Are there any mechanics in the house!?!?!?

[MrsLouisianaHogDog]

I'm seriously about to have a nervous breakdown, and I am usually a pretty calm person.

Is anyone here a mechanic?

My truck has been in the shop for almost 2 weeks now. Mind you, I just spent almost $1,700 a few months ago on a used engine/labor to replace the bad one.

It was misdiagnosed first, then he said my lifters had to be replaced....It was supposed to be ready today....well I call...and they tell me, "the lifters didn't fix the problem, but they were bad, and needed to be replaced. It looks like we're gonna have to rework the heads."

They said I won't be charged for the labor on the lifters, just the parts. I asked how much is THIS gonna cost. She cut me short and said she's going to get the costs together and call me back.

Now do y'all think they were talking about the cylinder heads? I know they can't be talking about the head gasket, as I know what my truck was doing and it was NOT showing signs of what happens when you blow the head gasket.

I am SOOOOOO beyond frusterated, that I am on the verge of tears. I do not have money for this crap. Considering we had to pull a loan out last time to pay that huge bill! I'm sitting here now waiting for them to call me back with a price on this. I may have it towed to a different shop.

[justincorbell]

Wish i could help.....dont get frustrated, it will all work out one way or another

[justincorbell]

And if it makes you feel any better mine has been down since last november......i get it back tomorrow finally......i  eventually broke down and bought an old beat up z71 to putt back and forth to work with

[setxhogdogs]

I know next to nothing about mechanics but i do know some mechanics will try to take advantage of women! I never send my wife cause she is a bit gullible and they could sell her anything! Hopefully they are not taking advantage of u!! Hope everything works out OK! Keep or head up!!

"Country Bumpkin"

[Hogsnatchers]

Pm me what and I'll be able to respond faster. Yes she was referring to the cylinder heads give me a rundown on what type vehicle were dealing with and I'll do what I can to help you understand and not get messed over

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

[Hogsnatchers]

Pm me back*

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

[charles]

What is the original reasoning for putting the tck in the shop in the first place. I quick history on the nech faults on the tck would help with possibble diagnosis to help keep u from gettn screwed over any more

[MrsLouisianaHogDog]

I'll pm you hogsnatchers.

Here's history. I got this truck in a trade in December of 2011. It wasn't maintained like I would have maintained it, but I got a tune up done and the belt replaced and all that good stuff. Fast forward to August of 2012. Engine wnt bad, ceased up. Took it to the local shop. They swapped my ceased engine for another used engine from a salvage yard. All seemed okay. Fast forward to last month. I was low on gas. Cranked her up to get her to the station to fill up. Started sputtering and hopping like it would if it were running out of fuel. Went next door, got some gas in a can from the neighbor. Added gas. Cranked her back up. Did the SAME thing. Ran two cans of Seafoam through the tank. No better. Had it towed to local shop again. Been there for two weeks now. I gave the most recent part of the story in my first post.

I was referred to a mechanic by a friend who had his engine replaced just a few minutes ago. Said he's not had a single problem with his since. I called the guy, gave him the rundown. He said from what it sounds like is that the used engine they got me was all sludged up from the get go. He said they shoulds recofnized that and sent that engine back to save both parties time miney and headache. He said he will look at it, and give me an honest opinion of what if anything he can do. Going to have it towed to him in the morning. Now I am REALLY frikking nervous....as to me this sounds like this replaced engine may be a sludged up piece of crap! I am so afraid he's gonna tell me it isn't worth fixing! I'm gonna have an ulcer I swear. Anyway, he said it'd take him a acouple hours to go through it and try and get a diagnosis. Charing me $80 for that. *sigh*

Meanwhile, I feel like I've been done wrong by this local shop. Not sure how I feel about that.....

[charles]

From what you explained about it runnin low/out of fuel. My first thought would be trash ie: rust, rubber from pump, solidified sludge from yrs of misuse/abuse) blocking fuel line or the fuel pump went on the fritz, still pumping, but not enough pressure to keep the eng running, in sence, the eng is starving for fuel. Depending on what type of trash, seefome b-12 or any other fuel cleaner may not "clean" the fuel system and could possibly harm the lines more than help. If it ran "fine" prior to letting it get low on fuel, i would try the fuel system FIRST, not tearing the top end of the eng down and then claim, well they needed to be replaced anyways. The lifters, valve springs, valve seats and guides, compression ck on ea cylinder should hav been done before the eng was installed, an oil n filter change prior to initial start up. How many fuel filters does the tck have, is there a filter built in with the pump if its an in tank pump, how much pressure is the pump producing, does it meet, exceed or just barely under factory specs? I find it hard to believe its the eng alone, w/o having any fuel issues. Is it efi, elec ignition, how much computorization is on the tck, not just the eng? 

