I took my 2007 Dodge 5.7 Hemi 1500 (Sport) to the dealer when the engine light came on and the truck started running rough with a distinct miss. It happened all of a sudden and I took it straight to the dealer. They said I needed a tune up, (new plugs) new valve cover gaskets, and a new coil and rubber boot for one cylinder. Total cost $1150.00. That hurt! I mean that REALLY HURT!!!! Then they call me back after 3 days and say part of the plug boot was inside the valve cover and it is going to cost an additional $1000.00 to clean it out of the engine (drop the oil pan) with no guarantee they will get it all, which quit conveniently will void the lifetime warranty. (bought the truck new) The problem is, the valve covers have never been off the truck! There has never been any major repairs done or ANY reason the valve cover would have ever been removed! How could this have happened? and why wouldn't the check engine light have come on if that boot was not on the plug? I don't know what to do. I feel the dealer (mechanic) is just trying to void my warranty and create more work for his commission. I NEED ADVICE! HELP!

 

This story doesn't make sense. There is no way any of the rubber boot can get inside the engine unless some dummy dropped in in there.


How many miles did you ignore your tune-up?

 

Right! it does not make sense! I have owned the truck since new. I changed the plugs at 60,000 miles. It now has 130,000.

To my knowledge the valve cover has never been off the vehicle. I have every receipt for everything that has ever been done! There has never been any major work done to it. and other than me changing the plugs a few years ago, and a radiator garage putting on a new radiator, and a service station putting on a new coolant/washer fluid reservoir, no one but the dealer has ever touched the truck.

 

I'm not surprised that the boots stuck in the hole, seeing that you haven't had the plugs done for 70K miles, but the rubber getting IN the engine is not your fault. They make Looong needle nose pliers that work rather well getting the broken boots out of the holes.




I was assuming that some boot debris fell into the combustion chamber, but this is seriously dumb, and even dumber of them to ask you to pay for their stupidity. In the crankcase for real??? lol

 

How did they not notice the boot missing when they did tuneup? Too coincidental that they just touched that part and now there is a problem. Maybe I'm missing something??? Also, i dont see how a liittle bit of rubber can cause many issues. An engine will just eat rubber up amd mince the crap out of it.