Excessive corrosion on motor and chassis

[joe308]

My 2003 is displaying more corrosion on the aluminum parts of the engine, air horn, rear axle and chassis components than my previous trucks have at double the mileage. It's gotten under the clear coat on the head and starting to get pretty ugly. I am no where near salt water and while I cannot garage it, I do keep it very clean and relatively road salt free in the winter. The applied paint has also come off my valve cover, so it's just plain black now. My truck was built in Mexico around Dec 2002-Jan 2003 timeframe. I did get a special notice from Dodge after I took delivery that there were some "primer issues" at the factory during that time and they were extending my paint warranty, but aside from some wear and tear on the clear coat my body paint is fine. I reported this to Cummins 2 years ago and they referred me to Dodge. The dealer looked at the motor and said I sprayed a dressing on it that caused the issues (I did not). I do use gunk or similar degreaser once per year under the hood when I do my spring cleanup as I do on all my vehicles with no adverse effects on any of them. Has anyone experienced these corrosion issues on an 03 2500 built at the Saltillo plant? There seems to be no easy fix short of pulling everything apart and stripping / repainting or clearcoating and she's a bit young for a frame off resoration...

 

[Alphacowboy]

sorry, maybe I missed it, but where do you live?



I know your pain, I have no idea why, but my 2000 was pretty clean under the hood last summer. After this winter, the corrosion on the aluminum parts under my hood accelerated at fast pace. The injector lines as well look like crap! I have no idea why it would accelerate this fast in just one year.

 

[betterthanstock]

I have the very common (after about 2 years or so) seeping valve cover. After using degreaser, the oil pan bolts started to show some rust. I now avoid degreaser, or spray with light oil afterwards. Some coatings, like cadmium and chromate, have been banned (EPA) and replaced with less durable zinc or water based acryllic clearcoat.

They may have also changed winter chemicals from salt to other stuff.

 

[Crunch]

If you live up North, or somewhere salt is used on the roads when it ices and snows that's the reason you are seeing corrosion. I talked a friend into buying a 2500 earlier this year and his had the same corrosion all over the frame and engine. We ran the history on the truck and sure enough, it was a truck that was originally sold in Michigan. But it was just a light layer because the truck was sold a year later out out of state. He wasn't too worried about it because of the short time it was subjected to that yankee behavior.

 

[KParsons]

rust

there is a good rust proofing product from the swiss. its called waxoyl. the stuff is very good, a parafin wax that you spray on. look it up and check it out. kp

 

[WM-300]

When I bought my 2003 in Dec 2003, it already had rust on the bottom of the NV-5600, differentials and a lot of other parts. I complained tot he dealer. He showed me a bunch of other 'NEW' trucks, all the same. The dealer told me there is no rust protection on any of the under body parts, its a way of life. No one cares when they build a vehicle any more.

WM-300

 

[RolandJ]

do you know a site where you can buy their products? any info would be greatly appreciated :-laf

 

[joe308]

You just jogged my memory - there used to be an anti corrosion spray sold by Mercury Marine that I had for my boat motors. I was a clear spray and smelled pretty toxic, but it did work. Just did a quick search and found Mercruiser Part Number: 92-80287855. It's called Corrosion Gaurd and the 11 oz. can is listed for about $6. I might just try this on my truck before the winter!

 

[MFalkinham]

Here's what I use on my trucks to keep corrosion at bay. I bought a cheap paint sprayer hooked to my air compressor and coat everything under the truck once per year. It's $24. 50 per gallon online and non-toxic. I use it for everything; under my mower deck, protecting my dashboards, keeping locks working smoothly... ... .

Fluid Film: Corrosion Preventive, Lubricant and Rust Inhibitor

Lawn Mower Parts, Lawn Mower Part, Gator blades, Eureka Fluid Film, Lawn mower blades

 

[Lektrikman]

Corrosion issues

Hey guys, a few years ago many of the states and municipalities in the salt belt began using a new style of road deicer. It is applied before it snows or ices up so they can get a jump on the weather. I'm not sure but I think it is called calcium chloride, is much more corrosive than regular salt and causes accelerated deterioration of any vehicle that comes into contact with it. I think the rust proofers mentioned above are a good first line of defense, and keeping the vehicle real clean is another good preventive step. I'm fortunate to be able to keep my truck out of the crap in the winter and drive a junker vehicle. I guess all this deicer and the resultant corrosion is a price we have to pay when people want to drive as fast in the winter as they do in the summer. The poor insurance companies don't like having to pay for idiots that can't drive in winter weather. Anybody want to start a movement to have this crap banned?? I'll bet the EPA would be interested... ... Lektrikman

 

[abranz]

Absolutley, we should start a movement to get the municipalities to change from salt. Salt (wither magnesium, calcium, or sodium) will destroy your vehicle, the road surface,bridges, anything alive it comes in contact with (fish, trees, vegetation, etc). They use it because it's the least expensive method to maintain winter roads. They do not care about your truck and will not listen to you if you bring up the word corrosion. After trying to make a difference in Idaho over the past year I can tell you the only agency which has the power is the EPA. As a side note, nearly all the trees along I-90 which come in contact with the salt have died within the past two years (coinciding when Idaho began using large amounts of salt). I believe the salt will ruin fisheries, aquafers, vegetation, and wells. The use of salt is wrong, period. However it falls on deaf ears when I speak with the transportation dept. Only with enough people will there be change. Until then park your truck from Nov to April. Anthony In Idaho

 

[Blakers]

