Update to this story.
At first the mechanic says it wasn't the fuel pump. He said it's the plugs, wires, rotor and cap. I asked him if he was 100% sure it was this, he said yes.
To make a long story short, the new plugs, wires, rotor, and cap are in along with a brand new fuel pump, the pump is covered by our warranty plan. The truck still won't start.
He said he spent over two hours on his computer trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with this truck. Now he's come to the conclusion that it's the trucks computer. It has somehow gone bad and needs to be replaced.
He said the copmuter will be around $400.00. Now the total bill will be $666.00. Yes, the sign of the devil...
As you can probably tell I'm not a mechanic. I'm just a guy who owns a Dodge truck and I know how to do monthly, yearly maintenance, oil, brakes, etc., sort of the easy stuff.
So now the hard thing is wondering whether or not I'm being taken for a ride here. I'm 99% sure I'm not taking my vehicle to this guy again. The reason I'm taking it here is so I can easily use my extended warranty plan because the place I bought the truck is on the same property.
Is it common for the computer to just die?? Does he sound like he knows what he is doing?
Does this guy sound legit?
Thanks again Steve
Right now the truck is still in the shop. We had it towed to the shop because on the phone the mechanic said if it was the fuel pump, which he was sure it was, it would be covered by our extended warranty. But now the mechanic says the fuel pump is fine. He says he can't start it, it turns over but won't start. Now says we need new spark plugs, wires, rotor and cap. I might have believed him if I it weren't for the fact that I changed the spark plugs about 8 months ago. He said he knew that but we didn't put in the correct ones?? Dodge factory plugs?
This conversation with the mechanic was between my wife and him by the way.
How could my truck run for the past 8 months if I had installed the wrong plugs...
A lot of people I talk to feel it is the fuel filter.
Origin of problem. The odometer was around 270 when my wife took the truck out for some kind of errand. I usually get 300 miles per fill up. She drove about 3 miles and starting losing power. She had to pull over. She knew it wasn't good so she turned around to go home. She only had enough power to get it up to 20 mph the whole way home, 3 miles. I have run out gas twice with this truck and I got the exact same symptoms, lose of power. BUT, the only difference in her episode was that she was able to go a much farther distance. In my two cases, I lost power, drove for another 500 yards and could go no further, couldn't start it again. Out of gas.
All this took place while I was out of town. Her father put about five gallons in it and it wouldn't start. It would turn over but wouldn't start. So we had it towed to the shop.
I don't really believe we need the new wires, plugs, rotor and cap. I think it's the fuel filter clogged partially with some junk that was in the tank. That's why some gas was getting through and allowing my wife to make it back home. Should I just tell the mechanic to change the fuel filter and go from there? See if that works? Don't you think he should have suggested that in the first place?
Any help would be great.
Thanks