I am getting ready to go south for the winter in a couple weeks. I go every year. I don't know why, but I am a little 'worried/nervous' this year. I hope I don't have 'bad karma'! I have a 1998 Dodge, dually, diesel, manual.Good tires. It has the electric brake that came with the truck- Tekonsha Commander XP. I bought this truck used, in 2004. It had 103,000 miles on it- now it has 133,000.I have J brakes. I have had it checked out each year, and nothing that was not routine was needed. I just had it tuned up, and also a 'safety' inspection done by a diesel place in Cody, Wyoming. I felt like I didn't have the 'power' that I usually have, but I haven't hauled anywhere this year, so don't know if it was my imagination or not. After tuneup, I don't really feel any difference, but haven't had the trailer on. They put in a new fuel filter, at my request, and when they pulled it out, broke the 'lifter'. They said it was going to break anyway, and would not pay for it themselves. They then said that after the lifter breaks, the injector will probably break soon- that they usually do after the lifter breaks. I guess this is part of why I am anxious- I can picture myself broken down somewhere between Wyoming and Texas. I pull a 2004, 22'(body, not counting the gooseneck), horse trailer. It will have 1 horse in it, but lots of 'stuff', ie furniture, about 6 bales hay, and all the stuff I take down for myself for the winter. Even though I have made this trip many times, I always wonder if I have enought truck. The pass by Colorado Springs, is a bear- Ranton Pass?. Going uphill- I gear down to 3rd gear- I am only going about 35-40mph, with rpm about 22-25,000. Last trip had an accident, that caused me to jackknife- the tire place did not tighten 6 of the 8 lugnuts on the front passenger tire. Nobody hurt, horses did not go down. I use secondary highways after Trinidad, as no primary highways down to Texas. I have never put in any additives in the fuel, but this year am planning to use a lubricity. I am just apprehensive for some reason- anything I am missing? I have been pulling for 40 years to some extent, whether to a local horse show, camping, going cross country for one thing or another.I am the sole person in the truck.Forgot to mention - new transmission.

 

Sorry, but if they broke it they should replace it. Saying it as gonna break anyway is like saying I won't warranty this tire I sold you because it is gonna wear out anyway.

Now, what is this lifter you talk about, and why would the injector go out now as well ??

Now, if they meant lift PUMP, then hell yeah, they should replace it, as the lift pumps in a 12v are very hard to break (I asume you have a 12v since you said 98, not 98.5). And the injection PUMP won't necessarily go out soon afterwards like in the 24v's.

Sounds to me like they are trying to make money off of ya.

 

Welcome to the forum by the way

I don't understand what the lifter is, but they should replace it anyway, if they broke it they have to fix it, no excuses.
Seems to me the shops around there are a little sloppy. Not tightening lugnuts will bring heavy lawsuits to a shop, in fact many (even Walmart) have a "supervisor" that checks lugnuts to be at a set torque.

I would start finding a different shop, I know there isn't much around Cody, but you have to get better mechanics.
let us know what's the lifter you were talking about, then we can go with some suggestions.
Also fill up your signature with the specs of your truck.

 

Where are you going in Texas? If it is near Houston I can recommend a shop that does good work and won't rip you off. It sounds to me like you need to find a better shop in WY. I too would like to know what the "lifter" is, plus what is a "tune up"? When you paid the bill did you get kissed? You sure as heck got F*****.

 

if you are unhappy with any repairs do a google search for "Bureau of Automotive Repair". there is a 1800 number to call, and they are very interested in your experiences. if indeed there was wrong doing they WILL get parcial or full refunds back to you.

 

I will find the reciept and list exactly what they did. Yeah- I know I got screwed! Saw a female comin' in the door.....Will never go back- I am very interested in the 800 number. How can I tell if my truck is a 98 or a 98.5? By the sticker on the door?

 

Do you have AAA or some other roadside insurance and a cell phone? They can make a trip less stressfull.

 

In Cummins Diesel-speak, a "tune up" would be adjusting the valves. I believe that it's recommended @100k miles.

 

98.4 is a reference to 98 12 valve trucks. 98.5 refers to 24 valve trucks built in 98.

Ronnie

 

look at the engine...if you have a decorative cover over what looks like 6 seperate valve covers...you have a 12v


if you have one solid aluminum valve cover, you have a 24v (and a 98.5 or newer truck)

 

Hang a left in trinidad and take the highway that takes you through oklahoma panhandle to amarillo and you'll be fine if your worried about raton pass. I do raton pass twice a year with my 40ft horse trailer and doin about 45-50mph goin up it but I'm pullin that load with my F550.

 

AAA will not cover you if you have a trailer on the truck. They only will cover an RV trailer and they are very specific on that. They will not cover a flat bed or enclosed trailer. I did not check on a horse trailer with living quarters that may be a gray area.

Also if you have a 1 ton with a load they will not tow you then either, it has to be unloaded.

 

check out the Good Sam RV emergency Road Service - 1 800 842 5351
if your unit is covered they cover towing both the power unit and the trailer to nearest qualified service centre - and also cover all other vehicles in the household . $100 usd annual . Includes 24 hr dispatch , tire changes, jump starts ,lost keys , trip interruption assistance . They exclude animal trailers but combined animal / rv units might be covered

 

I am guessing by the first post that they may have found a dead lift pump when they changed the fuel filter. They tried to refill the canister and bleed the system and found they could not, and were left with a "no-start" condition caused by a lift pump that had been dead for who knows how long. Doesn't sound to me like that scenario would be the shop's or the technician's fault, so you guys need to COOL IT with the blame. Occasionally car parts will break during service when the shop is not necessarily negligent. These things do happen, and often it's due to wear, corrosion or neglect, and it's part of the cost of owning a vehicle.

 

Try U S Rider. The only service I know of that will handle loaded horse trailers. About 125.00 a year