Ok, this is my second posting really, but I am pissed.

In my first posting, I described how my LLY (2004.5) Duramax was spewing black and white smoke out of the exhaust when it warmed up. It would stutter and actually stall on the freeway after the smoke problem. It did not set off any diagnostic codes nor did the truck break down. It just shook, shuttered, blew smoke, died, then started right up again with no problems. 6 trips and numerous telephone calls to GM have helped. They told me that without setting off any diagnostic codes, or the truck did not have to be towed in, they WILL NOT LOOK UNDER THE HOOD AT ALL. I was told unless the dealership can duplicate the problem, OR, a code is set off in the computer, GM will NOT look under the hood, period. No injector inspection, fuel regulator inspection, etc. This sympton has occurred in my truck since 600 miles, (now has 7000), and still not relief for the problem. I tried STAYDYNE, and other diesel and oil cleaners with no relief. Like I said, the problem is intermittant, BUT annoying as hell and my gas mileage is about 10 to the gallon when thats occurring, and thats without towing anything.

I need some suggestions on what to do next. I was actually told by the customer service person at GM that if you can videotape the symptoms then the service MIGHT take a look at it.

I am hot and ready to test drive my truck through the showroom window. I need help here before I have a wanted bulletin with my picture on it.

Thanks!:eek:

damn dude .... i think you need to find a dealer and let them drive it for a 1000 miles and have them give you a loaner. i know my dealer would....where are you located?

Get a Predator or borrow one for an hour. Look for codes, not all codes will set the check engine light. Go to the Injector Balance in diagnostics, and check that no readings are over 4.

But mostly, you probably don't want that dealer working on your truck. They are afraid of your truck, and engines can smell fear. Write a few letters, dealership owner, GM liason, etc, to let them know.

You didn't say where you are located, but ask around for a dealer who is good with diesels.

Crapramento, California (Sacramento), and my home dealer****e, is PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET at 4811 Madison Avenue, Sacramento,CA 95841 and their telephone number is 916-334-8050, the service manager is RON in case anyone has eggs, wrenchs, dodgeballs, they want to fling...

I got the run around with my dealings... had to go elsewhere... 5th dealer helped me with no problem. Some of these folk are very lazy and don't want to take the time to actually help people.

We've got a LOT of guys on the board from that area. Someone should be able to point out a good dealer.

My guess (because my truck did something similiar at 20k) is a bad injector. They have a tool at the dealership that can spot bad injectors by balance rates.

If they did NOT hook a Tech II to your truck, they have NO IDEA if it "had codes" or not. Nor do they know if the injector balance is screwy.

i am in ohio .....if they had a 1800# i would call and chew ass for ya...but i am cheap.....lol i might anyway .....cheap entertainment

Try Elk Grove GMC. Ask for Jeff the Service writer and Richard the Mechanic. They WILL help you. What you have described will NOT set codes.

Tell them Carl with the 04 Dmax CC SB sent you.

kinda far, an hour and change, but you could try santa rosa cheverolet. I had problems at my dealer, went to Santa Rosa Cheverolet and explained the problems i was having with both my truck and the other dealership (victory chevrolet, right down the road) and they were very eager to help. so far theyve been great, even though my problem HAS reappeared, its far different and not as severe as yours sounds., you can tell them i sent you too. names Jake, truck in sig.

I'd like a picture of that test drive through the dealer's showroom window. Always wanted to do it, but didn't have the balls. t

Tell them to scan for codes, not all will set off a light. Tell them to put a blackbox on it for you to run around with till you duplicate the problem.

I know someone that had the same kind of problem with their PSD. Turned out to be poor quality feul. IS the place get diesel reputalble?

Yes, and the diesel comes out of its own pump and nozzle at that the fuel station...

