Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Gasoline in the motor - dealer sabatoge??

[Im4yoters]

Hey guys. I have one heck of a problem on my hands.



Little background on the problem. My truck is a 99 2500. I bought it about 6 months ago and it's totally stock. I drive it every day and use it to tow my 4x4 to the trails as well.



Went up to see some relatives Easter weekend and had less than 1/8 of a tank when I got there. Sunday, I fueled up before the 240 mile drive home. About 32 gallons worth. My dad also fueled up his 01 3500 CTD in the same spot.



I drove it all the way home, then back and forth to work (~15 miles) for 4 days. I had a little under half a tank left. On my way home Thursday, I stopped by a UPS place to ship some packages. When I got back in and started it up, it died after idling for about 20 seconds. Wouldn't start up and threw a code.



I towed it home and checked the code. Got only a P1688, internal fuel injection pump controller failure. From the limited reading I have done here and another CTD guy's opinion, I figured it was a lift pump failure or a VP44 (not even sure what those are ). I checked my warranty info to see if it is covered and I saw the 5 year/100k mile (I have 70k). I found out from a dealer that my 5 years would expire this Monday the 19th So I took it in ASAP on Saturday the 17th and they said they'd let me know what's goin on.



Today, they call me and tell me there is gasoline in there and the warranty won't cover it. The part is $1400 plus another $1000-1500 for labor and other BS fees.



Now, there is no possible way I put gas in there. It would not have run fine for 300 miles then suddenly quit. And I'm not the kinda guy that has enemies that would do this to me on purpose. My only guess is the dealership put gas in there themselves or just made it up cuz they don't want to cover it.



I talked to them today, and the mechanic showed me a sample of the fuel he took out. I could definatley smell gas in it, but it had just been sitting there when I got there. I wanted to watch him take it out of my truck, so he did. This sample smelled only of diesel to me, but he said it looked and smelled like it had gas in it. When I told him he was full of it, he said if it burns with a match, it's gas cuz diesel requires a higher temp to burn. So I had him pour it on the ground and try to light it. I wouldn't light, even in the shop with no wind on it. I said again he was full of it and he told me it is what it is and I had to leave.



They are not covering anything and claiming nothing other than "It is what it is. " Tomorrow I will tow it to a local diesel repair guy I know, and if it ends up they were for sure BS'ing, I'm finding a frickin lawyer.



What can I do?



BTW, the dealership is West Oaks Chrysler/Dodge in Thousand Oaks, CA. Anybody deal with them before?

 

[WOT]

If you both filled up at the same place and he doesn't have gas in his tank then I would say SOMEONE (dealer or otherwise) vandalized your truck by putting gas in it. It might be time to talk to the insurance company!

 

[rrausch]

Having lived in So. California most of each year for 25 years I can believe someone at the dealer could do that. I have seen more business shenanigans, fraud, lying and cheating here than anywhere. I hope you can prove it and "hang 'em high!"

 

[dseabaugh]

In the frame of mind I've been in for the last week with some New Jersey A hole stealing money out of our account with phoney checks, that would almost be a killing offense. . I had a Forklift, Backhoe, 2 tractors and a highlift vandalized 2 years ago. It took $5,000 of my money and $27,000 of the insurance companies money to put things together again, plus all the down time. If your buddy doesn't have any gas in his diesel then I'd see to it that the dealership get kicked in the caboose. Save samples and have it tested. a lab report will sway a judge more than his phoney match test.

 

[MUDDY]

consumer affairs, bureau of automotive repair be worth calling to help handle this

 

[dseabaugh]

You have no way of knowing that his jar didn't have gas in it before they drained any fuel. We used to have an implement dealer here that I bought alot of machinery from that was under warranty. Every time a machine of mine went in for repair I went up there with a chair everyday and watched them work on it all day long till finished. If I didn't , I got screwed because warranty somehow did not cover the cause or it had to go back 3 times before fixed.

 

[Im4yoters]

Originally posted by dseabaugh

You have no way of knowing that his jar didn't have gas in it before they drained any fuel.

