Forrest Nearing

Cummins sells the tab

halerazor

sounds like their chasing an oil leak and they don't know whats causing it. have you seen it with the timing cover off to see if the pin is still there and how in the world did he get the pin out to lock-tite it, it is pressed in. but if their doing it for free let them. did you buy this truck from a dodge dealer in troy, i bought my first cummins from a place in troy and had to take it back after 500 miles to have it repaired becuase something went wrong with the tranny

NHDiesel

I used to work at a Dodge ***********. You wouldn't believe the crap they do. but putting a vehicle out on the front lot before checking it out is pretty normal. I started there doing QC work on incoming used vehicles. If they looked good they were put out on the lot until we could go through them. As we were able, we would road test them, then pull them in for a thorough checkup. If they passed (needed very little work, basically if they would be profitable to fix and sell), we would do the work and put them back out. If they failed, they went to the bacl lot to wait for a ride to the auction.

When it comes to the work, things get scary. Typical proceedure is to make a list of everything it needs. Off that list, we would do whatever half-arsed repairs we could without spending money. This included such practices as using black RTV to temporarily seal a ripped front driveshaft CV boot on a Grand Cherokee, since the boot could only be bought as part of the driveshaft for roughly $400. Next, any parts required would be price-checked at every local part's store. That included Napa, Sanel, VIP (similar to AutoZone), and original factory. Whatever is cheapest was ordered and installed. If $5 was saved by buying a $100 part that was made in China at VIP vs. buying a factory original, it was bought from VIP.

When people ask me about where is a good place to buy a used vehicle, I Usually tell them to avoid dealers and buy private sale. If they buy private sale, they can see who owned it and get a rough idea how it may have been treated. Do they take care of their house and yard? They probably take care of their vehicle as well. But when you buy from a dealer, you have no idea how the vehicle was used, or even the shape it was in when it came in. Its not uncommon to have to wash off mud, and any signs of hard use are removed, including trailer hitch drawbars, in-bed hitches, plows, etc. All aftermarket items are removed so it doesn't look like the vehicle was raced or abused in any way. The vehicle could have been traded in by an old woman who kept it in a garage its whole life, it could have been a leased vehicle that nobody every bothered to change the oil in, or it could have been a rental car that was purchased at auction. I QC'd one car that had the entire right side and trunk area replaced. I also found evidence that it had been a rental car. The entire right side skin had been cut off and new panels welded on. If I hadn't put it up on the lift I would have never known. The next buyer probably won't know either.

I guess my points are this: 1. Be very careful when buying from a dealer. and 2. Be very glad that you are getting a quality job done on the repairs. They could have easily cleaned off the oil and done a temporary plug of the leak with RTV and let it start leaking after the 30 day warranty is up. If I were you I probably would have negotiated to hang onto your previous vehicle until the new truck was ready to take home, but that was your mistake. Be patient, be glad you are getting a (hopefully) quality repair, and enjoy your truck when you get it.

Jim

Katmandu

Actually yes I have. My truck has been sitting OUTSIDE their shop with the whole front of the engine removed. The radiator/condensor/intercooler/front bumper & cover were also missing as well.

As of now...Friday Night 1-6-06, my truck is STILL NOT finished!!

Anyways, I did visualize the KDP. It appears the mechanic rapped it back into place and used Loctite on it.

Now....The main cause of the massive fuel leak is the gasket behind the timing cover itself. What's odd is that a big part of the gasket (located just to the LEFT of the KDP) appears to have slid out of place. The SM and the mechanic have NO ideas as to WHY this would've happened. But it did.

Sure did. Bought it at Erwin's Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge on 12-23-05.

Good to see another "Local" out here! We need to find a way for us CTD owner's around here (Dayton, Ohio area) to get together! PM me.

Katmandu

Great insightful story Jim! I was always "suspect" of *********** practices. It is disappointing thought that a Dealership that sells Dodge products NEW would NOT "Re-Certify" their Used Dodges before reselling them. Guess I'm seeing things thru Rose colored glasses.

