quote:

Originally posted by walker77:
The dealership got back with us. GM has agreed to replace the engine for $7,900.

They should be paying YOU that AND replacing the engine.

After reading through this thread, I wouldn't even trust them with that.

quote:

Originally posted by PowerSurge:
The dealership destroyed your engine. The dealership needs to pay. Period. That includes providing a loaner. You shouldn’t pay one penny.

THIS. Please do not settle for anything else.

Dropped in for another update. The dealership has agreed to pull the engine on their dime and (supposedly) wait until we are there to open it up. Even if they open it without us I don't see how they could hide the damage. But if we find that something fell in there they will cover replacement 100%. And I'm going to try to hire that independent diesel mechanic and have him go with us.

So we are in a holding pattern until then.

That’s a good update and about as fair as it gets. The engine has to get pulled to be replaced regardless. A lot of parts, intake and exhaust manifolds, fuel injection system, etc., will be removed to be reused on the replacement engine. Pull the cylinder head will be easy at that point.

Been reading this thread and wish you well. Very frustrating I am sure. If you find that nothing fell in there do you still have the reduced price to swap it that was offered? Once the motor is out you don't want to get stuck with a 20K bill. Great idea to take a mechanic. Good luck!

quote:

Originally posted by FishOn:
Been reading this thread and wish you well. Very frustrating I am sure. If you find that nothing fell in there do you still have the reduced price to swap it that was offered? Once the motor is out you don't want to get stuck with a 20K bill. Great idea to take a mechanic. Good luck!

That is the risk they are taking, it gets pulled down and they find a rod bearing failed, or something internal just went bad at the same time it was in for work...

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

quote:

Originally posted by FishOn:
Been reading this thread and wish you well. Very frustrating I am sure. If you find that nothing fell in there do you still have the reduced price to swap it that was offered? Once the motor is out you don't want to get stuck with a 20K bill. Great idea to take a mechanic. Good luck!

That is the risk they are taking, it gets pulled down and they find a rod bearing failed, or something internal just went bad at the same time it was in for work...

It would be nice to still have that 8K deal that was offered.

So the dealership pulled the engine and opened it up without us there (no surprise). The piston is cracked. They found a piece of metal in there that they are not sure what part it came from. They said the cylinder wall is fine. They told him 2k to replace the piston. I told dad to take the offer. I just want the truck out of there away from those people.

The problem is we can't trust that truck any more. I don't want my parents to be on vacation and the engine blows again. So I think dad is going to look for a used one a couple years newer and trade this one in.

I appreciate everyone's help on this.


ETA: the dealership will give him a 2 year unlimited mile warranty on the engine.

quote:

So the dealership pulled the engine and opened it up without us there (no surprise).

Which is why it would have been helpful to have everything they said in writing or recorded. Then it would be documented and not a "he said, she said".

quote:

They found a piece of metal in there that they are not sure what part it came from.

Maybe the did, maybe they didn't. Maybe they do, maybe they don't. A third party wasn't there to verify anything.

quote:

They said the cylinder wall is fine.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. They've said all sorts of things up to this point. Who knows what they'll say in the future.

quote:

They told him 2k to replace the piston. I told dad to take the offer. I just want the truck out of there away from those people.

I'd have it towed elsewhere and send them the bill. No way at this point I'd give them a single dime. They appear to have mislead you at every step prior to this, and wouldn't trust them going forward.

Sounds like time to have an attorney involved.
Nothing just gets in there. If there are no other engine parts like a dropped valve, etc. in there to explain the damage, then it was a foreign object/part, most likely a fastener when the EGR was replaced.
The cost to your dad is going to be the repair plus the loss from replacing the truck afterwards. In fact I wouldn't trust those folks to do a major internal engine repair anyway. You don't just throw a new piston into a cylinder if something was banging around inside enough to crack the piston, whatever that means.
I promise you, they aren't backing down that easily if it isn't clearly their fault.

Fuck Them! And the horse they rode in on. They give your dad a $20,000 estimate to replace the engine and now they can fix it for $2,000? Bullshit. Their mechanic fucked it up and they know it. This is why they pulled it apart before anyone else could look at it. What happened to the metal they "found" in the oil? They are hosing your dad. What do you think your dad will get on trade for the truck with a "repaired” engine vs. a new long block? I wouldn’t touch that truck with a ten foot pole.

Good on you for helping your dad and I hope it all works out.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Fuck Them! And the horse they rode in on. They give your dad a $20,000 estimate to replace the engine and now they can fix it for $2,000? Bullshit. Their mechanic fucked it up and they know it. This is why they pulled it apart before anyone else could look at it. What happened to the metal they "found" in the oil? They are hosing your dad. What do you think your dad will get on trade for the truck with a "repaired” engine vs. a new long block? I wouldn’t touch that truck with a ten foot pole.