My thoughts exactly, that's why I had him poor it out and let me watch while he took the 2nd sample.

 

[dseabaugh]

My smart wife just mentioned: take your fuel receipt in from your last fillup and show the phoney crooks. Fax a copy of it to DC while you are at it. The numbers are in the back of your book.

 

[PRout]

Originally posted by dseabaugh

You have no way of knowing that his jar didn't have gas in it before they drained any fuel.

That was my first thought as well.



Its really strange that there was gas smell in the jar sample, but the fuel in the tank smells different. In fact, sounds like it has no gas smell.



Also, it doesnt look like there is much gas in there if it wont help light off diesel.



Sounds like the other truck that filled up from the same pump is not having a problem.



Usually, trucks that have gas contamination end up failing soon after a fill-up, not 300 miles later.



It sounds alot like another TYPICAL PUMP FAILURE. (not that we have an attitude about it or anything).



Would be really good if you can get the receipts of both of your fill-ups to show that you both have the same DIESEL fuel in your tanks, and ONLY ONE is having a problem.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I would probably end up in jail over this one... good luck to you on this one!!



"I am my own warranty station"



Forrest

 

[surfbeetle]

One thing I always do is to only give my ignition key and not the key for the locking fuel cap. If the dealer can't get into the tank, then this would not have happened in the first place. Definitely take a camcorder down there with the fuel test kit from cummins or cat and then document everything. If there was gas in it, it should have burned. Get your fuel receipts and call the DC district manager and get their attention. You can also have it towed to a different dealer and see what they say. Good Luck!

 

[Jim Fulmer]

What can I do?



If you have a son, then borrow his baseball batt and go back there and... ... ... . never mind, they have there's coming and you don't have to do anything at all, you just have to love some of the nice folks in this world.



Jim

 

[BTowler]

You didn't leave site of the truck before it was removed? If so they may have put gas in the tank to cover thier tracks.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Draw your sample from the fuel filter drain. Even if gas was added to the tank if they didn't cycle the lift pump to run fuel through the filter the filter housing will have whatever was in it when it was last running.

 

[jponder]

thats right steve, good point



I was thinking that after he argued with the mechanic then they for sure put gas in there

 

[dseabaugh]

Steve made an excellent point. I think I will fax this to DC at 248-512-8084 and tell them I them I think the area rep ( if he's not on the delerships kick back payroll list( like our FORMER district rep was) should stop by and investigate this. Take the tests anyway. it only cost something like $9. 00 to get the fue analized. Take a sample of dad's too.

 

[Double J]

I'd be interested in seeing the following test performed on a sample from the tank and one from the filter housing.



If the flash point is suspected of being below room temp. (gasoline is well below room temp), pour a 1 ml quantity of the sample into an open petri dish (milk jug cap would work) located at counter top level. Strike a match and pass the lighted match in a horizontal plane about a 1/2 inch above the liquid level. Pass the flame over the sample one time in one direction only. If the product flashes in one sample (fuel tank sample) and not the other, there's probably some funny business going on at your dealership.



Another test that could be useful would be an API gravity determination. Not a lot of people have a hydrometer and graduated cylinder handy but if you did it could be more ammo for your case.

 

[Hohn]

Only a POL geek would suggest the API



While he's at it, why don't you have him publish your REPOL?



justin

 

[Double J]

Originally posted by Hohn

Only a POL geek would suggest the API



While he's at it, why don't you have him publish your REPOL?



justin

LOL... . only another POL geek would know what a REPOL is.

 

[HDarga]

I have the same situation at a dealer in Michigan right now! My truck has been acting up for about 2 months now. I've been getting a p0216 pump fault code.



They say I have gas in the fuel. It is also down around 1/2 tank and the truck didn't run any different than the last tank.



Of course they say the gas ruined the pump so its not covered under warranty. There's no way I've had gas in the tank for 2 months!!



I hate dealers!! Looks like this is Chrysler's latest way to get out of paying for warranty work.