Anyways, I had NO idea it would take this long for this repair and I believe the Dealership didn't as well.

They at 1st diagnosed the oil leak as coming from the Crank Seal. They told me about the problem during the Final paperwork session and they gave me paper (in writing) saying they would take care of it.

Well, the mechanic found out AFTER he already replaced the Crank Seal that the oil leak was STILL there and was rather significant at that!! This is where they decided to go deeper and replace the timing cover gasket.

So yes, I'm getting extremely inpatient (Like getting your favorite X-Mas present taken away from you! ), but will retain my COOL when dealing with them when I finally do pickup my truck.

I WILL have a chat with the Sales Mgr when I do pick it up and have them redo my original 30 day warranty. I'm also going to "mention" the length of time I've been WITHOUT my new truck. I'll "hint" to him to maybe toss me a couple of cookies for the inconvience of it all. Who knows ?? Have to wait and see!

kd460

Just a thought, what if the truck was already a victim of the KDP, and that is why there is an oil leak? I hope not, but, it might be worth while to be a little nosey and take a peek at things while they are apart, if have not done so already. Maybe show up with 6-pack near closing time, thank the guy for all the work he is doing, and act like your really interested/pleased with his work (as it appears you are). Check the teeth on the gears closely, the gear housing, as well as the general cleanliness of his work (crap falling into the oil pan).

And not to beat a dead horse, but I would not feel comfortable with just loc-tite. Really try to get a tab for the dowel pin. You will sleep better.

halerazor

it sounds like it has already been a victim if the kdp. my friends let loose a couple of weeks ago and guess what happened, just LEFT of the pin the gasket was sticking out. this was because when the pin lets loose the first thing it does is crack the cover and then the broken cover tears the gasket at that spot. i would definitly take another look at that timing case. look at the spot that would have been up against the section of the gasket that was raised up. if there is a line there or any weird marks it's been broken

Rrloren

big part of the gasket (located just to the LEFT of the KDP) appears to have slid out of place. The SM and the mechanic have NO ideas as to WHY this would've happened. But it did.

Exactly what I experienced. A large part of the gasket was missing. My guy told me he has seen it before, the vibration works the bolts loose and in time chaffs the gasket till parts of it fall out and leak gets worse.When he put it back together he loctited the inside bolts as well hoping this prevents a re-occurance.So far not a drop of oil leaking.
Be happy your getting it done under warranty cause it was expensive. Good luck with the truck.

Rhino

I'm also guessing the KDP might have already hit.

If the seal from the timing case against the block is leaky, the couple times I have come across it is when the timing case bolts are too loose. I have tightened the bolts when I addressed the KDP and no more leak.

As far as the CAM being out. I would have run out and bought a performance CAM. This was you would have had someone else install it for free

Katmandu

I was able to check out the pin/gears/gasket areas while the truck was sitting outside.

The mechanic had yet to pull the timing cover off to replace the gasket at this point.

There didn't appear to me to be any unusual marks or damage to the gears or housing. Although, I didn't "suspect" it to be Victim of a falled KDP at that point since the SM told me the pin was found to be "Just Loose". Kinda makes me wonder now after what you guys have said above. ???

Anyways, I feel the mechanic is doing and quality job and the repair will be a sucsess. It's just taking FOREVER AND A DAY to get it done!!

SoTexRattler

If memory serves me right, SOMEwhere in DTR is a member's picture of a KDP's dastardly deed with a section of the broken gasket sticking up outside of an obviously cracked case...

K.

Katmandu

What did he charge you ??

Curious to see how much this repair would have normal cost to do at a Dealership ??

robert chilton

I think I saw that book time was 13 hours. So with rates colse to a $100 an hour it would be an easy grand!

Rrloren

I paid $1300 for the repair. This was done at a " big" truck shop by a guy who was very familar with Cummins. I think it would have been more at a Dealer , if they were capable.

Katmandu

Dang!! Well....that's EXACTLY what Robert quoted right above your posting!

I sure am GLAD that the Dealer is gonna eat the cost on my truck!!!!!