3rd head gasket....

[Docfranco]

Hi all
I am developing a problem. I bought an 2001 Dmax with 123,000 miles on it, checked the vin before i got it and found all 8 injectors have been replaced, both head gaskets were replaced at 111,000 miles. I took it into my local dealer in Socal (truck was a Tx truck) and he is telling my my coolant leak is probably the left head gasket. It was leaking coolant and smoking on wot and got 9.5 mpg. The dealer claim history says both head gaskets were replaced but it says nothing about resurfacing the heads, as it should.
Now my problem is that a new head gasket should last more than 13,000 miles conveniently just past the 12,000 warrantee for dealer performed work. My local dealer says i will have to pay for the full cost and need to take it up with the dealer who did the work or GM. My other concern is if the left head was not resurfaced, the right was probably not either, it is just not leaking yet. Anyone have any insight as to what my options may be here?

[More Power]

What are the leak symptoms? Where's it leaking? How did you discover it?

MP

[Docfranco]

When I picked the truck up in tx the low coolant light was on and the sales rep refilled it. I did not see any leak then, but on the trip back from tx the light came on again and I noticed a spot on the ground directly under the front driveshaft u-joint. As i got under it and tried to follow it up the most i could see was a drip when warm coming from the rear driver side top of the engine. after driving it would be a steady drip. I have contacted GM and they are researching the events to make a determination of liability. I am supposed to hear back today.

[More Power]

Could be due to a defect in the head deck surface, the block deck surface or improper installation (gasket damaged during installation, dirty installation, incorrect bolt torque values, incorrect bolt torque sequence, etc.).

I'd check to make sure whether these aluminum heads can be resurfaced.

MP

[Jim Brzozowski]

Docfranco, is it possible that you or the dealer have jumped to a conclusion that it is a head gasket because the head gaskets were replaced?
The reason I say this is the engine oil cooler is on that side of the engine right above where the oil filter fits. The cooler circulates oil on one side of it and coolant on the other. Might suggest they look at that possibility too.

[Docfranco]

I just got my call from the local dealer telling me they believe its a head gasket. i now need to hear from GM to see if they will take any responsability. I am not holding my breath. If I have to pay out o my pocket for a 3rd head gasket,@125K mi you can believe i will NOT let chevrolet touch the truck again, except for maybe the injectors which are still under warrantee....stay tuned....

[Docfranco]

Well got my not entirely unexpected news from GM that "it's out of 12/12 warrantee, sorry" My local dealer quoted me a LABOR price of 3000 to do both heads. Are they serious? At 75$ an hour that is 20 hours to R&R EACH side. I guess the duramax/izusu collaboration is not the engineering marvel i was beginning to believe it was. I cannot knock the performance of a well running dmax. but when gm says tough nuts cuz the 2nd headgasket is out of warrantee on an engine that is expected to run 200-300K, i am rethinking my beliefs. I kinda thought GM or the dealer that did the work would take responabilty for what is shoddy work. I think anyone or you guys would believe a head gasket should last longer that 13K. Anyone know of a place besides a dealer that can perform a headgasket job and stand behind it? :mad:

[Jim Brzozowski]

It was a defect in materials, if anything warped so bad that it caused the gasket to leak the first time. Any other anomality would have been recorded by the computer if it was overheated or anything like that. They never reported that on their repair orders did they?

It was a defect in workmanship, if they didn't properly torque the bolts at the factory or any subsequent operation by dealer mechanics. Surely they used new head bolts each time. What do the repair orders say about that? Most everyone is using non-reusable bolts now. If one tries to reuse them they won't reach the proper torque. I'd be asking a lot of questions before they tear into it.

Defects in materials and or workmanship are covered in most warranties in the USA.