[MrsLouisianaHogDog]

From what you explained about it runnin low/out of fuel. My first thought would be trash ie: rust, rubber from pump, solidified sludge from yrs of misuse/abuse) blocking fuel line or the fuel pump went on the fritz, still pumping, but not enough pressure to keep the eng running, in sence, the eng is starving for fuel. Depending on what type of trash, seefome b-12 or any other fuel cleaner may not "clean" the fuel system and could possibly harm the lines more than help. If it ran "fine" prior to letting it get low on fuel, i would try the fuel system FIRST, not tearing the top end of the eng down and then claim, well they needed to be replaced anyways. The lifters, valve springs, valve seats and guides, compression ck on ea cylinder should hav been done before the eng was installed, an oil n filter change prior to initial start up. How many fuel filters does the tck have, is there a filter built in with the pump if its an in tank pump, how much pressure is the pump producing, does it meet, exceed or just barely under factory specs? I find it hard to believe its the eng alone, w/o having any fuel issues. Is it efi, elec ignition, how much computorization is on the tck, not just the eng? 

I'ma try and get you answers to those questions there.

It's a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport V8 5.9L for those who asked me.

[charles]

Krystal, that thing is loaded with sensors n circuits boards. It does hav an elec in tank pump. My 01 dodge v8 5.9 did the same, but i had bout 10gal of water, that when it settled over nite, i started it up, got 1/2 mile down the road n it started buckin like bronc. I pump 2gal of rubbin alcohol in it, limped it back hm in 4 low. I siphened what i could after cutting the metal tube in the filler neck and then droped the tank. When i dumped the fuel in a 55gal drum, i had a piece of cheese cloth in the funnel n it had gobs of jello type gel in the tank. It took a couple tanks of fresh 100LL avn gas to straiten it out.

[MrsLouisianaHogDog]

Ahhhh.

See, I was thinkin somethin fuel related too. Just kinda coincidental how this happened when it was super low on fuel. I was thinking something fuel related too! I'll be bringing that up to the guy that it's getting towed to tomorrow.....I'd be tickled to death if that's all it was was somethin fuel related and not the engine itself....

[charles]

 if it does turn out to be just a fuel related issue, to bad it cost so much to sue hole in the butts that wanted to rebuild an eng that they knew wasn't the problem. im not a sue happy type, but its bs when folks take advantage of others, especially a woman that has auto mech issues, knowing that the majority of women, don't know mechanics. the folks that take advantage of others will be the first to bitch when they r being takin for a ride and price gouged. there r some sorry sob mechanics out there.

[Reuben]

I am not a mechanic but ran a big plant and did lots of troubleshooting...My bet is on the fuel system just like Charles has already said...If the truck was running fine before then it is a no brainer that it faulted when the gas went empty...might have to clear some sensors that probably came on when the gas tank went empty...And the sea foam is some of the best but it could of loosened some sludge in the gas tank and fouled your fuel system even more...probably fuel filters and fuel pump and possibly fuel injectors are sludged up/dirty...but a good mechanic should figure this out easily and use a process of elimination starting with the cheapest and easiest place to look and/or the most probable and work from there...this dude is having to make a house payment or something...cause he should know better...I know enough to not get screwed around...

[LoftinCattleCo]

The problem sounds like your low on blinker fluid lol...timing could be to advanced, coil pack could be out, bad plugs or a lift pump problem... From my experience those small dodge v8s don't take rebuilds (head work lifters,boring and honing) very well so that's something to take into consideration also...

[Shotgun wg]

Fuel system would be the first thing I woulda checked. I don't see valve issues causing ur problem. U shoulda been able to hear them rattling if they were that bad. If seats were bad or guides bad it shoulda been smoking. Another point to make is if they redone the valves completely they had to pull the heads. If they did that they should have had them sent to a head shop to be ground. I don't see it being sludged up unless they are the worlds worst mechanics. My 97 set up for 4 years. Had to bump the pop off injector and change the oil and ran it 3 more years with no problem.

I'm not a mechanic but I farmed all my life and we did the most of our own repairs.

[dub]

I am with Charles on about everything he said. What I would say for anybody reading this is to never use an engine straight from the junkyard unless it comes with at least a one year unlimited mile warranty from the mechanic putting it in. You can get that with a rebuilt engine. My truck is sitting right now and I could rebuild it myself. I am saving my money to get it rebuilt with a warranty. Now I will pull the engine myself and put the rebuilt engine in myself. But the warranty will help my wife sleep better at night. Now I would go get a junkyard engine and put it in myself to save some bucks. But with what a mechanic charges to pull an engine they better give you some warranty. Any decent mechanic should check a junkyard pull before putting it in. If nothing else there should be a warranty to cover labor even on a junkyard pull.

[Fixitlouie]

I wish you lived close to me, my guy is verry honest and cheep. he builds race car engines so a swap would be a cinch for him. he also is a boxing coach for usa boxing. just all around cool dude. knows dogs too...

from me.....who else. tapatalk

[charles]

 krystal, any word back on ur tck and its ailment?

[buddybegone]

if it was the lifters you would of heard them clicking and rattleing