about ready to roll this !#$%#$^ off a cliff!

clutch_dust · April 12, 2002

so a few of you might remember me from when i first found the site, only a couple of months ago. i'm always asking questions about this (explitive deleted) truck i own so let's review. the truck is a '94 3500 dually w/6.5 turbo+4l80e. i bought it from my former employer having driven it for a year before they sold it.

as of 1/99 the engine had a fresh rebuild (due to sucking in too much las vegas dust)

2/99: transmission had a fatal injury, requiring complete replacement.

3/99: injection pump was replaced due to shaft seal leak.

5/99: harmonic balancer/pulley blew the elastometer, replaced

7/99: battery died, replaced both (this is important for later)

10/99: vacuum pump took a crap

12/99: company said, "this thing is a hemmorage to our budget" and took it out of service.

6/00: i buy the truck. use it sparingly for next few months with few problems.

4/01: start my own service company relying on the truck to get me to my customers. oh boy!

5/01: truck stops for no apparent reason. i troubleshoot but find nothing. truck will restart whenever it feels like it (anywhere from 1 minute to 2 hours after it dies).

6/01: truck still dies, can't find problem, take it to dealer. dealer says bad fuse(!) replaced it for free. truck dies on the way home.

still 6/01: dealer says relay, replaces. truck dies two days later.

STILL 6/01: dealer says low oil switch, replaces. truck dies next day.

i'm crying.

7/01: talk to injection pump expert, says module is bad. has updated module and bracket to mount away from heat source. put it on, no more dying. i'm happy!

10/01: tire goes flat on freeway, destroyed. replaced two.

11/01: battery goes dead! less than two years! WTF?

1/02: tire goes flat in driveway, just two old. replace two more.

2/02: ENGINE FIRE! wiring harness shorts. that was fun.

3/02: ANOTHER tire goes bad, blow out on freeway. replaced last two. now have all new tires all the way around.

4/02 (tonight, to be exact): BATTERY BLOWS UP! i $*!t you not. get in truck to go to a late job. turn key, glowplugs go on, glowplugs go off, turn to start an BOOOM!

so, the question is: does anybody want to buy a truck?

bassdog · April 12, 2002

Well, you can look at it two ways. The truck has almost all new parts and not much else can go wrong with it or you can trade it in for a new one and think of all the money you'll save bu not replacing anything ;)

Sounds to me like you have the patience of a saint, I would've dumped that thing over a year ago!

chainsaw4130 · April 12, 2002

Sounds to me like you have the patience of a saint, I would've dumped that thing over a year ago!

I agree, I would dumped it long ago.

clutch_dust · April 12, 2002

Well, you can look at it two ways. The truck has almost all new parts and not much else can go wrong with it or you can trade it in for a new one and think of all the money you'll save bu not replacing anything ;)

you know that is the same kind of thinking that lead me to buy this truck. i saw all the money that the company had put in this and said, "####, what else can go wrong". famous last words there. just think, i only listed the things that were critical to driving the truck. i didn't even mention the a/c, hazard lights, windshield wipers or other extranious b.s. that isn't right.

BTW, there is just something wrong with a truck that blows the top off a battery. not overcharging, nothing loose, just BOOOM! talk about your 'friday car'

bassdog · April 12, 2002

clutch, just get rid of it before it causes your insanity!! You'll feel like you left the weight of the world behind you ;)

Greg · April 12, 2002

People who buy 6.2 & 6.5 trucks and use them as daily drivers seem to enjoy a challenge.

April 13, 2002

12/99: company said, "this thing is a hemmorage to our budget" and took it out of service.
6/00: i buy the truck. use it sparingly for next few months with few problems.

Why in the world would you buy truck that already had so many problems?!?!

Moonlight · April 13, 2002

You can always trade it for a new one that knocks after 4K miles.

clutch_dust · April 15, 2002

12/99: company said, "this thing is a hemmorage to our budget" and took it out of service.
6/00: i buy the truck. use it sparingly for next few months with few problems.

Why in the world would you buy truck that already had so many problems?!?!

my thinking at the time was, "geez, look how much stuff is new. what else is there to go wrong?" the only major component to have not been replaced is the differential (sound of me knocking on wood). i have just never owned a chevy that has been this big a pile of $**t. i understand what the ford boys are talking about. if i had to drive 1k miles tomorrow and count on the vehicle to get me there, i'd take my '81 vette (which i race) before i would take this '94 truck.