I almost bought truck at one GMC dealership but the salesman increased the price in the last second. So the deal was off and I was very angry. I called then the Service Center in Detroit and talked to a manager. He offered me to take care of my first payment if I considered another GM vehicle in the future. After I bought my 2005 dmax I called the same manager in Detroit again and he send me a check for my first payment.
If you complain to the right person at GM in Detroit I am sure you will be taken care off - they need our busisness to sell more trucks.....

:grd:

Try this.......

GM Customer Service.... Cynthia Michaels (1-866-932-4368) ext. 38808.

I remembered to write her down due to someone elses delema.....:(

I was told..... she's as good as it gets.............;)

Hope this helps you.......... :)

Ok, heres the poop so far... I wrote a four page letter to the owner of the dealership and hand walked it over just now. The General Manager came out and had a meeting with me. He said that he was going to have a meeting with the owner and the senior service manager, to figure out what to do. I said, Oh great, you need three people to figure out if my truck will be fixed at your dealership? He said that was the way it was and he would call me when they were done. I will update you as soon as the meeting of the minds is completed... To be continued apparentley...

Insurance :grd:

What a POS service department. Yuck.

Yes, their service department blows... And I get what HDPOUL meant, and I have thought about it...

it is definately a fuel problem. the one time mine did that, the fuel filter had waxed over. although yours is new, you may want to try replacing it. see if it returns after that. see if you can have the dealer purge the system if it continues after the filter replacement.

with the old filter off, look for signs of rust and possibly cut it open and look at it.

Ok, UPDATE: I just got off of the phone with the Service Manager, Phil Bakarich. He told me that he went to the owner with my letter and the owner went nuts, (I dont trust anything anyone over there tells me anymore but whatever). He said that I can bring my truck into service tommorow, they are going to conduct a balance test(?) on the injectors and check the rate on my fuel regulator. He said that the owner ALSO told him to tear the engine down, pull the injectors, and examine the sleeves for any sooting. He says that if there is sooting in the injector sleeve, thats evidence that there is an overpressure of either diesel or oil or both, and with that, they would be able to tell which injectors are going bad or not. Im keeping my fingers crossed. If I am not happy after they "work on it", then I have a good friend in the Sacramento Bee newspaper that I think I might slip a note to. Thank you for everyones help and I will update as soon as I know anything.

Good lucka nd hope they get your truck straightened out for you. Good servicing dealerships with know how are hard to find.

I see in your description that you have underseat storage NCMIC. Can you tell me where you got that or can I get a picture please???

un plug your egr and try to set a code

Mine came from the dealer. It is a GM aftermarket part and is lockable. send me an email to angelo01@netzero.net and I will try and take a pic for you.

NCMIC,

Would you mind sending me a pic as well? I'm looking into something like that.

not at all, just send me your email address.

i just install my billsteins and firestone ride-rite air springs. i love them.

Here they are. I hope it works.

didn't work. email it is.

He said that the owner ALSO told him to tear the engine down, pull the injectors, and examine the sleeves for any sooting.Dude,

Be careful of a dealership like this tearing down your engine before they really know what the problem is. If they do in fact tear it down and find no problem, it is no longer warranty and on YOUR DIME.

Do the diagnostics first, then if warranted peform only the required teardown to properly diagnose, and/or complete the repair. These engines are complex, and that kind of work should not be taken lightly.

Just my 2 cents.

Good luck with it, and please keep us informed.

Bill

I'd like a picture of that test drive through the dealer's showroom window. Always wanted to do it, but didn't have the balls. t
Every time I get cut off or get ticked at someone (like the dealer) I just tell my wife that is why God didn't make us rich! Otherwise.........):h

Well, so far this morning, the service department is my friend. They have the truck, gave me a rental, and said they would call me with the results. I guess they are hooking up to a TECHII, then doing an injector balance test, a fuel regulator test, then they are going to tear it down and examine the sleeves. My fingers are crossed that they find the problem and dont just patch it back together and say they didnt find anything. I think ive caused enough stink there now that it will be handled. Im hoping at least.

