Rapid Responce Recall on 600

[sschu600]

ordered 600

According to the origin of another thread on the same topic, the affected trucks are from vin # 4G12xxxx to 4G3xxxxx. The dealer ordered mine 4/21/04 and mine is well below the 4G3xxxxx mark. I am wondering why dc put out a recall on trucks they haven't made yet. If this is true, will the factory preform this test on MY new truck's engine without my consent..... or even knowledge!!!#@$%!



Sounds like DC and I may go round and round. :-{}



I just want my $40K F'N truck with NO problems and the reliability that I bought this truck for in the first place! Is that too much to ask?!?



Maybe I should be more acceptant of the fact that **** happens and at least DC is being proactive to rectify the problem. It is still$40K of MY money and I had better know if they do any out-of-the-ordinary tests!



happy place..... wooosaaaaw..... wooosaaaaw

 

[Spooled-up]

Some info. from the CMEP tour:

I just toured the CMEP plant on April 30th. Our tour guide told us that the blocks are cast in South America. This is because they have much fewer environmental regulations down there. This problem may have originated where they cast them in South America.



For those worried about running the engine wide open for three minutes, we saw the test cell where every engine produced gets hooked up and run from high idle to redline for two minutes with NO COOLANT!!!!

 

[Yo Hoot]

Re: Some info. from the CMEP tour:

Originally posted by Spooled-up

I just toured the CMEP plant on April 30th. Our tour guide told us that the blocks are cast in South America. This is because they have much fewer environmental regulations down there. This problem may have originated where they cast them in South America.



For those worried about running the engine wide open for three minutes, we saw the test cell where every engine produced gets hooked up and run from high idle to redline for two minutes with NO COOLANT!!!!

Don't get to puffy on where the block was cast. I have heard more than once that the trucks built in Saltillo, Mexico are better fit and finish the the ones built stateside. You can't make generalalities like that.



And if the blocks in fact are cast in South America, that doesn't mean they aren't finish machined here. I would think that's where a potential problem could occur.



But didn't somebody say the problem was with the plugs themselves cracking? Is this a plug defect or a hole defect causing the plugs to fail?

 

[DCornelius]

Originally posted by RobertBolinger

David Cornelius-



What was you speed up the 6% grade? Was it in 3rd or 4th?

Robert, the cruise control held at 50 mph in 3rd @ ~2,000 rpm. It did great and surprisingly, didn't blow any freeze plugs through the fenders.

 

[s.hale]

My CTD 4x4 finally arrived and unloaded last night. I ordered on 12-31-03 and the truck was built on 3-22.

After the truck was built it wasn't until 4-24 that it was placed on a railcar (full month later). My truck would fall in the to be tested category and am real curious if the freeze plug testing was done at the Saltillo, Mex. plant during that month.



Since it was a full month maybe I got a new engine! I will check the engine build date when the truck gets to the dealer.



How many engine hours are usually on the truck on arrival at the dealer?

 

[GCrowell]

Well, my vin is 4G187420, truck build date 1-13-04, engine build date of 12-19-03. Based on the vin range, I guess mine is included in the suspect lot. I have not heard from the dealer and even though I know these guys well, I am a bit leary of calling them to ask if they have heard of the concern. I also am a bit concerned about a cold start to WOT for 3 minutes. An inspection, fine. Doing what I believe is a distructive test, not so fine.



Otherwise, I am happy with the performance. About 4500 on the clock with about half of that towing ~6000#



George

 

[Windscreen]

My truck passed the test this morning. However, the tech did find a leak at the thermostat housing gasket; the same leak I discovered on Saturday. It drips a bit until the engine warms up and then goes away.



Does any one know if the t-stat housing gasket is a flat gasket? Do I need to ask the tech check for flatness of the parts, or is the seal acheived via the rubber ring on the 'stat flange?



Thanks,

Steve

 

[OCarney]

I took mine this morning for the test. When my dealer contacted me, I was asked if I could be there at 9:00 to do the test, no mention of being cold or leaving for 8 hours. Upon arrival, first thing I was asked was if I was giong to leave the truck. I told him there was no mention to me about that, and I was not prepared to leave it. He then explained to me the truck must be cold for the test to be done. Mine has 4900 miles on the clock. I will set a time later.

 

[swexlin]

I just dropped off my truck. I asked the tech whether or not it was really necessary to do the test on a vehicle with 2200 miles. He said should be done anyway, so I left it. They will do it in the morning.



My courtesy vehicle is a... ..... 2001 Caravan! Don't let anyone see me in this!

 

[FParlee]

swexlin's got a mini-van!!!!!!!

Scott,



I call D'ambrosio today, and they said the freeze plug test was done with no leaks. But they just happen to have a DC tech rep there today, and he was helping the dealer tech check my pinging/knocking/low power complaint. They agree the symptoms are there, but they don't think it is an injector. They are keeping the truck to continue diagnosis.



That makes me happy, at least it's a step in the right direction!



As for the mini-van... ... . are you gonna cruise for chicks tonight?



Fred

 

[swexlin]

As for the mini-van... ... . are you gonna cruise for chicks tonight?

You know it!



Seriously Fred, glad to hear there is no freeze plug issue. Did you arrange to have the DC Tech there, or was it just a coincidence? Hopefully, you will hear something tomorrow.



What did annoy me was that the Bergey's tech would not call DC's tech line to see whether or not truck with miles even needed to be tested, or just inspected, as I have read here. He just insisted I needed to leave it.



By the way, truck ran like a dream up to Maine and back this weekend. And I DID work that engine, believe me. I inspected it myself, and there are NO run, drips, or errors.



Keep us posted on what they find out about your truck.

 

[DVogler]

Rapid Responce Recall

My 600 was built 2-24-04, and my truck date is 3-04..... does that mean my truck is a good candidate for the test???-----dv

 

[swexlin]

Yes, probably. Call your dealer to find out.

 

[swexlin]

Dealer just called, my truck passed, no leakage. Oo.

 

[DCornelius]

Ya-hoo! Just talked to my service advisor about the 600 test. He said he finally got to talk to DC. They told him that if the customer has already been driving the truck and it has over 500 miles on it, the test really doesn't have to be performed.



So, I'm off da hook. Hurray and hoo ra!

 

[RobertBolinger]

Originally posted by DCornelius

Ya-hoo! Just talked to my service advisor about the 600 test. He said he finally got to talk to DC. They told him that if the customer has already been driving the truck and it has over 500 miles on it, the test really doesn't have to be performed.



So, I'm off da hook. Hurray and hoo ra!

(8000+ miles on mine)

 

[roperteacher]

My dealer said the same thing... 3200 mi on the clock... told me if it made it this far, no need to ck the plugs. He did say that if I wanted, they would do a visual inspection at my next oil change!

 

[Mr. Hemi]

I now have over 1200 miles and checked the core plugs no leaks so far, knock on wood. I checked the recall vin dodge link and saw nothing on my truck. According to some this is not really a recall so maybe it would not show up?

What scares me more is the thrust washer issue on the 48RE transmissions:--)

 

[phoekema]

MVaden,

Just curious... ... ... ... . I live south of Grand Rapids and about 10 miles north Wayland. Just wondering why someone from Texas would be calling Wayland for advice. By the way, that is a good dealership - service wise. I had some TSB's installed there instead of Courtesy Dodge in Gr Rapids, where I purchased my 98. 5.

 

[swexlin]

Well, I explained the mileage issue to my dealer, and he insisted they do it anyway. I guess some dealers want to CYA.