think theres something wrong with my duramax..

[Blk88GT]

The 01-04 LB7 duramax had a lot of injector problems with a 7yr/200k warranty on the injectors for certain conditions. Dealer also plays a part in the injector warranty on whether or not how willing they are to do it. some symptoms are knocking/rough idle, gray/white smoke at idle, hard starting, diesel in oil, etc.

We had the hard (almost no start!) problem with my buddy's Dmax while down in IP last year. First Rexburd dealer said it was because we didn't have the "Updated block heater cord" - In March. LOL

Second dealer replaced the thin metal connectors on the glow plugs. It got us home, but the truck wouldn't start the next day. All 8 injectors and pump replaced to the tune of 7600 dollars. GM covered the injectors, not the pump. Final bill was around 2k.

Get it looked at before it strands you.

 

[Kevco]

Nighttrain I have a Juice with attitude I sell for that truck for $350.00 if ya want.

 

[oonighttrain]

Nighttrain I have a Juice with attitude I sell for that truck for $350.00 if ya want.

ive been thinking about a programmer since i got the truck.. just not sure about putting one on a truck with 67k especially the way i drive it.. next ill be buying a transmission..

 

[HECKS]

FYI, If you get a programmer, don't go over 90 hp settings or you will slip your tranny putting it into limp mode, decreasing it's life.

 

[Blk88GT]

The early Dmaxs were animals with a simple Juice/Attitude combo. Chip/exhaust/intake and you won't even think it's the same truck.

 

[oonighttrain]

UPDATE!!

took it to the dealer. they looked at it, hooked up the scanner. said nothing was wrong with it. the service guy calls me and says "diesels are louder than normal engines".. WTF?? NO SH!T!!!! says they put the prssure up to 6000 and let it back down?? says he cant do anything about it cuz its not doing it now.. i toild him it sounded like a rod coming out of the block.. so, right now, i have nothing except about 100 more miles on the truck bytaking it to them...

 

[1badcowboy]

hey check the carrier bearing

 

[graveler]

ask your question on this site!!!!


http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/index.php

 

[knightkrawler00]

UPDATE!!

took it to the dealer. they looked at it, hooked up the scanner. said nothing was wrong with it. the service guy calls me and says "diesels are louder than normal engines".. WTF?? NO SH!T!!!! says they put the prssure up to 6000 and let it back down?? says he cant do anything about it cuz its not doing it now.. i toild him it sounded like a rod coming out of the block.. so, right now, i have nothing except about 100 more miles on the truck bytaking it to them...

Being a technician, I have to say that we can't fix what isn't broken. And intermittent problems are the hardest in the world to diagnose. If it's not happening when we look at it, there's not a lot we can do. The "diesels are louder than normal engines" comment was pretty stupid, not something I would say to a customer.

Commanding max fuel pressure (21,000 psi BTW) will do a couple of things right away. First, if the injectors are returning too much fuel the high pressure pump won't be able to keep up and max pressure won't be reached. Second, most of the time fuel knocks will show up when you couldn't hear it at idle.

So, your injectors are okay as far as the "normal" problems they have. This is good and bad. The bad being that you won't be getting all eight injectors replaced right now, especially since GM just decided to crack down on this repair. Fuel knocks won't set DTC's, so nothing will show in the ECM. Do you know if they drove your truck? Sometimes it's a combination of load as well as fuel pressure that will bring out the fuel knock. Individual injectors can be shut down until the noise goes away and that's the one that gets replaced. Maybe try a different dealer if it's not too inconvenient, or take the tech for a ride and show him what's going on. Good luck, hope you get it taken care of soon.

 

[Gaz]

Being a technician, I have to say that we can't fix what isn't broken. And intermittent problems are the hardest in the world to diagnose. If it's not happening when we look at it, there's not a lot we can do.

Not picking on you directly...BUT...nothing pisses me off more than when I take a vehicle into the dealer, tell them what's going on, and then I get "well it didn't do it when I drove it so I can't help you." I absolutely want to rip someone's head off and shiz down their throat when this happens. Do you guys really believe that you are the only ones who can diagnose a problem and figure out what's wrong? Sorry for the rant but holy christ that makes me mad.

 

[knightkrawler00]

Not picking on you directly...BUT...nothing pisses me off more than when I take a vehicle into the dealer, tell them what's going on, and then I get "well it didn't do it when I drove it so I can't help you." I absolutely want to rip someone's head off and shiz down their throat when this happens. Do you guys really believe that you are the only ones who can diagnose a problem and figure out what's wrong? Sorry for the rant but holy christ that makes me mad.

Since that was aimed directly at me, I'll let you in on something. Technicians get paid flat rate, which means we get paid a certain amount per job no matter how long it takes us, and we generally don't get paid when we can't verify a problem. Trust me, it pisses me off just as much as you when I can't verify a problem, it's a complete waste of my time and costs me money. I'm certain you enjoy working for free just as much as the rest of us. If you think we send them down the road with no repair for a reason other than not being able to verify the complaint, you're way wrong. The last thing we want to do is hang a part on a car without verifying, it's a guarantee to be fixing it for free later on down the road. And if you are as good at diagnosing as the technician, why don't you show them what's wrong and what needs to be replaced?

 

[Blk88GT]

knightkrawler - Great post. I get the same thing but in the computer world!

 

[Himark]

UPDATE!!

took it to the dealer. they looked at it, hooked up the scanner. said nothing was wrong with it. the service guy calls me and says "diesels are louder than normal engines".. WTF?? NO SH!T!!!! says they put the prssure up to 6000 and let it back down?? says he cant do anything about it cuz its not doing it now.. i toild him it sounded like a rod coming out of the block.. so, right now, i have nothing except about 100 more miles on the truck bytaking it to them...

