I purchased an Edelbrock intake manifold, gasket, and carburetor from a local supplier and they referred me to Robert Youngblood II to install the new parts on my Ford truck. The company I purchased the parts from had been led to believe that Mr. Youngblood was a mechanical engineer and qualified to perform the work. Mr. Youngblood confirmed his qualifications as a mechanical engineer when I arranged to have the new parts I had already purchased delivered to his shop and to leave my truck with him for the installation.
I discussed the work to be performed again with Mr. Youngblood at his shop prior to the start of the "easy" job, but in addition to the parts I had supplied, I wanted him to install a double roller chain cam set and give the engine a full tune up once all the parts were installed. Job was to be performed ASAP.
After waiting a week with no call from Mr. Youngblood, I called him and he told me the job was ongoing. Several days later he called me and told me my radiator had restricted flow and should be replaced with a new one and that my existing exhaust mufflers, though practically new, should be replaced with performance mufflers. I agreed to both since my radiator was the original and the new mufflers could be a better choice for the Edelbrock intake and carburetor performance upgrades.
After about two weeks I called Mr. Youngblood again and asked when the truck would be ready and again he told me the work was still ongoing.in that conversation, I asked how the double roller chain cam set installation was going and he responded that he wasn't aware that he was supposed to install one, though I had specifically requested it before the work had begun. He then ordered the set from the same company I purchased the Edelbrock parts from and it was installed.
Finally, after 20 days, Mr. Youngblood called me to let me know my truck was ready to go. I expected the bill to be somewhere between $1,600 and $1,800, at the most, for all of the work performed and additional parts added.instead it was for $2,683.94. I knew it was about $1,000 over the going rates professionals charge in the Salt Lake City market to do everything he had done, but I could deal with that overcharge later once I had the truck in my possession.
My major concern at the time was to test drive my truck to see that everything worked properly because I had already begun to suspect that Mr. Youngblood was not a mechanical engineer as claimed based on many of the "know it all" but "know nothing" comments he made to me.
I returned from my 60 mile test drive and opened the hood to discover that the engine compartment was saturated with motor oil. I immediately returned the truck the Mr. Youngblood. He looked under the hood and said, "I don't see a problem." Fortunately, one of his employees looked under the hood, as well, and acknowledged the engine compartment oil bath.
The problem was most likely a blown intake manifold gasket caused by not properly venting the engine - my original oil filler/breather cap was somehow misplaced and a $14 Chevrolet non-vented cap was installed instead. But, Mr. Youngblood insisted it was quite possibly a blown head gasket - something he had not installed and a very costly job - and he said I had to leave the truck with him then and there. I had to call a taxi to get home.
I also knew then that Mr. Youngblood was not a mechanical engineer and did not perform the work, met the mechanic who had actually performed the Edelbrock installation - his first attempt - and suspected the second attempt to properly install the intake manifold would likely fail, as well. I also was concerned about what other damage may have resulted by not properly venting my engine.
It was, infact, the intake manifold gasket that had failed, and it failed again with the addition of a sticking throttle the second time around.
It was obvious by then that Sterling Automotive (Robert L. Youngblood II) had neither the expertise or experience to properly install my performance parts.By then I also had two estimates from legitimate shops for all of the equivalent work and parts Mr. Youngblood had supplied and they were between $1,000 and $850 less than the bill I got from Sterling Automotive.
I then confronted Mr. Youngblood and showed him how out of line his charges were, including parts where he had added 100% or more markup. He laughed and said he marks up all performance parts 100% to as much as 300%. I then told him he defrauded me by pretending to be a mechanical engineer - who I thought would actually be performing the installation. He laughed again and asked me if I knew what a "Curriculum Vitae" is?
Though I didn't respond with "It means that because you own a muffler and brake shop, that somehow makes you a self appointed mechanical engineer, " I couldn't help but wonder if he had ever applied a bandage if that meant he was a doctor, as well, and yet another "Curriculum Vitae" he had acquired.instead, I informed him that I would be filing a complaint in court for money damages and he immediately "banned" me from his premises.
In my opinion, Mr. Youngblood, the faux mechanical engineer, should not be permitted to promote his business based on fraudulant academic claims which he flaunts continually.
A master rip-off pro is what he really is, and he does have years of experience doing what he does best.
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