** High Priority **
Well, my truck is finally back in working order. For the past 2 days
the coil wouldn't fire the plugs and the fuel injection was not
working. Anyway, the first day it was messed up I had it towed down
to the dealer ($45) and they said they'd run a diagnostics check on
it the next day. SO, I called them the next day and they said the
following was wrong: Computer was fried and the wiring harness was
messed up because I'd drilled a screw through it (last time I checked
there was SUPPOSED to be a screw in the wiring harness holding the
connector to the computer), also, the distributor shaft assembly was
severly worn and needed a complete replacement, and also they wanted
to replace the stock coil (hasn't been used in over a year since I
put my Accel Supercoil on the truck) and return the truck to
"factory" specifications. All in all, they wanted $1,450 of my money
to "fix" the problem. First of all, I knew the computer was fine
because I switched in my MP SBEC to see if that would fix the
problem. . .did nothing. I then checked the relays up front next to
the battery. . .they were all clicking like they're supposed to be.
Also, I checked to see if any wires were loose, and as far as I could
tell, nothing was wrong. So, I called a service rep back home in WV
who I trust. She figured the folks were trying to basically rip my
wallet apart. I contacted my dad (who has worked a LOT on vehicles),
who basically told me to get the thing away from them. So, I called
the dealer and told them I wanted the vehicle back. The service rep
I talked to said this to me: "Sir, either you can give me the $1,450
to fix your vehicle, or you can pay me the $40 for the diagnostics
and we can part company". Hmm. . .what about those friendly service
people? Anyway, I had the truck towed back to school and called the
service rep from home again. She told me to check the wiring coming
from the relay box to see if anything was fried. OH YEAH, the
distributor shaft that was "terribly worn" according to the dealer is
just as snug as it ever was. So, I checked the wiring bundle and
sure enough, ONE WIRE which is part of a small bundle of three which
are soldered into another wire had been corroded in half by battery
acid which had leaked onto the bundle at the point of solder. So, I
stripped some insulator off, had a buddy hold the wire down onto the
solder joint, turned the key over, and she started up nice as could
be. So, instead of being the computer (which the service rep said
was completely fried), or the distributor assembly (which a mechanic
said was completely worn out and needed replacing), OR all the other
junk they told me, it was a 14-guage wire which had been eaten in two
by battery acid. So, I was out about $130 in tow bills plus some of
the parts they said I needed to buy which I bought (distributor cap
and rotor. . .because they really were burnt up BAD), and the work
they would have done wouldn't even have fixed the problem. SO, I
just wanted to let you guys know this and to NEVER believe a service
guy unless you know for sure that the things they've told you are
wrong could actually be wrong. Be sure to ALWAYS eliminate things it
could be BEFORE you take it into the shop, and if they tell you those
things are wrong, they are lying to you. These folks I went to
ripped $1,300 out of a buddy of mine to replace a heater core (he
went back 4 times and they NEVER fixed the problem). The Attorney
General in my area and ChyrCo. Cincinatti division headquarters are
getting a call tomorrow from me. . .
BEWARE of KEY CHRYSLER OF XENIA, OHIO. THESE GUYS ARE CROOKS!!!!!!!!
- Rob Cobb 93 V8 LE 2wd
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 20 2003 - 12:07:30 EDT