xp8103

So the truck is in for service today. Oil change and filters. Check on a few things.

I also had them pull the codes - a 234 and a 1693. They called and told me that the truck needs a new turbo!! Apparently tho, that is covered under the 5 year 100,000 mile warranty (Thankfully!!) But a new turbo?? The truck as 81k on it. Is this not odd?? I mean, if they are willing to do it under warranty fine, I'll have a new turbo. But the engine is going to be around for 200; or 300k miles and I don't want to have to replace a turbo every 80k miles.

As well, I had them check a little rattle I heard/felt on the DS front. They report that I need upper and lower ball joints on BOTH sides. Ok 5-yo truck, 80k miles. I can understand.
However, shortly after I bought it, I had the front end aligned at a shop THEY recommended since their alignment rig was not big enough to handle my truck. When this other shop did it, they said I needed a special offset ball joint on the passenger side to adjust camber (I assume). But now the dealer service tech is saying that all my ball joints are worn out and need to be replaced?? But if they put OE ball joints on my passenger side, my camber adjustment will be out again no?? And since when does a ball joint wear out after 7,000 miles?

Any thoughts?

Haulin_in_Dixie

I have never had a vehicle in for alignment that did not come back with a determination that it had bad ball joints.

xp8103

Ummmm.... LOL... Ok... Too many negatives in that sentence. LOL

I think you are saying that everytime you get it aligned, they say you have bad ball joints?
Anyhow, my local dealer service center is being no help. They told me to get in touch with the shop that did the alignment to see if they think that the ball joints are worn. Well... ARE THEY GONE OR NOT?? Sheesh!! And when I asked him about putting in OE joints, it would put me out of alignment. He replied that yes it would. Not, well, we'd put in an offset joint as well, or we'd do whats necessary to make you a happy customer. Fine. I'll take care of it myself.
He also said that the ball joint job runs about $1000?!?!?!?!?!!? Are you serious???? A GRAND to replace 4 ball joints?

On the turbo, the waste gate is "gone" according to them and they are going to set up replacement. Apparently the tech took my truck for a ride and said it has no power. Huh! Well if thats the case I can't wait until I get a new turbo!!

pmtg

thats what i was thinking! haha! HID, you need to be easy on us slow pokes!

pmtg

you should install some Mach 4's and a drag comp and then go back and tell them the new turbo really worked and see if they want a test drive. and ask them for a new tranny as well.

Haulin_in_Dixie

Ok...... When ever I have taken a vehicle to an alignment shop, there is always a determinataion that new ball joints are needed.... zeech

See alignment shops sell ball joints. Generally the owner has no idea of how to check them. For a small shop, a ball joint job makes the week. How many people purchase new accesories from Joe's quick oil change. Especially females, new wipers, air cleaners, hoses, belts, and so on. It is how they make their money.

The last one that I had that problem with was my Dodge van, the shop said they could not align it without new joints. I told them to do the best they could, they refused, I picked it up, took it to another shop and had it aligned, drove perfect for many miles. I took our fire chief's car to an alignment shop after checking it out thourally, told them that one side had the wheel bearing set up a little loose, of course, it had new wheel bearings on it when picking it up. The wheel bearings had been repacked a month before and were perfect.

I have 335k on my ball joints, and soon will need new, but how many on here are replacing them over and over.

xp8103

HUH.... Well, I will at least have a second opinion on the job. Stay tuned!

xp8103

Truck is in today for it's turbo-ectomy. Under warranty thankfully.

The service writer did say that the waste-gate is stuck OPEN. Said that it works opposite of what you'd think?? Is that right? I thought the waste-gate was to allow excess boost to escape and having it stay closed leads to higher boost pressures?

CTD NUT

The waste gate doesn't dump boost (charge air), it dumps exhaust, allowing it to bypass the turbine and therefore, slowing the turbine down. It operates normally closed, not letting any exhaust bypass the turbine until the boost limit of the wastegate is achieved. If the WG is stuck open, you will have VERY slow spool up, lots of black smoke, high egt's and low power. If the WG is stuck closed, the truck will operate normally until peak boost is exceeded (20 psi for a stocker) and then the ECM will set an overboost DTC 0234 and defuel the motor to regulate boost at which point you will experience a power loss as a result of the defueling.

xp8103

AH HA!!! (Sorry about the blinding lightbulb above my head!)

Thanks. That would explain a LOT of the slow uptake on hard throttle.

xp8103

WOW! I guess I was down on power. The turbo spools up much quicker now. I was not able to do a WOT launch to see how much boost I was making.
But the swap really made a difference.

CTD NUT

Great! Glad to hear about a CTD running good in the 24v forum every now and then!

Haulin_in_Dixie

Awwwww come on.... thats not right

Holiday

I must be pretty lucky. Had to get my truck safetied when I moved to a different province and the shop actually told me my ball joints were good. Made me put on a track bar though. 185,000 kilometres.

DODGE4X4

My turbo went out at 65k