Corona Beer Virus

[Kartorbust]

*Can we have some photos, dudes? I want to see these gaps. Pics or it didn't happen! Also, I know A-pillars thank goodness but this WL, WJ, WD, MDP stuff went over my head. Maybe we need a glossary instead....

Those pictures were on a different phone and never got transferred.

WL, WJ, WD are body codes for different vehicles. MDP is the diagnostic pod we use now to read the modules in FCA vehicles, Micro Diagnostic Pod.

WD is the current generation of the Durango, starting in 2011.

WL is the current Jeep Grand Chrokee body style, starting in 2021. Covers the Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L, which is a longer wheel base and has third row seating. Supposedly the L was supposed to replace the Durango, but that has not happened.

WJ is the 2nd Gen that came out in like 1999.

 

[Grizzlymi]

*Can we have some photos, dudes? I want to see these gaps. Pics or it didn't happen! Also, I know A-pillars thank goodness but this WL, WJ, WD, MDP stuff went over my head. Maybe we need a glossary instead....

I'm sure the gaps he mentioned were real. These pass inspection some how. Problem with all the manufactures. Mass production will have this. I leased a Compass for my wife a few years ago and just got it back from the dealer after 2 weeks. Throttle control sensor was acting up, leaking oil(which was from the timing chain cover). Luckily she had a loaner for the time. Too many computers in these new vehicles. Damn things are just huge moving computers. I still drive an 2003 Silverado I bought 10 years ago for $6,000 used from a buddies dad who retired from GM in 03, and just turned 100,000 miles. I would never buy a brand new car, and never have. I lease for my wife, well, because she couldn't even change a tire, let alone sit on the side of the road with an issue. lol.

 

[Grizzlymi]

Those pictures were on a different phone and never got transferred.

WL, WJ, WD are body codes for different vehicles. MDP is the diagnostic pod we use now to read the modules in FCA vehicles, Micro Diagnostic Pod.

WD is the current generation of the Durango, starting in 2011.

WL is the current Jeep Grand Chrokee body style, starting in 2021. Covers the Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L, which is a longer wheel base and has third row seating. Supposedly the L was supposed to replace the Durango, but that has not happened.

WJ is the 2nd Gen that came out in like 1999.

The Cherokee L is built down the street from my plant, and an all new Durango has been agreed to with our new contract. It will be built at our plant still and slated for 2026. I remember in 2014 when the plant announced that the Durango was going to be discontinued, and sales started to sky rocket. 11 years later.

 

[Kartorbust]

The Cherokee L is built down the street from my plant, and an all new Durango has been agreed to with our new contract. It will be built at our plant still and slated for 2026. I remember in 2014 when the plant announced that the Durango was going to be discontinued, and sales started to sky rocket. 11 years later.

I prefer the Durango over the WL. It's the devil I know and a lot of the parts are the same from the WK2 Grand Cherokee. I was kind of peeved when my in laws bought a WL. I told them the Durango is a lot better. Yeah, it has its problems, but it's infinitely easier to work on and diagnose.

 

[Grizzlymi]

I prefer the Durango over the WL. It's the devil I know and a lot of the parts are the same from the WK2 Grand Cherokee. I was kind of peeved when my in laws bought a WL. I told them the Durango is a lot better. Yeah, it has its problems, but it's infinitely easier to work on and diagnose.

100%. The Durango is a much better vehicle IMO. Completely different from the GC in a lot of aspects. I'm sure the new Durango is going to built off a similar platform as the new WL for parts comps. Mostly the same since 2011 with a few electronics differences. My sister and nephew have had multiple Durangos since then with zero issues.

 

[Kartorbust]

One tech I work with had a Pacifica mini van a couple months back that came in. 10k miles on it and was overheating. Diagnosed initially as a blown head gasket. So he pulls the head (front head, can't remember the bank off the top of my head) and one of the head bolts wasn't even tight, but not for an obvious reason.

Turns out, that bolt in particular did not have threads to go into in the block. Somehow that part was missed during manufacturing on that engine block. Not sure how threads don't get cut in a block for a cylinder head, but it is what it is.

Earlier this month, maybe late last month, someone traded in a Grand Cherokee with 76k miles on it. Dang thing overheated on me 5 times during my 5 mile test drive. It was like 5pm so half hour before end of the day so didn't dig into it until the next morning. But I did open the degas bottle, smelled of combustion gases. It did have a Cylinder misfire P0304. I pulled the coil pack and spark plug out of that cylinder. Got a bore scope and looked into that cylinder. Found coolant pooling on top of that piston. Put it under pressure with a coolant pressure tester. Saw coolant actively leaking into that cylinder.

Makes sense why they traded it in. It was a 2018 model.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

*Can we have some photos, dudes? I want to see these gaps. Pics or it didn't happen! Also, I know A-pillars thank goodness but this WL, WJ, WD, MDP stuff went over my head. Maybe we need a glossary instead....

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

My sis had a Pacifica. Electrical nightmare. The infotainment screen along with vehicle crippling side effects.

She traded for a buick enclave and it's has its problems too. Transmission and infotainment console.

Ill stick with my early 2000s vehicles.
99 wj limited stroked 4.6 240k miles
04 wj se 4.0 215k miles
03 tundra 300k miles
I can still work on them.

 

[Kartorbust]

We just had an XJ Cherokee with a 4L 1999 164k miles. Quite a few leaks, but to be expected. One of the new techs bought it, $1400 out the door. Kind of wich I could have gotten it.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

Those are like cockroaches. They just don't die.

