Long story but will try to keep it simple... Early 2020 a friend helped me replace the 3034 motor (due to a roll over) with a 900 hour engine from a reputable seller online. I was sure we put locktite on the hydraulic flange/coupler bolt as someone suggested but somehow (I'll take the blame for this) the flange walked off and broke. This time we decided to have our local dealership handle it. While in mechanic said found a little oil in the coolant. We both hoped it was from the previous incident and he flushed it for me and replace the thermostat. When we got it back, the heater didn't work and I eventually noticed a faint temp like, so I took it straight back. They called me the next day and said it was at least a gallon low on coolant and I can come get it. Well, took it off the trailer, ran it a bit and same thing. I should have not left the lot without making sure the heater worked etc. Now, let me first say we were borderline anal after replacing this motor. We don't use it much but when we do, it's so valuable. We run Schaeffer's and were always shocked how it was honey brown it stayed and not black after just cranking like most diesels. Anyway, this second time of no heat and engine overheat, I let it cool down and checked coolant. None to be found, again. I checked the oil and it's milky and way over full, something we NEVER had going on. This is where it gets worse. It wasn't the oil cooler, head gasket or even cracked head. It's now got a cracked cylinder wall. Head mech and district manager tell me they think it had a crack already and got worse, that's why it had oil in the coolant. What's funny is when I took it back they checked the coolant and said it stayed clean but now the opposite is happening, coolant moving to oil. They are saying there is no head or head gasket damage, no scoring etc so this issue was not caused from overheating. They pushed it out the door, without any coolant or very little, never getting it up to temp and left a giant air bubble... then they did it again. When I went in to see the crack he was sort of telling me all kinds of things like they noticed coolant in the oil the first time it was in but I told him he would have told me something like that and if he didn't, well... I'm not saying there couldn't be some sort of coincidence and the timing of the crack just happened the same time I got it back and it overheated (which I know was their fault). Just sort of at a loss what to do as we don't have time or money to fix something like this and it's why we paid them $3000 to fix the flange and go through it as we wanted the experts to do it and hope it lasts us a long time. What do any of you think?!
Do some research, and figure out what is fair to make you happy. Then go into the dealer, politely explain the situation, and ask them how they are going to make this right? When they don't give you what you want, respond, "That's a very generous offer, and very nice of you to put it forward. But that doesn't work for me." Then shut up. Even if you have to sit there for 15 minutes in dead silence, shut up. When they respond with anything other than what you want, respond the same way. "That's a very generous offer, and very nice of you to put it forward. But that doesn't work for me." Be incredibly polite, patient, and respectful. NEVER get angry or frustrated or cop an attitude. That technique as mentioned in leading negotiating books, forces the other person to negotiate with themselves,
Thanks, that’s a great tip in general. They did email me saying the only way to know what happened is to tear the engine down more, I’m not sure they are expecting me to pay for that or what. I need to find out.When I was there, at one point, he said one of the guys came and told him there was water in the oil during its first visit. I said we both know that’s not true cause he would told me about something that significant (he never brought that up again) That was the first sign I knew he was going to say whatever to not be responsible for this. I don’t want them to cover anything that isn’t their fault but some of the excuses makes me feel they can’t be trusted now. They suspect the piston skirt could be damaged and caused the crack or maybe the engine was frozen. That could be possible and I know it takes a lot to crack a block but all I know is they were negligent with the coolant and we weren’t getting it in the oil before. The motor ran great before taking it got hot. What do you guys think? They say heat didn’t cause this and between the head mech and district manager they have 80 years being around motors. In my field that I’ve been doing 25 years I still see new things everyday. He told me this one is not possible and he could win the lottery today but it’s not happening. I said, someone will though and heat is the number 1 cause of engine damage.