Hi guys;
Have a nice 1997 2500 with the Cummins (and EGR) and relatively stock. It had the "recall" service done for the firewall "dash" insulation but caught fire yesterday, anyway.
Anyone else had this done? I don't think the dealer did it properly (duh!).
Thanks,
Mike!
six pack
06-03-2002, 11:52 PM
Have seen a couple that caught fire before the recall was done, but never any after the fact.
Was the exhaust too close to the firewall? Or the recall performed improperly?
Or something causing too much exhaust heat to be generated(like a modded diesel engine)?
mjamgb
06-04-2002, 01:22 PM
As it turns out, the dealer messed up the recall. They were supposed to remove a portion of the "sound insulation" and install a heat shield (in my case a length of header wrap). The heat shield was installed (poorly) but the insulation was not trimmed.
As a result, the header wrap unravelled and the insulation fell off the "dash panel" and landed on the bunched up header wrap. The header wrap was ineffective in shielding the panel insulation (it was never supposed to come in contact) and a fire resulted.
I have since been appeased by the local dealer. They are "Re-performing" the recall service with a later spec stamped metal heat shield.
In the interim, I had the tech who looked over my damage remove the offending piece of insulation and he advised me that "your carpet could catch on fire." Neatly summing up the training level of the average local dodge "tech."
Of course my wife, upon hearing this, will not ride in the truck until the dash insulation is replaced with the "proper" mylar faced material (a $1400 job!). The later spec heat shield and a clarification that the insulation was for noise, not heat, has somewhat placated her but she is still not alltogether satisfied.
