[300CUL8R]

Just got off the phone with the District Service Manager and he informed me that a new complete motor will be shipped to the dealer today and should arrive by Friday. I should have the car back by Tuesday. 20 days after the problem.

He said that there was a "collapsed spring valve" that "caught sideways causing the pushrod to bend" and that given the miles on the car they decided not to rebuild but to replace.

Although a new motor makes me feel a little better it doesn't mean it's not a symptom of a broader problem. I assume they'll autopsy my motor to determine the cause but that doesn't help my new one that uses the same components and build process. Still would feel better with a longer warranty.

I guess I took someone's motor who was waiting patiently for their car. For that I apologize.

 

[vvv90]

aaargh, you keep starting a new thread. Luckily I caught this one right away.

anyway,

I know you want the original motor because of the service history, but the best for performance and reliability is definitely a new motor over the other choices.

I hope it was just a freak occurance.

 

[cbutler32]

300cul8r

first things first...
congrats on getting your car up and running soon...
second, like vvv90 says - a new motor is better than nothing...
third, we don't mind you taking one of our motors...
our cars are at the plant and some of ours (probably have not even been assembled yet) while yours is engineless in a South Bay Chrysler dealer...
fourth,
I betcha don't even come close to 4,500 rpm's for 750 miles...

 

[300CUL8R]

Yep

fourth,
I betcha don't even come close to 4,500 rpm's for 750 miles...

You better believe it. I'll be the guy waving you past in the right lane on the 405.

 

[srt8danno]

I know it has to give you piece of mind to know you’re getting a new motor. I would gladly donate my unborn motor to your cause. I guess we can only hope that this isn’t symptomatic of a larger issue and just a sad fluke that happened to one of our loyal members. Best wishes for your new beginning!!

 

[II kings 9:20]

Good news guy, glad to see DC taking care of thier customers albeit rather slowly.

 

[kidcoastal]

great to hear. Look forward to seeing it around the neighborhood.

 

[TheSRTSaint]

I hope when I get my car I have still in BX since I ordered on Jan 5th. That they take care of me in such a diligent fashion. I will also be buying an extended warranty from Chrysler. I hope Chrysler can see fit to get my car on the line soon. I still feel it should be a 1st ordered 1st served system with allocation up front as too how many they will be able to order.

 

[cbutler32]

the srtsaint - question for you...

are you waiting for a kicker sound system...?
I would be wondering aloud to DCX how you are waiting still and johnnyVIG's car got built before yours...
no offense JohnnyVIG but ya gotta wonder since his order was in 1 week before yours...

300cul8r - at least you'll get it back before the South Cal. meet and greet in HB...
just wished I could have had mine to drive up and hang out with you guys...

 

[My Hemi]

Any indication yet about an extended warranty? Seems like they should give you something free or at cost given all the "test mule" work you have done for them.

 

[Rebel78]

I agree, you should still push for an extended warranty. I got a 7/75 bumper to bumper on mine, that should be the minimum they give you for the hassle. Good luck with everything!!!!!

 

[HEMEEE]

Fantastic news, I'm so happy for you
But now I'm confused, who's buying who a beer? j/k... I AM!!

 

[TheSRTSaint]

are you waiting for a kicker sound system...?
I would be wondering aloud to DCX how you are waiting still and johnnyVIG's car got built before yours...
no offense JohnnyVIG but ya gotta wonder since his order was in 1 week before yours...
QUOTE]

It doesn't work that way. IT SHOULD, but it doesn't. It is a "the bigger volume dealer gets his first ,second ,third ...etc" then the small dealers. They don't tell anyone that, nor do they care too. The dealers lie to you about how it works and DCX is too big a juggernaut to give a shit about who waits. I was at the dealership at 9:00 am the day ordering opened to get in as soon as possible. People who ordered as late as march at bigger dealerships have had some filled. People should forget about their in town dealers and all go to the powerhouse regional dealers in the big cities. Chrysler should just shut the smaller dealers down and be done with the disservice they put upon the folks foolish enough to believe in the first come first served principles. If you don't buy off the lot DO NOT ORDER a car from a smaller dealership.

 

[tekhen]

Good news!!

I wish you the best, keep us informed.

 

[GNSCOTT]

Does Chrysler actuall rebuild motors or are they trying to make you think they are doing you a favor. I know Gm and ford replace engines because it is more cost effective and less labor intensive. I think if you told them you wanted the original engine rebuilt because it has your vin on the block they would say they cannot do it.

Anyways, things happen with all cars and hopefully you were just the unfortunate one. 25 days or whatever total on a brand new model car and brand new model engine is tolerable. I'm sure if this was a couple years down the pipe and your dealer has worked on a bunch, that time would be cut considerably.

enjoy

 

[300CUL8R]

No VIN on the Block

According to the District Service Manager there is no VIN on the block to need to match it to the car. Resale will be affected when I pull the Service History and it says in bold type: MOTOR REPLACED

 

[wantasrt8]

Great news. Glad to hear you'll be back in the driver's seat.

 

[jhelmuth]

Just got off the phone with the District Service Manager and he informed me that a new complete motor will be shipped to the dealer today and should arrive by Friday. I should have the car back by Tuesday. 20 days after the problem.

He said that there was a "collapsed spring valve" that "caught sideways causing the pushrod to bend" and that given the miles on the car they decided not to rebuild but to replace.

Over all, I agree that a new engine would likely be better than a standard rebuild (of the affected areas). Collapsed valve springs are not too common - but makes perfect sense and can happen. I would venture that the spring was passed under less than ideal quality assurance measures. Over reving is also a likely contributor, so keep it a bit more mellow during the breakin period. I'm trying to figure out his explaination of "caught sideways causing the pushrod to bend"? That just doesn't make complete sense to me. If it was caught sideways, then I just cannot rationalize how that bends the push-rod (as it would have to "lock" the valve itself into place - a scenario that I can't fathom given a colapsed valve spring, but can see it causing severe damage to the piston, rod, pin, and possibly the journal, and the obvious damage to the head and valve guide itself).
I suspect that they are not reveling the whole story, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter - you're getting a new super-hemi!

Although a new motor makes me feel a little better it doesn't mean it's not a symptom of a broader problem. I assume they'll autopsy my motor to determine the cause but that doesn't help my new one that uses the same components and build process. Still would feel better with a longer warranty.

Well... I doubt that it really is a symptom of a broader problem. My b!tch with Chrysler is that they have some severe problems with QA. I think this IS a symptom of that (poor QA)! But I doubt that there is a widespread problem with the valve springs (albeit it is a possibility).

I guess I took someone's motor who was waiting patiently for their car. For that I apologize.

I doubt that you are keeping anyone from getting their SRT8. My Dad and Uncle both worked the line (for Ford and GM) and they kept "spares" on hand for all assemblies (they use a ratio of "rejects/defects/misassemblies) in the process. My guess is that they'll pluck one of the excess sapres and give it a quick "test" then box her up and get it out on the quickest transport to the dealer. So sleep easy knowing that no one will get cheated outta thir ride because of you (or this incident anyway).

 

[300CUL8R]

New Motor Arrived!!!!!

New motor arrived today and the old engine was removed. (Cue the bugle playing taps).

New motor will be installed today/tomorrow, tested and they expect that I'll have the car back on Monday.

I'll believe it when I'm breaking in yet another engine.

 

[vvv90]

Playing Taps