New Dodge Ram Stinks- known issue but no fix

[paulswagelock]

I dropped mine off today. I do have new hoses available now, and they will be changed.
I met with my dealership owner this morning. He is just back from a dealership council meeting, and provided more detail.

It appears the smell is not a reaction between the antifreeze and the hoses, but caused by residual left in the heads from casting. Somehow the residual was not cleaned away sufficiently after casting the parts, and that residual is the reactant with the hoses, being carried by the antifreeze. He did not have details on how long or how many castings were affected, but that is why the problem is random, not all castings were poorly cleaned.

That's the info I was given this morning. The fix is to replace hoses, flush and refill.

 

[paulswagelock]

I have had the truck back for almost 2 weeks. So far the smell is gone, but I think I need to rack up some more miles until I claim it is fixed.

 

[SOHCman]

Originally Posted By: paulswagelock
I dropped mine off today. I do have new hoses available now, and they will be changed.
I met with my dealership owner this morning. He is just back from a dealership council meeting, and provided more detail.

It appears the smell is not a reaction between the antifreeze and the hoses, but caused by residual left in the heads from casting. Somehow the residual was not cleaned away sufficiently after casting the parts, and that residual is the reactant with the hoses, being carried by the antifreeze. He did not have details on how long or how many castings were affected, but that is why the problem is random, not all castings were poorly cleaned.

That's the info I was given this morning. The fix is to replace hoses, flush and refill.


If the hoses are not at fault, why on earth are they still part of the "fix"?

 

[paulswagelock]

In absence of the casting residual, the hoses and antifreeze are fine. Add casting residual, and there is a reaction that causes the smell. The hoses have the smell in the rubber via the reaction, so need replaced.

 

[SilverC6]

Mopar haters should own a RAM 3500 with Cummins power just once.

It will put a smile on your face, stinky antifreeze, hoses and all.

 

[roadrunner1]

Originally Posted By: SilverC6
Mopar haters should own a RAM 3500 with Cummins power just once.

It will put a smile on your face, stinky antifreeze, hoses and all.


I had several and the only time they made me smile is when they were traded in.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: roadrunner1
Originally Posted By: SilverC6
Mopar haters should own a RAM 3500 with Cummins power just once.

It will put a smile on your face, stinky antifreeze, hoses and all.


I had several and the only time they made me smile is when they were traded in.


...says the man with a 6.0 Ford?

 

[roadrunner1]

Sorry, our Dodge/Cummins were very problematic and the 6.0 Fords have been the most trouble-free trucks I have ever owned.

 

[bullwinkle]

If you had '03 & '04 6.0s, it would have been a different story. You would have had a few like mine, was like this for TWO MONTHS waiting for parts!

The dealer said it would have cost EIGHT GRAND if it hadn't been under warranty!

 

[crazyoildude]

Wow what is wrong with it?

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: paulswagelock
I dropped mine off today. I do have new hoses available now, and they will be changed.
I met with my dealership owner this morning. He is just back from a dealership council meeting, and provided more detail.

It appears the smell is not a reaction between the antifreeze and the hoses, but caused by residual left in the heads from casting. Somehow the residual was not cleaned away sufficiently after casting the parts, and that residual is the reactant with the hoses, being carried by the antifreeze. He did not have details on how long or how many castings were affected, but that is why the problem is random, not all castings were poorly cleaned.

That's the info I was given this morning. The fix is to replace hoses, flush and refill.


When I worked in manufacturing, some castings from Mexico still had sand in them when they came back here to be assembled (and be labeled made in USA). I would be willing to bet your engine came from there. Very iffy quality coming from that place. What happens is the pay is so poor, they can't even keep the Mexicans working there. They work for a few weeks and take a siesta, so turnover is bad. Can't really blame them, as that's a hard job and deserves good pay.

 

[michaelluscher]

Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Originally Posted By: paulswagelock
I dropped mine off today. I do have new hoses available now, and they will be changed.
I met with my dealership owner this morning. He is just back from a dealership council meeting, and provided more detail.

It appears the smell is not a reaction between the antifreeze and the hoses, but caused by residual left in the heads from casting. Somehow the residual was not cleaned away sufficiently after casting the parts, and that residual is the reactant with the hoses, being carried by the antifreeze. He did not have details on how long or how many castings were affected, but that is why the problem is random, not all castings were poorly cleaned.

That's the info I was given this morning. The fix is to replace hoses, flush and refill.


When I worked in manufacturing, some castings from Mexico still had sand in them when they came back here to be assembled (and be labeled made in USA). I would be willing to bet your engine came from there. Very iffy quality coming from that place. What happens is the pay is so poor, they can't even keep the Mexicans working there. They work for a few weeks and take a siesta, so turnover is bad. Can't really blame them, as that's a hard job and deserves good pay.


Do you think that might be my 300's problem? It has the purple coolant as well.

 

[Kira]

Hello, What am I missing here? Some residual chemical mixes with coolant and maybe or maybe not reacts with hoses?

Isn't everything being talked about inside the cooling system?

The only source of smell would for vapors to exit the reservoir. What car these days has an open reservoir? Kira

 

[paulswagelock]

The system is closed per se, but there is still a path to atmosphere because the smell makes it out, but there is no coolant loss.

 

[ac_tc]

Try to flush the system so you get the gunk out.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
Originally Posted By: KenO
I always wonder why people continue to buy Chrysler products. They have made a few nice cars here and there, but it's REALLY hard to sort them out from the rest of the junk that they continually build.


Sigh...

Another mopar hater.. You and kira should get together over a pitcher.

Wayne


Yep. I must be an idiot, because at least 15 Mopars have passed through my immediate family (3 or 4 have stayed around for 40+ years), and THE MOST PROBLEMATIC of them all was a 78 Horizon that was unloaded at 150,000 miles. The longest-lived were 436,000 miles (driven away to a new owner under its own power), 320,000 miles (the '66 in my sig), and 260,000 miles, sold still running great. The rest fall in the middle, but only 2 or 3 left our ownership with less than 200k miles, dating all the way back to my grandfather's 49 Plymouth.

 

[Silverado12]

^^^I've had some very good service from my Mopars over the years. Definitely on par with any car made for the price (maybe even better).