Started my '03 so it could warm up a bit this past Monday. I went back into the house for a cup of coffee and to gather my things. I heard it stall so I went out to restart it. Turned the key and nothing but clicks.....thinking the batteries were down for some reason I checked the voltage and it was fine. Pulled the dipstick to find it completely dry. I looked under the truck and found a river of motor oil running down my driveway. Dealer say's the oil pan rotted out causing a complete loss of oil and the engine to seize. Luckily it has 64K on it and still has a warrantee. The dealer has ordered a new engine.

Anyone else have this experience? Perhaps we should all be taking a careful look at our oil pans. I would note there was no sign of a leak prior to this.

 

OMG!!! I have never heard of such a thing with our trucks!!!

Drain plug was fine??? Somebody tamper with something?

What could cause an oil pan to "rot" out?

 

All I can say is WOW!!!

 

Road salt!!!!!!

 

I think it is more common in the 7.3 powderjoke than anything else. We had one replaced in our 96 350 and our 01 350 will need it soon, both are plow trucks. Usually you will start to see a little seepage before all lets go. Good to hear you are covered under warranty.-Frog

 

Man, that sounds strange! I live in Rochester, NY (similar weather and road salt as Ithaca), and my 1999 3500 was 7 years old when I traded her in with no rust on the oil pan at all! Thanks for the "heads-up" on this Synchiropus! I'll have to keep a closer eye on my 2006. Sorry you had the trouble, but I'm glad they are going to replace the engine for you!

 

Wow, I'll be thinking of this next time I forget my coffee.

I guess we don't have an oil pressure idiot light either, just the dumb guage.

No oil drips on the driveway, or up the street to the driveway, or anything?

Rotted out oil pans? When did these pans start rotting out? What are they made of? I grew up in a rust bucket state, but maybe that was before they started to cheap out on oil pan material.

So glad to hear you've got the warranty intact.

 

And the dealer appears to be taking care of you!

Keep us informed of how it goes!

Tony

 

Wow, I never would have thought! Body panels I understand...but I never would have thought salt would get to the engine pan or at least not to the extent to cause rust like that. First I have heard of it, ever!

 

I wouldlike to see pics. I have a hard time believing an oil pan would rust through in 4 years.

 

Me too, I just threw that out there. I know nothing about road salt living in California.

 

hhhmmm... maybe you guys that have your trucks exposed to those conditions should install low oil level shutdown switches.

 

Lived and worked in the Detroit Metro area for most of my adult life (1966 - 2001). Rusted out oil pans are nothing new, especially in the "rust" belt. SO glad I don't live there any more! Sunny Middle Tennessee now!

 

Truck should have shut down with no oil pressure long before engine seized up! I smell something funny, or not so funny. Computer says, hmmm, no oil pressure, I turn engine off.

 

The local Dodge dealer is not going to do the engine swap. The truck was towed to a nearby shop that works on heavy duty trucks. They will be doing the work........hopefully a good thing!

The dealer said the oilpan rust-through issue is more common on vehicles that are not used regularly. During winter my truck is only used during snowfall for light plowing.