Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
I've had a bit of a truck repair nightmare that just won't stop!! Over Thanksgiving '08 I "burned up" my 04. 5 engine - apparently a broken ring on #1 lead to no oil which lead to a bad problem!! Found out the hard way that the oil pressure gauge is just an idiot light of sorts and not really helpful for heading off a problem but that's another issue. Long story short, my motor seized up about the exact moment the check gauges light/alarm came on!
I trailered my truck home and dropped it off at a local performance diesel shop that seemed to be doing good business at the time... good reviews in the mags and lotsa rigs around town flying their colors. They got my motor broke down relatively quick with a list of repairs we needed to do. First off, get engine to machine shop - that took over two months just to get it to a machine shop!! In the interim, their phone went off the hook, the shop got pretty dark and on the occasions I could find somebody, they assured me all was well - just waiting on machining. Times are tough right now, I understand and sympathize with that, so I point blank asked if they were in business, would my truck get repaired appropriately or just thrown back together and get me out the door. I was assured the engine would be fresh and done right. Finally over 3 months after I dropped it off it was repaired... supposedly.
The little things I've noticed so far - AC doesn't work, windshield wiper fluid sprays onto the ground, a wire with quick connect just hanging down below the fuse box that I for the life of me can't figure out where it goes.
The big thing, and my question after venting a little - it's got a big oil leak that I just can't see where it's coming from. It's out the front and hits the fan so oil is blown all over the front of the engine, mostly driver side, front axle assembly is completely covered. Initially looked like just some dripping oil that I thought might clear up but decided last week after watching it for a week it's got a for real problem. Contacted the shop and was told "mechanic would be back next week", they'll get it all fixed up right. They'll call me... hah, now can't get ahold of the shop/anybody.
Sooo, time to cut my losses and get it to a better business. I know it's pretty vague on the leak, I just can't see down in behind the belts/hoses etc. to see what's going on. Wondering if anyone might have an idea on what might commonly cause this after a rebuild so I can kind of decide where/what to do next. If I was keen on taking my truck to a dealer I would have taken it there in the first place... not keen on the dealer!! :-laf Thanks for any help or ideas - not looking at harassing the shop that did the "repair", just one of life's lessons I'll have to live with.
I trailered my truck home and dropped it off at a local performance diesel shop that seemed to be doing good business at the time... good reviews in the mags and lotsa rigs around town flying their colors. They got my motor broke down relatively quick with a list of repairs we needed to do. First off, get engine to machine shop - that took over two months just to get it to a machine shop!! In the interim, their phone went off the hook, the shop got pretty dark and on the occasions I could find somebody, they assured me all was well - just waiting on machining. Times are tough right now, I understand and sympathize with that, so I point blank asked if they were in business, would my truck get repaired appropriately or just thrown back together and get me out the door. I was assured the engine would be fresh and done right. Finally over 3 months after I dropped it off it was repaired... supposedly.
The little things I've noticed so far - AC doesn't work, windshield wiper fluid sprays onto the ground, a wire with quick connect just hanging down below the fuse box that I for the life of me can't figure out where it goes.
The big thing, and my question after venting a little - it's got a big oil leak that I just can't see where it's coming from. It's out the front and hits the fan so oil is blown all over the front of the engine, mostly driver side, front axle assembly is completely covered. Initially looked like just some dripping oil that I thought might clear up but decided last week after watching it for a week it's got a for real problem. Contacted the shop and was told "mechanic would be back next week", they'll get it all fixed up right. They'll call me... hah, now can't get ahold of the shop/anybody.
Sooo, time to cut my losses and get it to a better business. I know it's pretty vague on the leak, I just can't see down in behind the belts/hoses etc. to see what's going on. Wondering if anyone might have an idea on what might commonly cause this after a rebuild so I can kind of decide where/what to do next. If I was keen on taking my truck to a dealer I would have taken it there in the first place... not keen on the dealer!! :-laf Thanks for any help or ideas - not looking at harassing the shop that did the "repair", just one of life's lessons I'll have to live with.
Like I said, I'm alot more disappointed in the low integrity and poor pride of workmanship they exhibited than PO'd for them making off with a few of my bucks. Levi seemed a decent and helpful fellar - if I was him I'd get some different business associates if I wanted to have a successful, credible business. 
