04 LB7 warranty injector replacement rejected by GM

[silverback]

Clouds of white smoke at idle but I don't fail the test. I am right at 94K miles. I was OK with letting this slide for a while but I realized I have to get an emission test for registration renewal (expires Nov 30th). Unless I get a blind inspector with nasal congestion I will probably fail. The service consultant at Freeway Chevy in Chandler AZ told me he knows it is the injectors but GM is requiring a photo of the injector over fueling failure on the tester before paying. I have a case opened with GM customer service but very low confidence after the district rep told me that she would see if they could get me some financial help (not full warranty replacement). I need to know where to escalate this with GM customer service. Anybody have resources? Any other tried and true suggestions?

Thanks,
Ken

[Kennedy]

I might be inclined to take it in for the emissions test and let it fail then throw this back to GM...

[silverback]

I thought of doing that too. And I still might. But I will have to pay AZ $28 and probably have some guy rev the truck at or near redline for several minutes (though I'm not sure they still do that, may just look for stored codes...). I live out in the boonies so I can apply for an exemption. The downside of that is not being able to (legally) commute into Phoenix. And truthfully I hate sitting at stop lights smogging out my fellow humans. Maybe I'll hear something good from GM today. If not I will request to escalate.

[rockin-b-farms]

My truck puts out white smoke at idle and does not use engine oil and does not have any blow by.. I am going to make appointment for service on my 03 185,000 mile truck, i am hoping for free injector replacement. I will let you know.....chad,

[JohnC]

Anybody have resources? Any other tried and true suggestions?

1) Park in front of the dealer and let it idle for a few days with a "No Problem Found" sign on it.

2) Pour 2 gallons of fuel in the crankcase and take it back. Be sure to remind them of the 100,000 mile engine warranty...

;)

[TomJ01]

I went thru GM National Service a year ago. I made lots of calls and ask for a Supervisor many times. My 01 truck was out of the warranty time but had only 75K miles. After being stranded in Nevada for 3 months without repair parts (redesigned head gaskets) GM agreed to pay 50% parts and labor. That was only after I had spent $3000 on recommended repairs that didn't resolve my problem, coolant pukeing from coolant bottle. Good Luck, you have to be very persistent with these folks. I dealt with them just before their bailout.

[hapaschold]

ken, does your truck have a programmer on it ? and does dealer know about it?

my gm service used to turn their heads on those things, but not anymore.

[stinkyblksmoke]

GM just rejected warranty on my injectors in my 04 lb7 with 74400 miles. They found high balance rates in three of the injectors, verified my concerns of white smoke at idle and performance issues but indicated that this type of failure is not covered under the GM diesel injector policy. Did you get any satisfaction from GM with your injector problem?

[silverback]

Well they got me. Just over 122K miles. Attempted to start the truck last Sunday and nada. Just cranking. I did get a wierd battery message but it clearly wasn't getting any fuel. I gave the priming pump about 15 compressions and it started. I fueled up and headed down the mountains into Phoenix (~200 miles) without issue. Same starting drill the next morning. By noon my dealer service guy gave me the news. The injectors definitely failed now. Diesel fuel in crankcase (I would have known if I had sniff tested the oil dipstick). Unfortunately I'm a year past the 7 years (or 200K miles which ever comes first after date of service). So... I paid, but I'm going to go back to GM and remind them of the case I opened and the service advisers concurrence in 09 that it was injectors. If I can get any $$$ back from GM on this I'll be happy. I'll post elsewhere regarding early results (terrible fuel mileage, down ~5 MPG) and look into better fuel filtration. The new (improved I hope?) injectors are only warrantied a year but the service adviser still thinks I'll get 300K out of the truck.

[DickWells]

Don't know if any of this will help you, but, just for the potential, here it is.
*I went through the same thing 15 months ago, with my 04 LB7, and ended up at a free-lance guy in southern NY, to the tune of $4000. Could have gotten about 1/3 help with the cost, if I had towed it on home to my local dealer. The local NY stealer wanted $6400 to do the job! Was going to charge over $500 for "special" gaskets. The free-lance guy charged $4-something for gasket compound, and I don't have any leaks. Some GM dealers just plain don't want to have anything to do with a deisel.
*John Kennedy highly recommends changing the injector lines with the injectors, but my guy didn't do it, and I doubt your GM dealer will, either. Worth paying the extra to get it done? Don't know. ----- John?
*I intended to add extra lift and filtration as soon as I got back to Vt, but didn't do it until this June and 14K more miles.:o Wish I had had more resolve. Wiith the new FASS system, I'm hoping that I realize more longevity; only time will tell, now.
*I've always used an additive at every fill-up, but it doesn't look like I can prove, one way, or another, if I've recieved any benefit from it. ???
*At 135 + K miles on it, I'm on the 3rd set of injectors. The first set went at 86K, replaced under warantee at zero cost; the second at 121K, and I'm really not complaining too much, as I really love this truck for what it can do. Meanwhile, I'm doing what I can (reasonably), to ensure longevity, and keeping my fingers crossed. Reading and listening to TDP, and trying to learn how to live with the Dura Max. Feeling blessed that I never came close to getting stuck with a Furd 6.0 L.:D

Good luck with your infect-or issue, and keep us informed on the outcome.

[silverback]

Hi Dick,
I'll look on my itemized bill to verify, but I think the dealer did change the lines. Probably gaskets too. I know they put new sleeves in. I called local (Phoenix) diesel shops and didn't really get any quotes that were a lot lower then our dealers quote. My MPGs are recovering from the first couple days after 400 miles of driving. Initially I was down around 5 MPG (15 MPG instead of 20+). I am definitely adding secondary fuel filtration and getting religion about changing the OEM filter at greater frequency. I'm liking the Universal kit. Mostly because it looks less complex to install.
Thanks,
Ken