Pursue Powertrain Warranty or Dig in and Upgrade?

[12TrueSport]

I've been off the boards for a while but wanted to get the mass opinion on this.

I'm pretty sure I have a bad rod or rod bearing.

Mt truck is a 2015 1500 Sport that I factory ordered, It has every available upgrade including 3.92 gears. It's been on a BDS lift with 35's and a Vararam intake and FM S40 exhaust with resonators removed since it was two weeks old. I added a second battery, catch can, and a plethora of cosmetic goodies but never tuned it because I was waiting for the cost of the Diablo tuners to come down. Current mileage is 36K.

The question is do I let the dealer take a crack at it under the powertrain warranty knowing it's a 50/50 shot or do I dig into myself and build it up in the process. I don't have a stack of cash lying around but could afford a decent rebuild.

What do you think?

 

[G-Ride990]

I say let the dealer replace the engine since its under warranty and get some headers, a cam and a custom tune.

36k is really low miles to have a catastrophic engine failure. Any insight to how the failure occurred?

 

[Jrod]

I would let the warranty take a crack at it before opening my wallet.

 

[12TrueSport]

I say let the dealer replace the engine since its under warranty and get some headers, a cam and a custom tune.

36k is really low miles to have a catastrophic engine failure. Any insight to how the failure occurred?

The failure hasn't occurred yet but it's knocking so bad from the bottom end that I know it's coming. Reason for failure? I drive the s***t out of my truck!! lol.

I've checked everything I can and have always been thorough and early on oil changes etc. I'm concerned that the dealer will dig into it and then try and tell me the powertrain won't cover it.

 

[G-Ride990]

They might give you a hard time for that TB, intake and catch can. I think I would pull those off before you take it in just to be safe. Obviously we know that they wouldn't cause the issue you are having but the dealership might have other thoughts on those mods.

That is crazy that you got a rod knock with such low miles and great maintenance.

How much money are you wanting to spend on a build if you go that route? Headers and a tune are a good start for about any direction you want to go. Blower maybe?

 

[Jrod]

What G-Ride990 said. Sometimes FCA wants pics and a list of add-on's before approving a claim. Hints often times claims go beyond the hands of your service department. For example, I know someone who was denied repairs for his side view mirror because he stuck a blind spot mirror in the corner.... It's stupid but it happens..

 

[huntergreen]

Imho, we pay for the warranty, you should use it.

 

[chrisbh17]

They might give you a hard time for that TB, intake and catch can. I think I would pull those off before you take it in just to be safe. Obviously we know that they wouldn't cause the issue you are having but the dealership might have other thoughts on those mods.

That is crazy that you got a rod knock with such low miles and great maintenance.

How much money are you wanting to spend on a build if you go that route? Headers and a tune are a good start for about any direction you want to go. Blower maybe?

Honestly I could see them saying the lift did it (bigger tires = more wear and tear on drivetrain, and engine is part of drivetrain, so ...)

OTOH I spoke to my service advisor and shop foreman and they both said the first thing FCA asks for (in regards to engine issues) are pics under the valve cover. if it looks clean they will most likely fall back and let the service department decide. Of course, I didnt get that in writing so who knows for sure, but you might get lucky.

I would swap out all the stuff you can do so easily. Has the truck been to service with that stuff on it? I would worry that maybe they noted it in a file at some point and want to use it to deny coverage now.

 

[RLJ10X]

I think I'd find something a little cheaper to drive the s**t out of! lol I don't really care. Just giving you a hard time.

But if you had good oil in it, and didn't let it get hot, the engine shouldn't have let go.

Do you beat on it while it's still cold? I see guys do that, I just cringe.

If it was the cam wipe out, I'd say rebuild. But it's not. Get a new engine.

 

[TruckNut]

Wow......36K and failure? Not that it hasn't happened before. My cousin's Jeep Grand Cherokee failed at the same mileage and he drives like an old lady. Take off the intake and the catch can and take it in for warranty repair. Worth a shot at using their money instead of yours.

 

[atom13]

It's all about the dealer some have a holes running the show. Here is a recent encounter: scheduled service at nearest dealer for Thursday. Advisor called Tuesday to push my appointment to weds. It's obvious they need to fill the schedule. I asked for rental since it's a recall service. Advisor tells me they don't do rentals. OK cancel the appointment a hole. Second dealer, yeah sure fca pays for the rental. Second dealer got me in a 19 ram bighorn. 3 recalls and replaced my transmission, condensor and evac recharge hvac system. Think of the money lost to the first dealer and their techs. Warranty work is paid by fca. The techs don't work for free.

