3.3 and 3.8 V6's, MUST READ FOR ALL!

Got the wifes van back today. Paper work stated at the top "Cust states engine quit running while driving, thinks cam shaft broke again check over"
The reality is that I told them, when I cwlaked in the door to get them to send a flatbed tow rig out to pick it up, that the van started chugging and was coasted to the side of the road where it ran ragged and had no power (how they run when the cam breaks because it is only able to run on a few cylinders) I stated clearly that the camshaft WAS broke.

Their description of CAUSE: Camshaft Broke

They (Corwins, the people who bought Muscatels lot in North Moorhead) picked up the ball that Muscatel dropped, and may well have earned a new customer in the future. They replaced the long block assembly, which is actually more than the TSB stated needed replacing in this situation and is more than I actually expected, which IS a good thing. Did not cost me one single penny. There is refrence to the mopar warranty claim # from the prior camshaft failure so I would have to assume the warranty side of this is eating the cost or the manufacturer is, but it aint me and that makes me very very happy, because this would have been over $4,500 dollars. How many of you got that laying around, I sure don't.

Looks pretty cut and dry to me, cam broke, service bulletin says replace short block, service center dosn't, cam breaks again (FORTUNATLY) while still covered under 12 12 coverage, different dealership fixes above and beyond what is called for in servicebulletin, no charge to customer. I will leave it for all future readers to decide what the problem really was. I have laid out the facts, nothing more.

I give them credit (Corwins) they restored some of my faith in being brand loyal. Only time will tell but I have no complaint against a brand new engine, the rest of it that isn't covered I am able to fix as need be so I won't have to worry about future deallings with a dealership unless I decide to get a newer vehicle.


Now to respond to you Jones. I do blame the dealership and the techs, Muscatel failed. I came there KNOWING what the problem was and what the recomended repair was BASED upon talking to many service tech's at many dealerships (we have several chrysler dealerships localy) and ASE certified Techs at just basic shops around town, all said replace the short block. They did not do what EVERYONE else said should be done, and it DID do exactly what the TSB said would happen if you didn't replace it, it broke the cam. This is not hypothetical, it is the fact. I got very very lucky it failed again under the 12 12. I would have had a hell of a battle if it had happened at 13 months or 12, 500 miles, but I would have prevailed because it was not fixed as it should have been. As far as servicing the short block instead of replacing, they have made it quite clear it is cheaper to just replace it than to service it, why I do not know, but it is.

I stated nowhere that "all techs, or dealershipes for that matter" are bad. But if you feel the industry has a bad image, it must be because more people than I have had complaints, eh. I am sure "I am not, and will not" be the end all for an industry, but as they say, bad word of mouth travels faster than fire. But to be fair and balanced, Corwins has done right by me so far and they have come thru where others failed me. Sounds like a good word for the "industry" if you ask me. So you see I do praise where apropriate, not just gripe when I feel a need.

I am aware of the schooling and training chrysler techs are put through and that is why when a majority say "Do this" and an individual say's "No I will do it this way" I see a failure by that tech and that dealership. And if they want to pass the buck (typical big bizness) to the warranty or manufacturer and say "They said not to do it that way" then the people of that industry, or products, or industry itself are failing, and people need to know. I have had other disputes with this dealership before and this was the straw that broke the camels back so to speak.

My warning to all owners of these vehicles with these engines is merely to share the knowledge that their IS a problem that the factory saw fit to advise it's dealerships thru a TSB, warning of this type of situation. But they do not share that info with the people who buy these and have to live with them daily, and so when a dealership pulls a $h!ty like this they may get taken, like they woulda tried to do to me if I hadn't known in advance just wtf. I am sharing the info so the next person who searches for info will know what the heck is going on and where they need to look to see if they are suffering the same kinda problems and how to get them dealt with.

Big bizz tries to push the little peeps around, some of us will stand and fight, others will "bah bah" on there way to the next anal probing. As you can see I do not bahhhh like a sheep.

"The squeeky wheel gets the grease"