[Phrozt]

So I've taken my trep into a dealership THREE TIMES already.

I tell them that there's a problem w/the engine missfiring on piston 5. I replaced all spark plugs. I switched coils around. Not spark plugs, not coils. I tell them that the need to perform a leak down test on the cylinder to check it out.

First time, they replace 3 fuel injectors for $200 and charge me $220 for labor. No leak down test.

Second time, they replace a vaccum tube seal.. $3.71 and charge me $98 for labor. No leak down test. This time they told me that they had the tools to do it, but loaned it to another company and they didn't return it.

NOW I CALL THE GENERAL MANAGER.
He says "yeah, I can see how you have problem. You've already paid over $500 and there's still a problem, and we haven't done what you asked. Bring it in on Wednesday."

So I brought it in today... and I just got a call.
Her: "Yeah, we can't do the leak down test because we don't have the tools to do it."
Me: "Can't you get it back from the place you 'loaned' it to?"
Her: "No.. I don't think so."
Me: "So I'm just SOL?"
Her: "What?"
Me: "I'm just **** out of luck?"
Her: "Um.. yeah.. I guess so."



WTF?? HOW HARD IS IT TO HAVE A BASIC DIAGNOSTIC TOOL AT A DODGE DEALERSHIP?

 

[GR8WHT]

Did they even do a compression check?

 

[Phrozt]

Yes... and there was a loss of power on piston 5.

OMG!!! IT'S LIKE WHAT I TOLD THEM WOULD BE THERE IS THERE!! CRAZINESS!!

 

[GR8WHT]

ok, now all they had to do was squirt a little oil in that cylinder and retest it
If compression goes up, bad rings
If compression stays same, bad valve(s)
Is your oils clean, not milky and is your coolant level staying constant, things to check to see if your head gasket is ok.
Have them prassure test the cooling system, pump to 15 lbs and see if it holds it, if it drops right away or after a few min then the head gasket is gone.
What compression pressure readings did the get? Did they check the whole engine or just that one cylinder?

 

[Phrozt]

They checked the whole engine... I'll have to grab the invoice to get the exact numbers they gave me. I remember seeing the numbers, but I don't remember what they were exactly.

They said it didn't seem too far off, but I thought it was. Perhaps it was my ignorance of engines that led me to believe this. I'll let you decide when I get to those papers.

 

[stroise]

i would charge them to check out your car the correct way. bunch of asses the dealer is.

 

[Veeb0rg]

find another dealer or another trustable mechanic..

 

[Hailstorm]

So, they don't have a tool man coming to the shop? Thats just sad. I would call corp on them. They are supposed to set the bar for service. :sly:

 

[Phrozt]

That's what I'm saying..

That's why I made this thread.... isn't a leak down test a BASIC diagnostic that a dodge certified dealership should have???

And I forgot to look up pressures (running late this morning :/)

 

[windowpane]

I know nothing about the tolerances of the numbers etc but if you tell them to do a leakdown test and they don't WTF, they then do work/service you didn't ask for or authorize? and charge you for it WTF? So why would you keep going back there?

AT this point your in it with them so try contacting Dodge or whoever to complain if not the dealer's owner or the manager again because the service department people are not listening to you. I hope you have luck in getting this taken care of and if not at least in getting your complaint in because I have no idea how dealerships get their 5 star ratings when I never got to give my opinion on my experiences with my dealer and couldn't find any way there or on their website to do that.

 

[Phrozt]

the only reason I'm going back there is becaus I have already spent $500 there on service with THIS PROBLEM and I now have THREE invoices that show I wanted a leak down test done and there was none. I'm going back there because I'm hoping that the manager would do the right thing and test it for free, since I've already been through such **** w/them.

I'm also going back there because one of the chicks that works there is so freakin hot it's rediculous!!

 

[windowpane]

I'm also going back there because one of the chicks that works there is so freakin hot it's rediculous!!

That's how they got me into my dealership, internet sales coordinator or whatever her title was, she was hot, gawdamn!

Seriously get into it with the manager, don't deal with the techs or the girl who answers the phone etc, if there is a problem you talk to the manager no one else.

 

[Hailstorm]

Hot chick, now it makes sense.

 

[Phrozt]

Here are those numbers on the Compression check:

1-125
2-127
3-127
4-125
5-115
6-123

Also, what's funny is that on this invoice (the first one) they say that my injectors were fine, but then on the next time I took it in, they replaced 3 of them..

 

[Bear-man]

115 psi is within spec. I wonder what they did to diagnose the issue ???
I would go somewhere else where they have a clue and know how do diagnose a issue... Then go back to the dealer after it's resolved and demand a refund. It makes me wonder if they knew how to do a compression test, and a leakdown test isn't that rare. They shoud have done a cylinder balance test.

 

[Phrozt]

So you know what you're talking about then? I was waiting for someone w/some knowledge of the industry to make a comment.

I wouldn't think that a leak down test is uncommon... especially at a dodge dealership.

 

[GR8WHT]

Most dealerships can do it, but its not a firstline dianostic tool .Most only would use it if all other tests are inconclusive.
95% of what a leak down test shows can be done with a compression check and a little oil in the cylinders
All a leak down does is note where the loss of compression is if its not obvious from a compression check.

 

[Phrozt]

well, given the numbers I posted.. do you think there could be a problem w/my cylinder??

That's what I'm ultimately afraid of... is having a problem w/either the head or the cylinder itself. I have an extended warranty.. so it *should* cover that, but i'd like to catch it before it screws the rest of my engine up...

Even though I plan on replacing it w/a V8 hemi (hah!)

 

[GR8WHT]

Numbers are not too bad, a little low across the board, but that can be just the guage they used. They are in spec as stated before by Bear-man
I would start looking at a electronic issue but you said you replaced the plugs and coils.

A missfire on a cylinder can cause the slightly lower copmpression readings because the fuel is injected but not burned so it washes some of the oil off the cylinder walls causing a slight drop in compression.
How many miles on the engine?
What codes are you getting and how often does it pop up?
Did you reseat the PCM connectors?
Is the NEG post cables BOTH snug? lower and upper?
Any other odd things happening?

 

[Phrozt]

I did not replace the coils, I switched them around, and there was absolutely no change in the engine or in the error codes (I cleared them first, of course)

How many miles on the engine? 58k
What codes are you getting and how often does it pop up? Don't get them anymore.. but I did RIGHT after I got out of the dealership the last time I had anythign done to it (so the time I took it in before this)
Did you reseat the PCM connectors? Not sure what these are
Is the NEG post cables BOTH snug? lower and upper? The upper is, I know.. because I've been doing some audio work w/the car. As for the lower, I'm open ears on an easy way to get to the battery (I'm planning on replacing it w/my new system anyway)
Any other odd things happening? Gear shifting seems delayed... but other than that, not really. The engine isn't jumping around that bad at all now.. but because I'm aware of the problem, I feel it more. It's really only existant at idle speeds and when the car is in 4th when I'm giving it just a little gas