They use it because it's the least expensive method to maintain winter roads. They do not care about your truck and will not listen to you if you bring up the word corrosion. After trying to make a difference in Idaho over the past year I can tell you the only agency which has the power is the EPA. As a side note, nearly all the trees along I-90 which come in contact with the salt have died within the past two years (coinciding when Idaho began using large amounts of salt). I believe the salt will ruin fisheries, aquafers, vegetation, and wells. The use of salt is wrong, period. However it falls on deaf ears when I speak with the transportation dept. Only with enough people will there be change. Until then park your truck from Nov to April. Anthony In Idaho

I did a term paper on the effects of road salt on the environment back in college in the early 80's. I'm not an environmental wacko in any way, but I do believe there should be a law that road salt is kept 500 feet from all bridges in the country as it's destroying them and costing us lives and billions of dollars. There are other, less corrosive things to use on and near bridges. They could have dedicated trucks that just go around spreading it on bridges.



When I bought my new truck in 2003 it had no paint on the axles or transmission. I painted most of it underneif, but it does not last long. My oil pan is almost rusted through in spots - I brushed oil on it for now, so hopefully I don't have to pull that off.



Around here, the best thing to do is have you truck sprayed with oil once a year. Do it when it's nice and dry out.



Blake

 

[JArbini]

unfortunately my corrosion isn't limited to underneath. overall my truck has been a dismal total disappointment and by far the biggest POS i've ever owned (love the motor, despise the truck). my '03 has just over 50k on it and it's going back to the dealer again tomorrow for the 6th time for no overdrive. i just replaced the exhaust after the original rotted right through at the tailpipe/muffler, the a/c occasionally stops blowing and i have extensive body rot above the rear wheelwell dodge doesn't want to do anything about & paint so thin on the lower body it looks like i drove through primer colored paint and it spattered all over the lower body. could it have been possible for dodge to build a cheaper piece of junk than this? i'm so miserable and disgusted i'm seriously looking at getting rid of it. this crap and an incompetent dealer have taken away any of the pleasure of owning this truck. the loss of overdrive has been discovered to be water getting in the wiring plug for which there are both a tsb & recall. first fix they cleaned the plug & tested voltages etc, blew me off when i explained there was a tsb & they raped me for almost $200. 00 & lasted about 40 miles. 2nd time they replaced the wiring harness & pcm raping me for about $300. 00 (the dealer & chryslerdon't want to hear anything about tsb's & recalls & even after submitting proof refuse to refund). truck has been back 3rd, 4th & 5th times for no overdrive which they cleaned the plug AGAIN (so how neccessary was the pcm & harness) and after finding a recall supposedly installed an o-ring kit & dielectric grease which has lasted about 2 months. tomorrow i'll see what these incompetent parts-changing monkeys do this time. I HATE MY TRUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[joe308]

Sorry to hear about your woes. Too bad you didn't know of the TSB before authorizing the work. I did not have the OD problem but took mine in for this while it was still covered under the 3/36k warranty. Just put on a Mag Hytech trans pan and I didn't notice any newer looking wiring - who knows if they even changed anything. As for the paint, there were some factory issues in 03 which Dodge notified me about shortly after purchase - but short of some clearcoat scratches mine is fine so far. I also bought the full tubs for the rear wheel wells back in 2003 from Dodgeparts.com. You can't easily rinse above them without crawling under the truck with a hose, but they help keep sand and salt off the underside of the fenders. I noticed the tubs missing from some other late model pickups - another example of the cheapening by the big 3.

 

[jhenderson]

I 2nd Fluid Film. It's lanolin based with no solvents. It's safe for paint and plastics as well as bare metal. I bought a kit from Kellsport years ago. I recommend upgrading to the better application gun. One gallon of Fluid Film under coated my truck twice. It does need to be applied yearly. I get my replacement product from the local Fleetpride truck pars store. The local New Holland dealer also carries FF but at a much higher price.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I have the very common (after about 2 years or so) seeping valve cover. After using degreaser, the oil pan bolts started to show some rust. I now avoid degreaser, or spray with light oil afterwards. Some coatings, like cadmium and chromate, have been banned (EPA) and replaced with less durable zinc or water based acryllic clearcoat.

They may have also changed winter chemicals from salt to other stuff.

Are you sure it's the valve cover and not the PCV box?
I chased a leak for many years before finally just replacing the breather assembly. Turns out it was flawed where its two halves are glued together. After replacing it my cover stays perfectly clean and dry.

 

[deaner70]

My '03 came to Ohio from VA last year with NO rust on it at all. Now, exactly 1 year to the day later, I have all kinds of rust underneath, and dont get me started on the rear wheel wells. ODOT puts that Calcium Chloride/mix and it eats EVERYTHING. My pristine, 1 owner truck looks like crap now. I wash and clean it regularly, even taking the rear tail lights out to spray above the wheel wells, and using a creeper to clean underneath. It also has the big wheel well covers in it but are hard to clean around. The rear bumper, rockers, everything has orange rust on it. SUCKS...other than either moving out of ohio or not driving it in the winter whats a person to do??

 

[Woneek1945]

Fuji 2903-T70 Mini-Mite 3-T70 HLVP Spray System is the best paint sprayer brand known to me so far.. It is portable and easy to transport. I have just buy my mini-mite 3 few months back and refinished an antique bed. Turned out great. Easy to use, adjust and clean. Be sure to properly thin your material and do test sprays. Seems to be a solid unit at this point and will update after more projects.