 

[Grizzlymi]

One tech I work with had a Pacifica mini van a couple months back that came in. 10k miles on it and was overheating. Diagnosed initially as a blown head gasket. So he pulls the head (front head, can't remember the bank off the top of my head) and one of the head bolts wasn't even tight, but not for an obvious reason.

Turns out, that bolt in particular did not have threads to go into in the block. Somehow that part was missed during manufacturing on that engine block. Not sure how threads don't get cut in a block for a cylinder head, but it is what it is.

Earlier this month, maybe late last month, someone traded in a Grand Cherokee with 76k miles on it. Dang thing overheated on me 5 times during my 5 mile test drive. It was like 5pm so half hour before end of the day so didn't dig into it until the next morning. But I did open the degas bottle, smelled of combustion gases. It did have a Cylinder misfire P0304. I pulled the coil pack and spark plug out of that cylinder. Got a bore scope and looked into that cylinder. Found coolant pooling on top of that piston. Put it under pressure with a coolant pressure tester. Saw coolant actively leaking into that cylinder.

Makes sense why they traded it in. It was a 2018 model

I have been noticing the bolts with no threads recently as well, but with RC vehicles. Another hobby I am into. Seems like everything I get recently has a few bolts with no threads. Wouldn't happen if we didn't outsource everything to China. Assembled in the USA, made in China and Mexico......

 

[Grizzlymi]

We just had an XJ Cherokee with a 4L 1999 164k miles. Quite a few leaks, but to be expected. One of the new techs bought it, $1400 out the door. Kind of wich I could have gotten it.

XJ's rust, but those 4.0L you can trust! Had a few of those, regret ever getting rid of them. My 94 YJ with a 2.5L 5 speed was the best rig I ever owned. I'm building a 1:7 scale RC replica of it as we speak.

 

[Denny]

I’ll just stick to my GM vehicles. Thank you.

 

[Hellion]

I knew YJ, TJ and JK plus all the CJ's but that is a hell of a graphic, thanks bro.

View attachment 155868

View attachment 155869

 

[Kartorbust]

I've ran into some Ram trucks missing badging front the factory. But I find extra parts in vehicles more often than not. I have a collection on rear window switches from Ram 1500 and WLs. I think it was a Police Pursuit Charger 5.7 Hemi with the NAG 5 speed auto. Found a body panel tool under the hood resting on the intake manifold.

I'd have to find the video on YouTube, but one Dodge dealer salesman was freaking out about a Ram 2500 came in super dirty from transport. Apparently he does not know the Ram Heavy Duty trucks are built in Mexico. I made fun of the guy in the comments.

 

[Grizzlymi]

I’ll just stick to my GM vehicles. Thank you.

Brand loyalty. Around here in Detroit, ever vehicle is junk and has problems, except the one you work for. My family has mostly worked for Chrysler, bunch of buddies growing up and now work for them or GM or Ford. It is like being a fan of a certain sports team. Everything sucks and is garbage, except the one you like or work for. I've owned a bunch of GM and Chrysler vehicles in my time, but never a Ford. It is weird around here. Everyone around here has a issue (insert vehicle brand that is garbage). Every Dodge I know does this, every Ford has this problem, every GM product has this issue. They are all made from overseas parts from china and mexico and assembled in the USA.

As a Stellantis employee and Ram loyalist, these new Chevy trucks look mighty nice. Going back to the square body look. Nicely done.

 

[Grizzlymi]

I've ran into some Ram trucks missing badging front the factory. But I find extra parts in vehicles more often than not. I have a collection on rear window switches from Ram 1500 and WLs. I think it was a Police Pursuit Charger 5.7 Hemi with the NAG 5 speed auto. Found a body panel tool under the hood resting on the intake manifold.

I'd have to find the video on YouTube, but one Dodge dealer salesman was freaking out about a Ram 2500 came in super dirty from transport. Apparently he does not know the Ram Heavy Duty trucks are built in Mexico. I made fun of the guy in the comments.

If you worked at a GM or Ford dealer, you'd find the same things. Trust me, my buddies tell me the same thing. Yep, all 2500 and up are built in Mexico. Supposed to come back to SHAP soon. Hopefully.

 

[Kartorbust]

I'm already not a fan of any flavor of the EcoBoost engines from Ford and I refuse to get the current iteration of the Coyote...whoever thought it would be a good idea to use a Teflon coated rubber belt that's submerged in oil to run the oil pump, should be dragged through the streets. The Hurricane 3L is hot Swedish garbage (designed by Volvo). Only thing semi decent is the ZF8, but the fluid is stupid expensive. I think my employee cost is like $30 per quart.

Since my dealership was sold to a different company in 2022, we've been using more and more BG fluids and products. They're pretty decent.


Oh, so we had this customer bring in their 2023 Ram 1500 in, because..."Customer States, power steering fluid leak". it's funny because, the 1500 hasn't used hydraulic power steering since like 2012. After that, it's been an electronic power steering rack, no fluid. Turns out it was a loose oil filter from Express Lane. Wasn't that loose, but it's also par for the course on the 5.7L Hemi for the oil filter to come a bit loose for one reason or another.

 

[Denny]

I wrenched for 12 years for Buick never ever saw any of the issues you guys have seen. The worst I ever found was 1 can of Pepsi under the rear carpet of a Regal. I opened it and drank it. It was good!

 

[Kartorbust]

I'm going on 8 years with this dealership. Really need to get out of it. Money is kind of decent, but haven't been able to turn liveable hours in months and it's been very, very inconsistent. There's a few fab shops around me within a few miles. But that might kill the motivation I have for wanting to build my buggy.