Like i stated...tell them to do a "balance test"

You will get 1 that is on the edge of being out I gaurantee it. This will most likely be the one screwing up even though it may barely be in specs. There is a reason it varys from the others.

Like someone else said. take it to a different dealer.

If you were here at my dealership and we even sniffed a injector problem....bam you would be out the door with a new set installed. Heck I have seen lot trucks that got them...and nobody was complaining of an issue there.

 

[Gaz]

Since that was aimed directly at me, I'll let you in on something. Technicians get paid flat rate, which means we get paid a certain amount per job no matter how long it takes us, and we generally don't get paid when we can't verify a problem. Trust me, it pisses me off just as much as you when I can't verify a problem, it's a complete waste of my time and costs me money. I'm certain you enjoy working for free just as much as the rest of us. If you think we send them down the road with no repair for a reason other than not being able to verify the complaint, you're way wrong. The last thing we want to do is hang a part on a car without verifying, it's a guarantee to be fixing it for free later on down the road. And if you are as good at diagnosing as the technician, why don't you show them what's wrong and what needs to be replaced?

I absolutely (do not) LOVE working for free. I guess my question is this: if you've got a customer who you've got a long standing relationship with and the guy knows his way around a vehicle, why do you have to 'experience' the issue before you hang a part. Especially if it's being done under warranty? The customer is getting taken care of and aren't you getting paid under the warranty agreement w/ the dealership? One of the most frustrating things I've ever experienced is having to go back to the dealer 3 times to finally get them to fix the problem and replace the part that I told them was wrong in the first place. I could be way off base since I have never worked at a dealer...and if I am, I'd be more than glad to admit I was wrong.

 

[Himark]

I absolutely (do not) LOVE working for free. I guess my question is this: if you've got a customer who you've got a long standing relationship with and the guy knows his way around a vehicle, why do you have to 'experience' the issue before you hang a part. Especially if it's being done under warranty? The customer is getting taken care of and aren't you getting paid under the warranty agreement w/ the dealership? One of the most frustrating things I've ever experienced is having to go back to the dealer 3 times to finally get them to fix the problem and replace the part that I told them was wrong in the first place. I could be way off base since I have never worked at a dealer...and if I am, I'd be more than glad to admit I was wrong.

GM and others require documentation of a failed part. Even our batteries cant be replaced without a reader that documents the fail code, even a/c machine prints a code that goes hand in hand with warranty claim.

Yes, they can manipulate a claim specially if it is a failure BUT the more claims they make without supporting data calls for a audit. The last thing a dealer wants is a warranty audit. Even the best dealers most honest things will get turned back.

As for working for free, Just wait until you dont document a claim the way they want ie clocking in, correct code, or KEEPING old part. GM will come in and take a legit warranty claim and reverse it on the dealer over a technicality. So do we really want to just doo it for the heck of it? No but in this case I would dot the i's and cross the t's and just doo it for this customer since it is a prone issue.

*case in point, we replaced a new duramax complete motor back when first released and had area rep approve the repair, Our rep quit and new rep took over in process and our dealership ate a 12k motor that was legit claim.

 

[Gaz]

GM and others require documentation of a failed part. Even our batteries cant be replaced without a reader that documents the fail code, even a/c machine prints a code that goes hand in hand with warranty claim.

Yes, they can manipulate a claim specially if it is a failure BUT the more claims they make without supporting data calls for a audit. The last thing a dealer wants is a warranty audit. Even the best dealers most honest things will get turned back.

As for working for free, Just wait until you dont document a claim the way they want ie clocking in, correct code, or KEEPING old part. GM will come in and take a legit warranty claim and reverse it on the dealer over a technicality. So do we really want to just doo it for the heck of it? No but in this case I would dot the i's and cross the t's and just doo it for this customer since it is a prone issue.

*case in point, we replaced a new duramax complete motor back when first released and had area rep approve the repair, Our rep quit and new rep took over in process and our dealership ate a 12k motor that was legit claim.

Gotcha...like I said...never worked in the biz and didn't understand the bureaucratic crap behind the scenes. I figured there was some documentation required but didn't realize the audit process on the backend. Great posts from you 2 guys BTW.

 

[skidooer1]

warrantys are overated. I had an apps issue with my 04.5 ram cummins and was denied warranty even though it was throwing a code. two dealers said no problems were found and reflashed the ecm. at 105,000 miles the apps finally took a complete dive and put the truck in limp mode. 300 dollars out of my pocket to fix it. personally I will never buy a new vehicle for that fact. dealers can go fock themselves, all they care about is the original sale.

 

[knightkrawler00]

Gotcha...like I said...never worked in the biz and didn't understand the bureaucratic crap behind the scenes. I figured there was some documentation required but didn't realize the audit process on the backend. Great posts from you 2 guys BTW.

I'm glad that we could shed some light on how things work at a dealership. We really do want to fix your car as bad as you want it fixed, but sometimes things get in our way that we have no control of. I can't tell you about, or repair, an engine oil leak that you didn't know about right now because GM says our shop is spending more than we should on engine mechanical repairs. Trying to avoid the full blown audit. And on Tuesday, I received a memo that says that if I don't turn in a "snapshot" of the low fuel rail pressure on a DMAX, I'm not getting paid on an injector claim. Sometimes its just damned if I do, damned if I don't.

My advice to oonighttrain is to find another dealer if possible. If not, be persistent but patient. Make sure you have your complaints on paper and keep your records. GM is really good about covering repairs out of warranty as long as you were complaing about it under warranty.