Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Is dealer lying to me?? Help please.

[Diesel Gopher]

First, apologies on what I am sure will be a long post.



I leave Friday for a weekend 2000 mile road trip to help a friend move. I don't get more than 300 miles from home when the truck just dies at 70 mph on the freeway. No warning, or indication was given, the truck just stopped running. I get it towed to a dealership (not the one I bought it at, AAA only covers the first 100 miles of a tow) and find a hotel for the night. On Sat. the service writer says they don't really do service on Sat. just oil changes etc. Nice 'Saturday service'. They were also very unhelpful with a loaner vehicle. Truck is under warrenty.



It is an 02 3500 QC 6spd HO. No mods yet, waiting for the warrenty to expire. Truck has 70,000 miles on it, and the factory 7 year 100,000 mile powertrain warrenty is still in play. On Monday, service writer calls and says it was a faulty fuel level sending unit in tank, and, surprise surprise, it is not covered by the powertrain warrenty. He said that the truck had been run bone dry on fuel and that was the problem. About $300 to fix. I authorized the work because I really need the truck for work, and I am not even sure when I will be able to waste most of a day running to get the truck.



FIRST BIG QUESTION-

If the service writer is correct, how much damage/ potential damage was done to either the lift pump (original) or the VP44 (replaced under warrenty at about 55,000 miles).



SECOND BIG QUESTION-

Does this sound correct? My personal feeling Sat. and Sun. was either another bad VP44, or lift pump, both of which could explain the instant death of the truck. If I had run out of fuel, wouldn't it have stumbled or stuttered some as the tank trickled dry? I always drive the truck between 450-500 miles between fillups, no matter what I am towing. As I best recolect, the trip odometer said 350-400 miles, and the overhead console "distance till empty" (DTE) guage read 24-25 miles, meaning I had at least 50 miles to find fuel. Fuel guage also said about 1/8 tank.





I'll check back tonight, and hope to hear that the truck is done and ready soon. Thanks in advance for all your expertise and advice.



Matt

 

[jwilliams3]

Running it dry is not going to hurt it (once or twice you know).

As far as whats wrong with it? Could be pump, lift pump or what the service dude said.

 

[GKinney]

no fuel

I would have to agree with jwilliams3 on not hurting it too bad by running it dry. I can't believe the pumps would stand it too many times though since it does lube and cool them. Personally I like to keep mine above 1/2 tank or more all the time especially now that summer is here, the more fuel you have in the tank, the more cooling capacity you have for the VP44. Just my $. 02... Good Luck getting it going.

 

[Ereynolds72]

Truck is under warrenty.



It is an 02 3500 QC 6spd HO. No mods yet, waiting for the warrenty to expire. Truck has 70,000 miles on it, and the factory 7 year 100,000 mile powertrain warrenty is still in play.

How'd you get 100,000 mile powertrain warranty? My '02 only went up to 70,000 mile on the powertrain. Did you purchase additional warranty? I may have to check the paperwork.

 

[jeepit]

How'd you get 100,000 mile powertrain warranty? My '02 only went up to 70,000 mile on the powertrain. Did you purchase additional warranty? I may have to check the paperwork.

Mine is 100,000 too!

 

[Diesel Gopher]

Check your original paper work. I bought mine in May (college grad gift to myself) and if I remember correctly, it wasn't long after that that they reduced the factory warrenty to 70,000 from 100,000. Thanks for the responses gents.



Matt

 

[Alphacowboy]

Check your original paper work. I bought mine in May (college grad gift to myself) and if I remember correctly, it wasn't long after that that they reduced the factory warrenty to 70,000 from 100,000. Thanks for the responses gents.



Matt

The powertrain warranty is only good until 70k miles, the only thing covered until 100,000 miles is the engine itself, thats a Cummins warranty through dodge. Other than that, I have never seen a powertain warranty past 70k on and DC vehicle

 

[SpicyJam]

Had a 100,000 on mine, paid extra for it. They give you a little card as I still have mine as reference to the VIN number when I go to get stuff at Cummins. Later, Jim.

 

[59Turbo]

Diesel Gopher, I work at a Dodge dealer and I've seen numerous sending units that read 1/8th tank and the vehicle was towed in with a complaint that it just died and found that it was indeed bone dry so he's probably telling the truth. A majority of the ones i've seen do that were in Jeeps though but it's probably the same part made by the same vendor.

 

[Warpig]

100,000 mile powertrain warranty

The powertrain warranty is only good until 70k miles, the only thing covered until 100,000 miles is the engine itself, thats a Cummins warranty through dodge. Other than that, I have never seen a powertain warranty past 70k on and DC vehicle

My warranty is 100,000 mile powertrain. All 02's have it.



Tim W.

 

[LJFiler]

My mother's 99 did the same thing. Just died, the tank was bone dry and the sending unit read between 1/8 and 1/4 tank. Replaced the sending unit and no problems since.

 

[wtfd6]

sending units are very problamatic. done my fair share of them. mark

 

[OTRPU]

Mine and a few other haulers I know with 99's, when indicating empty there's a good 5 gallons left. And it burns off 5 before it starts dropping from full mark. Maybe those things aren't all that accurate.



Cheers,

Steve J

 

[ASTAR]

Mine did the same thing. I'm sure he's not BSing you. Can you give me the part number when you get it? I have to replace mine too!