my Isuzu.

Get this, the dodge diesel rarely gets drove, when it does, it's generally for a good long highway stretch, and/or running errands around town for more then long enough for it to get good and hot. It does sit, but not enough to state that it's parts are *rotting* away.

We bought this truck at 63k miles 4yrs ago, it now has 103k miles, which averages 10k miles a year....fairly decent, doesn't get drove too much, and doesn't sit too much.

Here's the thing, when we bought this truck, the transfer inline lift pump went bad and was covered under warranty....major labor involved in getting to this pump = behind the engine in which it has to be lifted to get to it.

This is a BAD part to go out on a diesel cause then it has no boost and can lock up the engine if not enough pressure is running through the pump.

2yrs later we replaced a fan clutch, no biggy, typical wear/tear and brakes, again no biggy.

1yr later, brakes are out again...with no warning, oil drain pan gasket leaking like a siv...get it all fixed up, good to go.

6 mnths later, brakes are shot yet again....using different brake replacements by the way, trying to find which ones are best for this rig. By the way, I NEVER go cheap when it comes to replacement parts, I always try to get the best of what's available or what's recommended by other owners.

All the while the brakes are going bad, rotors were pulled and inspected, all is good.

3 mnths later, brakes AND rotors are far past shot! Truck was probably only drove maybe 4k miles during this timeframe which does NOT make any sense at all. Again all is replaced, Carquest extends us full warranty on brake pads and replaces free of charge due to the hassle.

2-3 mnths later, which brings us to yesterday/today....we're sitting out in the driveway having gotten invited to a friends house for dinner last night we decide to drive the diesel cause it's been a cold few weeks and it hasn't hardly been drove. So we fire it up and let it idle for a few while we finish getting ready...diesels do NOT move right after firing if bloody cold.

Come back out maybe 5-10 minutes later to find a 5" diameter puddle under the truck...what the heck! Back the truck down a bit to get a good look at the color of fluid...it's clear...so I think at first, no biggy just moisture dropping off the engine. But then within a few more seconds there's another good size puddle developing, so I stick my fingers in the fluid, not really wanting to lay on the ground at barely 15F and sniff the fluid....turns out it's diesel fluid.

Pop the hood, didn't readily see anything but the sun was setting, we were to be to dinner in 45 minutes and we live in the toolies in comparison to everyone we know. Jump in the truck and figure we'd still drive it, though I thought seriously about whether it was safe to do so with diesel fuel dripping off what looked like the back of the engine.

Stared at the gas gauge for a good minute, I was WATCHING that sucker drop! Damn truck was leaking enough fuel to make the gauge move while sitting still :banghead: :banghead:

Decided that was it! Pulled her back up the drive and parked it...wasn't about to take a chance in blowing up!

Got underneith it this morning...turns out that gosh darn inline transfer lift pump is leaking again! Least that's the only thing I can see where it's leaking from....bad thing is, trucks out of warranty as of 3k miles ago and that part alone is $700+ not too mention labor involved. If the engine has to be raised, we can't do the work, nor do I WANT to with temps averaging barely in the teens...this trucks way too long/tall to fit in the garage, and I don't have the equip to raise an engine.

We're looking at a bill well over $1k at this point...and to think this truck HARDLY gets drove in comparison to the Rodeo and Toyota!

Gonna call Cummins tomorrow to see if they'd be willing to help, from what I hear, this part has been a *problem* part on diesel cummins engines for quite some time.

Anyways, just wanted to rant!

BTW....looks like the tranny coolant hoses on the Rodeo are wearing on borrowed time, one of them is starting to weep, not sure if it's due to the ultra cold air we're getting right now...hoping they'll hold on for a short time, this truck doesn't fit in the garage either!

I always wanted a dodge diesel since they went to the "I'm a truck" body design. But after hearing about all the problems, mostly that stupid pump going bad, I decided I wont even consider one till they get some quality. Dont know if you ever listen to KBPI but Willie B. who is a big mopar fan has been driving a ford truck cuz the 3 dodges he's had all died within a couple years. Pretty bad when you'd rather drive a ford LOL. Since the duramax came out I'd rather have a chevy but dont like the body stlye as much.

Overall it's a great truck, it's just irritating that some of these things are occuring when it hardly gets drove.

Have always loved Chevy's, our last one was a '99 3/4 ton that the engine started completely failing at only 99k miles, after 2 clutches, one main computer, 4 sets of brakes, 2 emergency brake repairs, etc. and it hardly got drove too....so we were pretty upset it with as well, we unloaded it at the dealer for the Dodge after 2 freeze plugs blew out of the back of the engine, we decided that was it.

Our last *good* full size truck was a '79 Chevy Scottsdale 350 - excellent rig, they don't make them like that anymore.

I don't know what to think of the Ford's, everyone we've ever known has had problems constantly; one guy we work with has a new diesel with only 11k miles and the dealership says the engines on it's way out.

I've never liked fords. Everyone in our family thats had them had lots of problems as well. I will say my work van (ford e250) has been surprisingly trouble free in the few years I've been driving it. I still wouldnt own one though. One guy at work has a crew cab duelly turbo diesel that he paid a ton of money for. Its constantly in the shop for repairs and always springing leaks.

Ok, well we've found a dual stage fuel pump with good recommendations to the tune of $600 for the part, the engine I guess does NOT have to be lifted - so we may attempt to do this ourselves.

Onto the Rodeo, firing up the truck this morning caused one of the ATF coolant hoses to burst, reclamped it the best I could and drove it to our new mechanic...I'm tired of messing around with the insecurity of whether or not our old mechanic can be trusted, we've known him a LONG time and generally only bring our vehicles when it's either really cold out or just something we don't want to deal with....but, in the last 2yrs he's treated us like we are stupid and don't know what the he$$ we're talking about, plus he's screwed up 2 gaskets on my auto tranny pan in the last 3yrs and tried to blame it on me when HIS shop did the work...go figure.

So anyhow, Rodeo's down getting new ATF coolant hoses and a drain/refill on the tranny, ain't NO WAY I'm laying outside today trying to do that mess! It always makes me nervous taking my vehicles to someone though.

Ah you wimp! LOL

I havent gone outside all weekend hehe. One problem with being an HVAC tech, always working outside in bad weather. So I tend to stay inside on weekends when the weather is bad. I'm waiting for some 50's to finally wire up my other set of hellas and put in the body mount shims. Still need to find a mechanic close to me to do my upper control arm bushings. The place I used to go is too far a way now to walk home while waiting and ol' boy told me last time he never wants to see another isuzu bushing after doing the lowers LOL.

Can't say as I blame him....LOL I hope to goodness I never have to do another lower ball joint, etc.

I work outside too, only time I'm ever inside is from one job site to another. Got to stay inside for the most part today though, as the Rodeo was in the shop, and with the diesel down too, I couldn't work. Great for not having to deal with the temps, but I lost a days pay.