 cam seals (rubberized outer metal ring) even on the SOHC engines so I have a monster baggy of extra cam seals for the occasional installation mishap .

 

Parts suppliers are only half the equation - it's up to the mechanic installing the parts to judge their fitness for use and their quality. Mizumoauto has always supplied me with Japanese bearing idlers and decent quality water pumps, seals, and belts. I ALWAYS tell everone what quality of parts they are getting and under NO circumstances are the parts to be allowed to run past the next timing belt change. With the price of the "kit" it's a no-brainer to just replace all the parts every single time.

 

Knock on wood..... but I have had exactly one shipping mistake through them - sent me an incorrect idler. They promptly sent me the correct one without question and I sent back their mistake.

 

I for one see no problem with their kits - perhaps the problem is with their "Honda" kits. Which I will take note of - though I have installed two of their Honda 4 cylinder kits - also without incident. So I have to wonder what happened here. It is the poor mechanic that blames his tools or his parts.....

 

GD

[heartless]

Well, I ordered, and recieved last night, two of the mizumo auto timing kits for our Legacy's - and of course just see this post this morning...so GD - I am going to take your word on the kits and go ahead and use them - both cars are slightly over due for this service...really do not want to put it off any longer if i dont have to. One will be done this weekend for sure...

 

there is one thing that I would like to say about the seal in question however...

The shop that did it ,said they noticed but assumed it was a superseded part.

never, ever assume (rump roast-u-me) if something doesnt seem right - CHECK IT OUT!

 

I did, however, just run out to the garage and check all the seals that came in my kits, and they do seem to be fine, nothing appears missing or mis-manufactured.

 

I honestly dont really think that it is fair to slam the supplier for what is probably a fluke mis-manufactured part, and they DID offer you refund money for your trouble in an attempt to make things right with you. a $40 refund for one seal seems way more than fair to me. just my thoughts...

[eppoh]

Well let me ask you something. Are you certain that all those seals meet factory specs by just looking at them? If so, you are a mechanical genius.

 

As far as assuming; it is easy to Monday morning quarterback, but I can't count how many times in 40 years of bending wrenches I have found a replacement part to be different and be told that is was just superseded.

 

It's just not reality to expect that a mechanic in a busy auto repair shop would stop what he is doing based on some vague suspicion that the 5 dollar seal is sub-standard because it looks different.

 

You can't call the engineer in the plant in China and ask him about it, and I promise you an ebay seller won't have a clue.

 

If the seller of the parts aren't supposed to be held responsible for the crap they sell, then who is responsible?

 

Bottom line; the part is sub-standard by design or manufacturing process, so I won't buy from that parts house again. I have had good experiences with other online parts sellers such as importexports and west end engine supply. I have noticed in the past that mizumoto undersells almost everyone on kits like this. Now I know why.

 

As far as the money; it cost me a lot more than the 40 they refunded to get it right. If I had bought the part from the local auto parts supplier or the shop themselves - they would have covered it 100%

 

Good luck on your job, you may need it.

[heartless]

without getting out the micrometer (which i can do if you like), no, i cant tell just by looking if they are up to spec - but they do all appear to have the tension spring, and they do all have the expected rigidity - which, if i was reading your original complaint correctly, the part you got did not have.

And for the record, Yes, I would check on something if it didnt seem quite right - but I dont work in a "busy" shop either.

 

I can understand your frustration with the situation, and yeah, it probably did you cost you more than $40 to get it resolved, i guess i am just playing devils advocate if you will - one bad seal out of how many hundreds??? it happens.

do you think NAPA or O'Riellys or any other parts store would refund you $40 for a bad seal - i kind of doubt it - you might get the cost of the seal, but nothing more, so in that respect, you were treated more than fairly by the supplier.

 

I appreciate the good luck wishes, as yes, i may just need them.

Have a great weekend.

[eppoh]

without getting out the micrometer (which i can do if you like), no, i cant tell just by looking if they are up to spec - but they do all appear to have the tension spring, and they do all have the expected rigidity - which, if i was reading your original complaint correctly, the part you got did not have.

And for the record, Yes, I would check on something if it didnt seem quite right - but I dont work in a "busy" shop either.

 

I can understand your frustration with the situation, and yeah, it probably did you cost you more than $40 to get it resolved, i guess i am just playing devils advocate if you will - one bad seal out of how many hundreds??? it happens.

do you think NAPA or O'Riellys or any other parts store would refund you $40 for a bad seal - i kind of doubt it - you might get the cost of the seal, but nothing more, so in that respect, you were treated more than fairly by the supplier.

 

I appreciate the good luck wishes, as yes, i may just need them.

Have a great weekend.

 

 

As I said, the spring was there. Were it not, I'm sure Justin would not have installed it.

 

As for the refund; I have seen the local Parts Pro and auto zone pay labor and parts charges on faulty parts, after a claim was made with the supplier,. One for an AC compressor, and the other was a shock.

[Frank B]

So how have these kits from Mizumoauto held up so far?

[GeneralDisorder]

By my estimate I have installed at least two dozen of the mizumoauto kits. I have not had a single failure or complaint. And that goes for their Honda kits as well.

 

I buy enough parts to know what's quality and what isn't. I inspect each and every part for fitment and proper operatation before I hang it. I don't have failures.

 

The one issue with the mizumoauto kits that I forgot to mention is that on the older style tensioner idler (the piston style used through '97) the bushing that goes through the idler and provides the eccentric for the idler is too short and thus is too tight once installed - not allowing the idler to rotate properly. This is not really an issue though since you just use the bushing from the old idler - they aren't a wear item.

 

Beyond that and a single shipping error I have had no problems at all. I know that one of their kits I installed is approaching it's 60k interval on a '91 Legacy. The owner drives 160 miles a day and has racked up over 50k on the mizumoauto kit without incident.

 

End of the day - they run just fine and save my customers money. That's what it's all about. I will continue to diligently inspect every component durring installation and if I find a problem or if I see a premature failure on any of the components be assured I will post here about it.

 

GD

[heartless]

so far so good on mine - have around 2500-3000 miles on it so far.

[SchwarzeEwigkt]

Mine's good after about 5k too.

[Frank B]

Thanks for the replies!

 

The kits with water pump just went on sale.

[Frank B]

I got the kit, and dug into the car yesterday. I ended up not even using the belt or water pump since the ones on my car have been replaced recently. The whole point of tearing into it was to replace one leaking cam seal, I just wanted to have all the parts on hand just in case. I took off the oil pump and replaced the little O ring behind it, glad I did because it was flat and no loner an O, more of a D. The timing belt covers were half broken by the last monkey that had it apart, and broke the rest of the way when I had my hands in it, so I'm running it with no covers. I made my own timing marks on the engine above/behind the cam pulleys by stamping a mark using a screwdriver as a punch, then put a dab of white paint in the mark. It's not precision but it will do.

But, I forgot about the spacer in the tensioner pully and I had to leave the bolt a little loose until I released the tensioner, then tightened the bolt. It's ok for now, but the tensioner can't adjust. So I'll dig into it again next week and replace it with the spacer from the old one. And, helicoil the threads for the tensioner since that monkey stripped half of them....

 

 

 

Overall I think the kit was of good quality, the belt doesn't have marks on it so unless you've replaced it enough times to be familiar with the process, get a different belt. The kit with water pump is half the price of just the pulleys/idlers, so it's worth it just for them.

Edited August 12, 2011 by Frank B