Help! I'm smokin...

[rsgs]

Drove to work this morning. Stopped after about 30 miles for coffee. Started the truck back up and now it's smoking like a chimney and sounds like a rod is loose. Any ideas what the problem could be? Is it safe to drive back to the Stealer?

[ 07-15-2004, 04:35 AM: Message edited by: rsgs ]

[jbplock]

If the smoke is white (unburned fuel) it could be a bad injector - especially since you indicated it sounded like a loose rod knocking. Also check the oil to see if the crankcase is filling up with fuel (overfull).

[rsgs]

It's black smoke. And a lot of it. It seems to clear up somewhat after I accelerate, but during the acceleration, it just bellows black smoke.

[jbplock]

rsgs,

Black smoke could indicate over fueling. Are you running a power box? If so you could try going back to stock... If not, sounds like a trip to the dealer. Also watch for signs of the crankcase filling up with fuel. Good luck...

[rsgs]

Thanx Bill. I am not running any box. I did a field change of the fuel filter just to rule that out. Of course that wasn't it. It's at the dealer now.

[rsgs]

Just heard back from the Stealer. It looks like I had bad injectors. It was dumping fuel in the oil also. Of course these are not in-stock items now so it looks like sometime next week. I was really praying I wouldn't fall into the bad injector catagory like so many others, but if it wasn't for bad luck... you know the rest. I still love this truck, but it makes me really appreciate the fact that I put over 100k on my Dodge/Cummins over 4 years and never once had it in the shop. This is the fifth time for the Duramax in one year.

[ore.diesel]

Just my own thoughts but I love this D/A of mine and also am hoping for no problems. I was aware of some issues due to the diesel page before buying but of the big three this is the one I wanted. Wish the problems weren't out there but I do love this truck and will take it and it's problems. stuff happens. Jess

[rickdlance]

Talked to my dealer yesterday. Injectors on nationwide back order. Hope your dealer had a order placed in advance.

[rsgs]

My Stealer had 8 in stock. They found out 2 were bad. That's comforting, eh?

[rsgs]

Just got off the phone with the Service Manager at the Stealer. There is a nation-wide "48 hour hold" on injectors. They are only shipping to service trucks that are down and he said I would qualify (whatever that's worth). When asked about what he thought about diesel in the oil and the potential for decreased engine life, he said " we've done thousands of these and never had a problem with that. If it was gas, it would be a different story". So now, I'm left to wonder. I've got 33k on it - is it time to dump it and buy a new one??? Interested in any/all comments.

[richp]

Done THOUSANDS!?!?!?!? Come on, who does he think he's kidding?

Before I believed that, I'd need to see some pretty solid data. Presume this is the largest GM truck dealer on the continent and he has sold ten thousand DMAX trucks in the last 3 years. Is is even vaguely possible that he had thousands (plural) of trucks come back in with injector failures and it has gone unnoticed?

Some of these dealers (mine, for instance) want to help with the contaminated oil issue and GM won't work with them. Others either are in denial about the raw mechanical/lubrication forces at work in these engines, or else they just don't want to do any more than they have to for a customer. That will lose repeat business every time.

But looking at the big picture, their strategy is incredibly short-sighted. With all the persistent lore about GM diesel problems over the years, the company finally has a real barn-burner of a power train. And so what do they do? Duck and dodge on a very visible and expensive problem in a way that ultimately may just add another chapter to the negative GM diesel reputation. They did the right thing on the injectors, they just didn't go far enough.

For what it's worth.

Rich Phillips
Member #27

[rickdlance]

I would want to know who much diesel was in the oil. If it was only a quart over you caught it in time. If it was leaking out the dipstick I would attempt to get a new motor. I have heard of the leak ruining motors.

[rsgs]

UPDATE: Talked to the Stealer today. Seems I was miss-informed (imagine that). Injectors for the 2004 are on a 48 hour hold. Injectors for 2001, 02, 03's have been on BACKORDER since the 20th of June! Has no idea when GM will get them. I also informed him that everyday my truck is down, I loose $600.00 in missed boat deliveries and could loose the contract if I miss any more. He did say he felt sorry for me... Professional Grade eh...

[rsgs]

I just spoke to GM Customer Service. After some checking around, he called me back and said I'm looking at about one month wait right now. That's in addition to the 2 weeks it's already been there. That will sink my boat delivery business. Now I'm paying $750. a month truck note with no additional income coming in and my delivery service ruined. Great product. Maybe I'll let them repo it. They'll have to tow it away from the Stealer.

[MikeC]

Sagas like this make me wonder if the Dmax is what I want. Every brand has it's share of trouble but GM appears to be going the extra mile to give BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Have a neighbor/friend who sells F*** and D**** and may have to look at buying from him.

Mike

[Mark Heiken]

Just reding this makes me see red!! Having a problem with injectors is one thing, but 6 weeks to get them??????

I would talk to the dealer and GM to try to get a rental, loaner, anything to save my business. Could the dealer take injectors from a rig on the lot to get you going?

None of the manufacturers are without problems, but that kind of wait for parts to fix a known issue is telling us that GM does not care about the customer.

All the rest of us can do is hope and pray that when ours has trouble, the parts are available. I know that I would have to buy or rent a rig if mine was in the shop for that long.

[OC_DMAX]

I think GM has just blown their "good intentions" with some of their customer base. Waiting three or four weeks for replacement injectors to show up is absolutely ridiculous. When making the decision to extend the injector warranty AND replace ALL EIGHT injectors at once, GM should have first stockpiled the injectors at one central warehouse. Then just overnight FEDEX them to the needy truck. Think about it,,,, they have a supply chain set-up to replace XX number of injector failures per week (typically one injector per truck). All of a sudden, someone in corporate decides when one injector fails, they will replace all eight. Overnight, the demand goes up by a factor of eight. Looks like the warranty side of GM is not talking to the logistics side of GM or there is a general lack of planning.

Typical story of trying to do something right and shooting yourself in the foot at the same time. HOPEFULLY, someone at GM is paying attention and has an ample supply on order.


On edit: either what I wrote above about the planning aspect OR they have made yet another revision to the injector to correct another problem and they do not want to distribute any older versions. Now I am really speculating. It does not appear as if GM has a handle on this issue though. A little disappointing.

[ 07-27-2004, 04:13 PM: Message edited by: OC_DMAX ]

[hd90rider]

RSGS, send me an e-mail. Would like to talk to you about boat deliveries. hd90rider@aol.com

[rsgs]

Well, quite a turn of events in the last 24 hours. After talking to GM Cust. Service yesterday and them telling me it