 

[chrisbh17]

It's all about the dealer some have a holes running the show. Here is a recent encounter: scheduled service at nearest dealer for Thursday. Advisor called Tuesday to push my appointment to weds. It's obvious they need to fill the schedule. I asked for rental since it's a recall service. Advisor tells me they don't do rentals. OK cancel the appointment a hole. Second dealer, yeah sure fca pays for the rental. Second dealer got me in a 19 ram bighorn. 3 recalls and replaced my transmission, condensor and evac recharge hvac system. Think of the money lost to the first dealer and their techs. Warranty work is paid by fca. The techs don't work for free.

Or they pushed it in hopes you wouldn't fill their schedule with warranty-based stuff, and now they can fill it with full profit stuff instead

Techs dont work for free, but the dealer pays them. And since the dealer trumps the techs, dealer will do what is best for dealer....not customer, not service tech.

 

[madtrucker2016]

Well my thought in this problem is when you made the purchase of this very nice truck, included into the price is a part that you paid for its called factory warranty. So my thinking as a customer you should get what you pay for, and that's a new engine if it needs it > is on their dime

 

[chrisbh17]

Well my thought in this problem is when you made the purchase of this very nice truck, included into the price is a part that you paid for its called factory warranty. So my thinking as a customer you should get what you pay for, and that's a new engine if it needs it > is on their dime

I think the question here is if the mods on the truck will give them a reason to deny coverage.

Remove those mods and then it would be on them to find another reason (like if they noted the mods during a previous service). Obviously a lift and larger tires not easy to undo, but the catch can, intake, tb, etc could be removed.

 

[atom13]

Or they pushed it in hopes you wouldn't fill their schedule with warranty-based stuff, and now they can fill it with full profit stuff instead

Techs dont work for free, but the dealer pays them. And since the dealer trumps the techs, dealer will do what is best for dealer....not customer, not service tech.

Not trying to argue with you but I found MY dealer. Kinda short sighted of the first dealer. The point of my story is that not all dealers are stealers. It usually is the smaller dealers who are great.

 

[chrisbh17]

Not trying to argue with you but I found MY dealer. Kinda short sighted of the first dealer. The point of my story is that not all dealers are stealers. It usually is the smaller dealers who are great.

Im with you there. Its really tough to find a good one, but once you do its worth its weight in gold.

Im unsure about how "mod friendly" either of my local dealers are. I have MaxCare Lifetime so its a big risk, although I have done a few things to my truck. Nothing engine or trans related, though.

 

[madtrucker2016]

Not trying to argue with you but I found MY dealer. Kinda short sighted of the first dealer. The point of my story is that not all dealers are stealers. It usually is the smaller dealers who are great.

My time dealing with service managers is, You meet them and give them a firm handshake with for a new motor 100 bucks folded up and you will be a best buddies it has worked for me

 

[GsRAM]

What G-Ride990 said. Sometimes FCA wants pics and a list of add-on's before approving a claim. Hints often times claims go beyond the hands of your service department. For example, I know someone who was denied repairs for his side view mirror because he stuck a blind spot mirror in the corner.... It's stupid but it happens..

That is uber retarted. If they tried that bs with me I'd go ballistic. Unbelievable. That kind of position plays into the whole "stealership" mentality....

 

[texan279]

Well my thought in this problem is when you made the purchase of this very nice truck, included into the price is a part that you paid for its called factory warranty. So my thinking as a customer you should get what you pay for, and that's a new engine if it needs it > is on their dime

This. Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Elkman]

First thing i would do is drain the oil and have a sample sent to a lab for testing. I would want to know what metal particles they found.

Lots of things that can make a sound like a rod knock. I spent a weekend with an engine removing it 3 times and redoing the bearings before I finally realized it was a problem with the bushing in the flywheel where the transmission shaft was held in place. Replaced the bushing in the flywheel and all was well.

Nice to be so rich that you can abuse your truck without a second thought. I am not rich and so I take care of my vehicles and drive them for more than 10 years and 200,000 miles without problems, but to each his own.