Do you think I got screwed, or is it just part of the hobby?

cudamark said

Check to see if the pistons were installed on the rods correctly and that the piston notches all face the same correct direction. I had a machine shop press the rods on backwards for me once. Caused the oil hole to face the wrong way and not oil the cylinder walls like it was supposed to.

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Yep, been done that way once myself but caught it before installing them in the engine. The machine shop guy insisted they were pressed on right until I asked him to lay out the pistons with the chamfers facing as they would on the crank, noting the dots on the pistons. The only reason I had to have a machine shop press them on is I did not have a press at the time and the only way I could get my stroker kit was with the rods and pistons shipped separate. The only thing I needed to rely on local help for and they could not get it right the first time. I prefer to bolt my engine pieces together for that reason.