Is GM missing the boat?

[Mark Rinker]

It seems that everyone (making big money) these days has worked an expensive repeating consumable into their product line.

Printer ink, cellular minutes, Pay-Per-View movies, even GM's own On-Star is a great example of reoccuring monthly revenue where before there was none.

Today, GM is on the hook for millions of dollars in warranty exposure over a hard part consumable - fuel injectors. Data suggests that regular fuel treatments and frequent fuel filter changes can extend the life of these wearable part.

But the General does nothing to encourage us to stop at the Parts Counter often - to help them not only sell filters and additives, but to reduce the amount of dollars spent on warranty claims...

If I were in the marketing department, I'd be selling a package of fuel filter and enough injector cleaner additive for the next 15K miles, in a nice carry-box that fits behind the seat, with gloves and a cheapie filter wrench.

And the engineering department needs to make fuel injectors as easy to replace as spark plugs...for about $800 per set new (with 50K parts warranty), over the counter.

Implied: If you want cheerful and full warranty coverage, (especially a few miles or months beyond the cutoff) you'd better be able to show me receipts for a few of these packages...and if you are outside of warranty, don't worry - you can spend some $$$ at the parts counter and roll up your sleeves at home...

[Mountainman]

Good piece Mark! The General (and Ford and what's left of Chrysler) is in disarray and they don't know how to fix it. They don't know their customers or, for that matter, their own product. Pogo said it best: "we have seen the enemy and he is us"!

[More Power]

I've thought for a long time that GM didn't want to encourage shorter fuel filter service intervals or recommend a fuel treatment because of how that might affect new truck sales.

The trend in automotive service for most of the past 20 years has been toward less service - longer oil drain intervals, less chassis lubrication, fewer tune-ups and long-life coolant. I believe they looked at the service question and concluded that people would be more likely to buy a new car or truck if that vehicle offered lower maintenance costs.

There are lots of non-diesel people who believe owning a diesel means higher routine maintenance costs, which ultimately keeps them out of the market. GM, I believe, doesn't want to add to that by suggesting diesel owners need to use a fuel treatment or by requiring shorter service intervals.

Just my thoughts.... :)

Jim

[gophergunner]

I keep fuel conditioner in my tool box all the time. Every time I stop to fuel up it takes me maybe 30 seconds to a full minute to poor some conditioner in my tank. Thats the easy part that I wouldn't even consider maintenance. Especially since lots of people with gassers are putting in octane booster or injector cleaner at every fill up.

The fuel filter is the one that bugs me, but its not even that bad. It only bothers me that its in a real "fun" to get at spot and with diesel on my hands it doesn't make it any easier. The first try was the worst, but at this point its not a life or death situation when I have to change it.
Speaking of which, I have to change it again right away.......

[93GMCSierra]

Just to add to that, most of the time people will trade up to the newer within 1 to 2 years, which means that is less service gm has to perform under warranty, or I should say probably is.

[Mark Rinker]

Well, maybe I'll start packaging up the 'kit' I envision and selling it on Ebay and on my website.

Margins have to be better than hauling boats around...:D

[Philsauto]

Mark,

What do you recommend for an additive? I think you mentioned Sea Foam worked well for you to clean injectors. Do you use something else on a regular basis?

Based on what I read here, I'm changing my fuel filter every 5k.

[Mark Rinker]

I have no brand opinion - mostly because of the inability to draw any measureable conclusions.

Mostly I feel better when running additive. Every brand known to man - Standyne, Total Power, Howes, Lucas, etc. and I have changed injectors on every truck - although not as often as many.

My strategy is to stay inside warranty and let GM replace them, rolling up fast miles and saving on additional filtration hardware. If I were into ownership for the long haul, I'd add additional aftermarket filtration AND run additives.

Agreed on the filters at 5K. Cheap insurance if you are outside warranty.

One quick fix I believe in for when first signs of smoke at idle appears - 1qt cheap tranny fluid per fillup seems to consistantly correct whatever this problem is. Seen it more than once, on two different trucks. However, when mulitple injectors fail simultaneously and you start making oil or knocking, its way too late...

[gophergunner]

ah yeah, new filter today. Took about 15-20 minutes out of my life.....and a bit of diesel all over my hands.

Maybe i'm doing this wrong, I usually change the filter when my dash tells me to around every 20 to 25000 km's. Is this something I should be doing a little more often perhaps?

[hapaschold]

i change my fuel filter every other oil change..at 10k total. change it waiting for engine oil to drain. whole project about 30 minutes. use power service additive most the time.

[carco]

Seldom use additive in summer but do add some occasionally in winter. Have extra filtering on fuel (Cat 2 micron) and oil systems, (Oil Guard). 3 tow trucks one is an 05 C5000 DA no extra filtering, 2 are Cat engined C6500, C7500, with extra oil filtering (Oil Guard). Same here seldom use fuel additives. Same as past diesels and customers diesels. When I do use additives Stanadyne, Power service and ATF fluid. Have to be careful using ATF flluid due to the red dye, IRS likes to fine around $10000 for red fuel. IRS is pulling samples from pickups now in some parts of the country. We do work for a company that ran a truck on road to have repaired a repair shop w/ off-road fuel and were caught, IRS fined them for every truck on their work site, well into the ten of thousands of $$$$. The company at all sites in the US now tows all trucks to be serviced.

[Mark Rinker]

Concerned about the same - but not afraid of our government, as I have nothing to hide.

Added 1qt of ATF to 30 gallons of green taxed fuel in my transfer tank, examined a sample. No trace of red remained. Green appears somewhat darker, but cannot be confused with red dyed offroad fuel.

Also leave one empty ATF container in the bed of the truck, in case I ever have that conversation with DOT or other agents. Will be glad to be cleared by a jury of my peers on this one.

[93GMCSierra]

I have heard that the additive in ATF fluid, for the clutches etc, is not that great for the fuel injection pump, and possible for the injectors too. A better alt. would be 2 cycle oil, for lubrication, or some power services for injector cleaner etc.