Ok, heres the update. They did a balance check on my injectors and low and behold, THEY FOUND A BAD INJECTOR. Im no mechanic but I didnt need their expertise to figure that one out. So, apparantly however, since GM has had a bad run or so of injectors, every-single-one has to come out of GM's PDQ Department. (Product Development Quality? I have no idea...), because every dealer has to send a core back to that department for testing and inspection. SO, I have the truck, still with the bad injector, and the service manager said that he would have a new injector late today, or early Monday. AT least I got the ball rolling and I wont have to bust so many peanuts when I go back for help.

Good to hear you finally got somewhere with your dealer...

As am I.. And, just as I sent the last update, the dealer called me and said the injector was in. I just got home and they are working on it now. The mech also said that they were going to update all of the software and he seems to think that will smooth out idle a little more. I told him that replacing the cripe injector would probably do it as well. He didnt respond to that. hahahaha

Thanks again for everyones help and as soon as I get the beast back I will let everyone know whats what.

PDQ= Pretty Dam Quick

Should stand for "Pretty Dodgy Quality".. I just got the call, the beast is done. I will update after I put a few miles on it to see if there is any seat in the pants difference...

Ok, 20 miles later and here's the review.

The power seems to be smoothed out greatly. The idle has definately chattered down a bunch. They said that the #5 injector was not firing correctly. It must be now because it finally feels like it did when I first bought it.

Ok, my lesson in all of this? Before contacted GM, which was worthless in my case, just write a rather scathing letter to the owner of the particular dealership. According to him, he had no idea I was being diq'd around by Service. Oh well, problem fixed for now. Again, thank you all for your input.

cool, i bet the service department won't be giving you sh$t anymore.

:grd: i too agree .. i think sometimes the service department likes to set on their as$ and say this or that rather than work out the problem correctly......if you talk to a higher up or the person that sold it to you .... you often get better results.

not saying all mechanics but some are just lazy period ...and if uppermanagement suports it .. it = a really ****ty dealer with a bad rap on a good product.:rant:

just my .02

I am happy for you that it was just an injector!! I had problems with my 04 and after many many trip to a good dealer GM ended up replacing it with an 05.

Dennis

I have a 2005 LLY and I started experiencing the exact symtoms. I literally had 2000 miles when my problems started. I took it to the dealer a few times and they could not find any problems with it. I actually started using LE BTU+ total treat diesel fuel improver and I have not had a problem since? I was also very upset with GM and the fact that I had just paid 47K for a new truck and I was having problems. Try the LE BTU+, it might help?

Albert

Make them look at it, and california has the lemon law, dont let the dealer screw with you. It your vehicle has the same problem 3x and isnt fixed, you can claim the lemon law and file a formal complaint with GM. Regardless of the problem, They need to look at it, You might goto another dealer, if all they want to do is look at codes and dismiss, they don't have any idea of your problem.

My heavy equipment had a similar problem, both pieces started doing the same thing aroudn the same time, and are 10 years difference in age. When I put a load on them they would nearly die and sputter bad. In my case, it was crappy fuel, and I needed to replace the fuel filter, drain and change the fuel..... Just something to consider.

Although I sympathize with your plight - it's really a dealer issue ...

I have owned everything from GM, Dodge, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan, Toyota, American Motors you name it - GM has always been the easiest of all to deal with especially with customer service issues... I am sorry you are having problems and I hope you get everything resolved, good luck to you ...

I had the same problem as you did. It was an Injector and it did not hit any codes, my dealer looked at the fuel injector balance and one was at 2.1. According to him the factory says that it should be between -3 to 3 reading. So I told him to go with me down the road and listen to the rattling noise like a lose lifter, that s when he change the injector, it helped, but it is starting it again. The service manger told me that they have not come with a good way yet to diagnos the problem.

lots of dealers here in the southeast have found it easier to not fool with the dmax. so i stay get all of their work.