Odd situation... Need advice please...

[BDR SRT-10]

Just recently purchased my truck back the 2nd to last w/e of May with only 18,000 miles on her... Noticed some oil kinda "sweating", I guess I'd call it, around the oil pan a few days after I got it home... It was not dripping down on my driveway, like I said kinda sweating around the oil pan... Hmmm I thought, maybe someone didn't tighten up the oil drain bolt enough, no biggie... Took it to the local Dodge place in town here b/c it is still under warranty... After they looked at it and even showed me it wasn't the drain bolt, it was the oil pan gasket leaking... The real main seal had been replaced back in late '05 with less than 15,000 miles on it under warranty at another Dodge place in NC...I've read on here that that's not terribly uncommon with the oil pressure these trucks maintain... Anyway long story short, they were suppose to replace the gasket today and about 1pm today they call me and tell me that the crossmember underneath the oil pan which has to be removed in order the access the oil pan and remove it is welded in place now, not bolted in like it should be!!!!!!!!!! Looking for info about this if indeed someone has stripped out the bolts off it and welded it in place now or if it is actually welded in from factory or what???

Thanks,
Brandon

 

[TheMoparConnection]

NOPE....it is welded in place and the service manual does say "cut crossmember out and re-weld in place" my recommendation, have them call their dm and authorize them to remove the motor from the vehicle rather than cutting out the crossmember.
just my .02 and what I would do.

 

[Silverback]

NOPE....it is welded in place and the service manual does say "cut crossmember out and re-weld in place" my recommendation, have them call their dm and authorize them to remove the motor from the vehicle rather than cutting out the crossmember.
just my .02 and what I would do.

The service manual says to cut a structrual member of the frame? :dontknow:

Whoever came up with that fix needs to be fired.

 

[TheMoparConnection]

The service manual says to cut a structrual member of the frame? :dontknow:

Whoever came up with that fix needs to be fired.

ITS FREAKIN CRAZY HUH? you don't wanna know what the pay us to do the repair either. only way to remove oil pan is by cutting out crossmember or removing engine.

 

[FSTJACK]

I would not cut the front crossmember unless the truck is sitting in a frame jig or frame alignment rack to keep it straight.

The factory is cutting corners in my opinion, and the motor should come out.........

 

[sleeper]

ITS FREAKIN CRAZY HUH? you don't wanna know what the pay us to do the repair either. only way to remove oil pan is by cutting out crossmember or removing engine.

How much do they pay ya?:dontknow:

 

[FSTJACK]

ITS FREAKIN CRAZY HUH? you don't wanna know what the pay us to do the repair either. only way to remove oil pan is by cutting out crossmember or removing engine.

Anybody know if the mounts, exhaust at mid pipes and fuel lines, ect; can be disconnected and the motor raised and tilted enough to get the pan off.

And how many hours does it pay?

 

[TheMoparConnection]

1.6 HOURS

 

[TheMoparConnection]

Anybody know if the mounts, exhaust at mid pipes and fuel lines, ect; can be disconnected and the motor raised and tilted enough to get the pan off.

And how many hours does it pay?

No it does not appear that it can, not enough room.

 

[OCBob]

1.6 hours??? Guess that's why they say to cut and weld huh?

 

[FSTJACK]

1.6 HOURS

That is tough one to get it done in book time, even cutting and welding.

Does the dealership have a wire welder in the service dept or would it have to go to the body shop, at the dealership?

Has anybody tried to snug up the pan bolts?

Sometimes that will stop them from weeping.

 

[OCBob]

I'm surprised they just don't tell you to weld the pan to the block. That way you don't need the gaskets! Honestly I think I would try some sealant before letting them cut the crossmember.

