Engine Trouble - Dealer On Wrong Track

[Wiredawg]

Dealer Fixed Tach/Perf Problems-Read My Latest Post

Fellow Rammers:



I posted a couple of weeks ago my truck was experiencing problem right after start-up. After starting engine, drive a couple of minutes, engine shudders, tach drops to zero and engine performance is sluggish. Get up to operating temp, tach pops back up to normal, engine regains performance. A couple of fellow members commented they thought it was camshaft position sensor.



Well, I turned into the dealer and they have diagnosed it as needing to change out the intrument cluster. I spoke with the mechanic about this course of action and he said it was his only lead. I don't think the instrument cluster can affect the engine performance. One more note, the factory manual sucks on this level of trouble shooting. No help in diagnosing.



Truck sat at dealer for 10 days and instrument cluster still hasn't come in. I picked up truck yesterday and aske them to call me when it comes in. Today, one more problem. Truck wouldn't start for over ten minutes.



I think the dealer is trying in good faith to fix my rig, but I think they just don't have the expertise to do serious trouble shooting. I'm thinking about taking to Cummins and seeing what they can do.



What do y'all think?



Wiredawg

 

[Briar Hopper]

definitely try another dealer, but try Cummins first... sorry you're having problems, that stinks...

 

[SLightfoot]

Dealers are often clueless!

Well, my experience with dealers is that with the diesels, most of them are clueless. No idea.



I'd get that thing outa there and get it to a dealer who does diesels more often.



I actually take mine OUT of town to get the work done. I take it out of town because of the vast number of farmers who run these diesel trucks buy from those out of town dealers, and need diesel mechanics to work on them. Not as many sold within the city limits.

Works for me, although I still find that they dont' know the nitty gritty of the engine workings.....



I'd pull it out and research a decent mechanic.



Shawn

 

[EMDDIESEL]

I dont know what year your truck is, but if it is still under warranty, i would try another dealer first before you go to Cummins since they will charge you and arm and a leg. Your warranty is worthless at a Cummins dealer.

 

[MidwestMotorman]

Warranty...

Your warranty is not worthless at the Cummins shop if it is job-ordered by the D-C dealer for the work. I would go that route because your new cluster may not be adjustable to your current mileage reading. Would you like a sticker on your door jamb saying the mileage is incorrect and a disclaimer on the truck title/registration as well?

 

[Doc Tinker]

Sounds like the dealer isn't LISTENING to you. They just "heard" the part about the tach needle dropping. What did the write-up guy put on the order? I noticed the write-up guy only half listening to what I told him the other day. I decided to fix my problem myself and only let the dealer do the hitch recall.



Doc

 

[Wiredawg]

Tach - Engine Problem Fixed

Fellow Rammers:



I'm happy to announce I'm back on the road trouble-free. While waiting for the new instrument cluster to come in, I turned my truck back in to fix performance problem. My five star assigned my rig to their ace diesel mechanic, who immediately and correctly diagnosed it as bad crankshaft position sensor. They ordered it, installed it and now all problems are good. Gonna run it all weekend before I tell the dealer to canx order on instrument cluster.



I give my five star five (OK two) thumbs up.



Happy Trails,



Wiredawg

 

[socal_rattler]

"My five star assigned my rig to their ace diesel

mechanic, who immediately and correctly diagnosed it"



I would give them thumbs down for not assigning it to their ace to begin with. After 10 days down, I would be pi#$ed.

 

[Big MAK]

Even if your local 5 !@&# dealer won't authorize a repair at the Cummins shop it's worth it to pay out of pocket for Cummins to diagnose then if necessary have the dealer do the repair work.



The dealers are clueless when it comes to diagnosing anything (including gassers) but atleast we have Cummins to fall back on. It's like getting a second Doctor's opinion folks -- one hour labor charge out of pocket expense for Cummins to diagnose properly is WAY better then a bunch of downtime and repeated failed repair attempts.



If the it doesn't tell them exactly what's wrong when it's plugged into the computer they're lost.

 

[Wiredawg]

Gents:



When I first posted, I was a little stewed about the service I was getting, but then I realized the service dept was always striving to fix my problem. They only have one diesel mechanic and they try to steer work to him that they figure related to the engine. They focused on the tach problem. I believe the mechanic they put on it earnestly tried to fix it and has learned a valuable diagnostics lesson.



This is my 7th Dodge and I've always gotten great service from the dealers in my home state of Texas and out here in Maryland. This is the first time I've had any delay in getting my problem fixed all the years of service.



I hope the reat of y'all have positive results if you have truck problems.



Wiredawg