Good on you for helping your dad and I hope it all works out.

This is what I think. Your dad will not get fair value if he trades it in now. Those bastards owe you a new engine. Might be worth talking to a lawyer.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
Sounds like time to have an attorney involved.
Nothing just gets in there. If there are no other engine parts like a dropped valve, etc. in there to explain the damage, then it was a foreign object/part, most likely a fastener when the EGR was replaced.
The cost to your dad is going to be the repair plus the loss from replacing the truck afterwards. In fact I wouldn't trust those folks to do a major internal engine repair anyway. You don't just throw a new piston into a cylinder if something was banging around inside enough to crack the piston, whatever that means.
I promise you, they aren't backing down that easily if it isn't clearly their fault.

^^^Agreed! Extra pieces of metal within the cylinder don't just magically appear. That dealer sounds shadey as hell.

Have you had any contact with Chevrolet directly (not through the dealer)?

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:

quote:

They said the cylinder wall is fine.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. They've said all sorts of things up to this point. Who knows what they'll say in the future.

For those on this board who are very at home spinning a wrench (I include myself in that group), what do you think the chances are some rather substantial foreign object got into the cylinder causing an impact so severe it resulted in a cracked diesel piston, without also severely damaging the cylinder wall, valves, ports, or head? My bet, pretty damn low.

Dude, I wouldn't settle for anything less than a new engine installed in that truck. They broke it, let them resolve the issue on their dime.

And they contend that there is no damage to the cylinder head? I find that real hard to believe. Convenient that they "forgot" to wait for you to be there when they tore it down too.

And who's to say that if that engine explodes after they repair it that they don't try to weasel out of it again? Or what if the dealership changes ownership within that two years, not an uncommon event in today's dealerships and the engine breaks I can guarantee the new owner of that store will not stand behind that agreement/warranty/whatever they are calling it. Or the dealership just shuts down, who is going to then pay for it? Guess who, it's you!

Lawyer up time. First thing in the morning. Let them talk to your attorney.

quote:

For those on this board who are very at home spinning a wrench (I include myself in that group), what do you think the chances are some rather substantial foreign object got into the cylinder causing an impact so severe it resulted in a cracked diesel piston, without also severely damaging the cylinder wall, valves, ports, or head? My bet, pretty damn low.

In a combustion chamber half or a third of the volume of a gas engine? No way.

quote:

Originally posted by walker77:
So the dealership pulled the engine and opened it up without us there (no surprise). The piston is cracked. They found a piece of metal in there that they are not sure what part it came from. They said the cylinder wall is fine. They told him 2k to replace the piston. I told dad to take the offer. I just want the truck out of there away from those people.

The problem is we can't trust that truck any more. I don't want my parents to be on vacation and the engine blows again. So I think dad is going to look for a used one a couple years newer and trade this one in.

I appreciate everyone's help on this.


ETA: the dealership will give him a 2 year unlimited mile warranty on the engine.

Do not give them any money whatsoever.

I hate chiselers. Dealer has dropped from 20k to 2k - that proves they know they are at fault. Hold their feet to the fire and make them repair on their dime and include the warranty. You had a good used engine when dad took it in and a repaired engine with 2 yr unlimited warranty seems to me a reasonable compromise.

What I would do if it was my truck.

From here on an attorney would be doing my talking. To both the dealership and to GM's district service manager. It would be interesting to see if that 8700 dollar offer actually came from the factory without a teardown or it was just a story concocted by the dealership to get your dad to pay. This whole thing has a peculiar smell to it, especially how GM supposedly offered that split without a teardown. I'm just not buying it.

I would have the attorney press for a replacement engine from GM, not a rebuild from Jasper or whoever would give them one cheaper. It was damaged while in their care, no reason you should accept diminished value of the truck for a patch job. That's all this is, a patch job. My concern is damage to the cylinder head that could lead to a future crack, a connecting rod or a crankshaft failure that is compromised due to a internal stress crack or a twist and subsequent damage to the rod bearing. And another thing, possible damage to the fuel injector, those are not a cheap date either.

And for the warranty, unless GM has changed their warranties on the Duramax service replacement engines, last I knew they were covered for 36 months or 100,000 miles whichever comes first, parts and labor. And good at any GM dealer if they have a failure on the road, not just at the dealer where this fiasco occurred.

Your decision how to proceed from here

No fucking way is there a metal chuck which damaged the piston and the piston only, complete BS.

And no fucking way are they going to be the people who put my dad's truck back together!

They are flat out lying thieves who can NOT be trusted.

Very sorry to see this tragedy taking place.
Why is it too much trouble for people to be honest and have integrity?