 

[TheMoparConnection]

REMOVAL
Disconnect the negative battery cable.
Disconnect engine oil indicator tube fastener from the right cylinder head cover.
Install engine lifting fixture TOOL 9363 and support TOOL .
Raise vehicle on hoist.
Remove the lower engine shield.
Drain engine oil.
Remove the front cross member (Refer to 13 - FRAME & BUMPERS/FRAME/FRONT CROSSMEMBER - REMOVAL)
Remove flywheel inspection cover.
Loosen engine mount through bolts.
Wiggle and separate the oil level indicator tube from the oil pan.
NOTE: Careful positioning of the jack stand is necessary to prevent damage to other components

Using lifting fixture TOOL 9363 and support TOOL , raise the front of the engine
Remove transmission to oil pan fasteners (Transmission to Oil Pan Bolts).
Remove oil pan bolts and remove oil pan (OIL PAN AND GASKET).
NOTE: Clean and inspect oil pan gasket. The pan gasket can be used again if in good condition.


(FRAME & BUMPERS/FRAME/FRONT CROSSMEMBER - REMOVAL)
CAUTION: Do not use any flame or plasma cutting equipment to cut the frame in this procedure. This is due to the inaccurate nature of the cut-line and the fact that the high temperatures achieved during flame or plasma cutting will change the metal characteristics and may weaken the frame and/or repair location.

On SRT-10 vehicles, remove the welds using a grinder or equivalent.

CAUTION: Shield the surrounding area and components from exposure to the welding spatter and heat.


(Refer to 13 - FRAME & BUMPERS/FRAME/FRONT CROSSMEMBER - INSTALLATION).

Using the Weld Process Specifications table (Refer to 13 - FRAME & BUMPERS/FRAME - SPECIFICATIONS - WELDING),
apply new welds to the SRT-10 crossmember.

 

[CarolinaSRT10]

Has the crossmember been re-welded, or is there a factory weld there now?

 

[TheMoparConnection]

That is tough one to get it done in book time, even cutting and welding.

Does the dealership have a wire welder in the service dept or would it have to go to the body shop, at the dealership?

Has anybody tried to snug up the pan bolts?

Sometimes that will stop them from weeping.

I would try that first too! or live with the seepage...seepage is ok, dripping thats another story

 

[FSTJACK]

Just my opinion.....

I would try that first too! or live with the seepage...seepage is ok, dripping thats another story

Amen brother, what they propose to do could be far, far worse in the long run than seepage.

If the crossmember is cut, a length of square tubing needs to be welded in place in front of the crossmember, between the frame rails to prevent the rails from twisting and spreading....

 

[BDR SRT-10]

Wow! Thanks guys... This does sound like a problem that I may indeed need to live with for now... I do not have the confidence in my local dealership to do this properly even though it's under warranty... Sad to say, but I don't think they fully know that much about this truck and I've never even seen one on the lot before...

I'll ask them and see about re-tightning the bolts or use some sealant instead...

I'm gonna go look at it 1st hand in the AM and see if it's been cut before or not... That does seem unusual for a repair though ... I'll know for sure in the AM if I would consider letting them touch the truck in the future if it is indeed still a factory weld and they couldn't tell the difference or do not know that is the procedure to fix it... I'll probably print this thread off to take with me...

Any performance problems with this situation I should be concerned with?? Am I correct to assume this problem has to do with the high oil pressure of our trucks??

 

[FSTJACK]

If the pan gasket is weeping it is not caused by high oil pressure.

Is the motor stock with the stock breather system?

 

[Django]

I don't think I ever heard of anything (of this kind) so screwy in all my days...

Are the designs of automobiles in the 3rd millenium THAT fkd up...?

D

 

[BDR SRT-10]

If the pan gasket is weeping it is not caused by high oil pressure.

Is the motor stock with the stock breather system?

Ok... Yes, she is all stock... Well it does have a flowmaster exhaust, but nothing under the hood that's modded...

Like I said, the rear main seal has been replaced before and I assume they techs perhaps either over-torqued or under-torqued the oil pan bolts?? :dontknow:

I don't know much about things like this I'm afraid...