Proactive response to killer dowl pin?

[mikepvg]

> I also e-mail Powermaster about the pin and requested incident %
> numbers, etc. I also asked if they would assist with repairs since it
> was a result of faulty production. I received, as expected, an email to
> the fact that the engine was sold to Dodge and Dodge took care of
> warranty matters and that I should contact Dodge. I sent them another
> email that was along the same points as you sent.
>
> It would be nice if we had a contact person that was very articulate and
> knowledgeable on our engines. Everyone that has had a problem,
> corrected the situation (pin was found to be coming out) or paid for pin
> repairs, would provide all facts to the contact person. The contact
> person would then notify Bill O'Reilly of Fox News Cable (Bill O'Reilly
> Show) and try to get on his show for national coverage. This would get
> Cummins and Dodge's attention pronto because they would be asked to have
> a representative present with our person. This is the type things that
> O'reilly seems to like for his show. It is going to take something of
> this nature to get Dodge & Cummins attention. Our low exposure
> grumbling and repairs will not cut it.
>
>
It would be nice if someone like
> Joe Donnelly could take on the task. I don't personally know Joe D. or anyone
> that is his caliber ... only what I also read and glean from the TDR. Do you
> know any of the TDR gurus or someone that could approach Joe D. or the likes
> of him for this needed effort? I haven't done any TDR posting ... . would you
> like to post this idea and see what the response may be. If it takes off,
> maybe a high quality rammer will step forward or one will be talked into
> assuming the task.
>
> Take care.
>
> Jerry Godwin
> Anchorage, AK
>

 

[Sled Puller]

Donnelly?

Bill's show is ONLY 60 minutes!

I respect Joe, but remember, he is only a hobbyist, #ad
(which may work to our advantage?)but they may press him about his credentials. Which are-"I have 600+ hp and abuse the crapola out of my truck. "
Kind of just lost the argument, and draws attention to altered fuel systems!

Cummins or Dodge would never agree to go on that show and talk about this. They could not win, it would be lose lose in their eyes.
Hate to say it, but you need to have people killed to get good press about automotive failures.
Gene

 

[Sled Puller]

HA! Good One!
Mine is fixed, or I would have taken my chances for my fellow TDR members!

 

[PROBE]

Following is an Email that I sent to Jim Anderson, a writer for the TDR quarterly issues, to see if he could help in our efforts in getting Cummins/Dodge to own up the their design flaw.


Hi Jim,

I have been a member of the TDR for a couple of years now and have used the quarterly issues and the web site as a valuable source of information.

I own a '94 Ram 2500 with approx. 124k miles and have just gotten it back from my dealer after sending it in for an oil leak. Upon further investigation, they found that my timing housing had been broken. To make a LONG story a little shorter, it was the result of one of the dowel pins, used to make a precise line-up for the timing housing, falling onto the many gears in the housing.

After about 25 hours of labor, I paid over $2,300 to get my truck back.

Have you heard of this happening and have you visited the web sites 12v 94-98 discussion forum? There are many people out there that have had this problem and the site has some amazing stories and pictures, which by the way could have been taken from my engine.

Many TDR members have contacted Cummins and Dodge, both of whom fail to acknowledge the problem as a design flaw. I could debate that... . However I was wondering if you had any contact with either Cummins or Dodge, and would either help in giving a name or address that we could contact, or maybe be willing to jump in yourself and see what kind of response you would receive? If you would read the many discussion threads on the "Killer Dowel Pins", starting back in the beginning of April, you would come to better understand what the problem is. The folks out there that either haven't had this problem yet or have come up with a fix are feeling like they are driving a time bomb!

Staff at both Cummins and Dodge know of the TDR, and I think that you could make a difference if you were to help bring this issue to the front so Cummins and Dodge would admit this as a design flaw, rather than something that "May" happen.

I feel this subject should become as public as possible and think that it would make a great article for the next issue of the TDR magazine. Think of the number of people that are driving these Dodges, and don't even know about the TDR? They are out in the cold world all alone #ad


Thanks for your time;

Dave Probert
103 Perry Dr
Dresden, ME 04342
(207) 737-4959
pondpro@agate.net

Member #3490497

Please keep on writing to anybody that will listen.

Later, Probe

------------------
'94 RAM 2500 W/CUMMINS 5. 9... BANKS POWERPAC... K&N AIR FILTER... PRIMO OIL REFINER... AMSOIL SERIES 3000... . KILLER DOWEL PIN REMOVED!!

 

[KatDiesel]

There are 3 different threads currently running on this issue (including this one). It would be easier to follow if we kept it all on the same thread. Just something to think about... .


Thread I

Thread II

Even tho I don't have a 12v, I jsut wrote a letter too, just to see the response. <font size=-2>

[This message has been edited by KatDiesel (Eric Howard) (edited 05-18-2001). ]

 

[mikepvg]

"you need to have people killed to get good press about automotive failures. "
Gene[/B][/QUOTE]

Gene
I hope your not volunteering?

#ad

Mike