Why am I driving a Dodge Stratus?

[David Muench]

I took my Ram into the dealer yesterday afternoon to finally get the auto transmission check valve replaced. After about an hour (it's a 30 minute job remember) they came in and said they couldn't get the old valve out because it needed a special tool (?) to get one of the hose clamps off, and the guy who is on vacation to Maine for a week saw fit to lock it in his toolbox.



So, they put it all back together and I left. Soon as I left I noticed that if I stepped on it pretty good without the TC locked up, I got a squealing noise from the front of the truck. Took it back, and they gave me this lovely Stratus. Nothing's quite as nice as having to look up at the hondas.



Hopefully they'll be able to borrow the tool from another dealership (if not, I've got bolt cutters) and get it all fixed today. But I am at a loss to figure out what was squealing. . I don't know what he did to the old valve trying to get it off. . Probably better I just don't think about it.



So, for anyone else who needs their check valve changed, make sure they have the tool required.



Sure hope I get my truck back today, this POS can barely claw it's way up my snow covered driveway. .

 

[boonsur]

All I can do is sympathize with you about "having your nuts removed" (see signature). I sold my '99 to finally rid myself of credit cards and because I wanted a dually/manual trans. Can't wait to get behind a diesel again, so I can put all the pink clothes away.



Isn't there another dealer close by who would have the tool (to borrow, etc. )?



Good luck, hope it works out... . soon.

 

[David Muench]

Originally posted by boonsur

Isn't there another dealer close by who would have the tool (to borrow, etc. )?

That's the hope, there is another nearby dealer that sells a lot of diesels so they should have the tool. I'm going to call them in an hour and see how it's going. .



Thanks for the sympathy.

 

[MattSt]

My dealer always gives me a nice truck off the used lot, with a hitch if I need one. Maybe someone needs to take a box of donuts or a pizza to his service dept. I even get parts at the GM dealer at jobber prices because of pizza. It's easier to get what you need/want from someone who likes you that someone that dreads to see you.

 

[David Muench]

Truck's fixed - they found the tool somewhere, and the squeal turned out to be a loose air intake tube (so they say, I bet it was actually an intercooler tube, I saw him working in that general area). So I get to feed the Stratus to my Ram tonight and get back to normal.