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MOTOR DEAD......

19K views 140 replies 48 participants last post by  Johnny 
#1 ·
Not to be overly dramatic buy my Challenger Hellcat, which has 3796 miles on it and has been to two different dealers seven (7) times since I bought it new on September 30th of this year just croaked.

Everything seemed normal as I pulled into my local Lowe's store to pick up a couple of plumbing fittings. When
I walked out to the car to leave the car started just fine but then as I was making my way through the parking lot
the steering wheel got super hard to turn and I nearly ran over a curb and hit a parked truck. So after I made my way out of the parking lot I called the dealer (blue tooth) from inside the car on a straight road fighting the
steering wheel and made an appointment for Monday morning.

Before the call with the service manager ended I smelled coolant and looked at the gauge (coolant) it was pegged, the battery symbol lit up and then other things lit up and as soon as I could safely get the car out
of traffic I pulled it over.

I was pretty confident that either I had broke or threw a belt or that the same crank shaft pulley issue I've read about on this site had just
happened. So I let the car sit for about ten minutes, with the hood open to cool down. I started the motor, it
seemed to run normal but no belts were turning so I shut it down.

Pretty sure this motor is done. After numerous trips to two different dealers for several different problems I
want nothing else to do with this car. I think it's a lemon.

Do you guys think that I'm over re-acting?
 
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#3 ·
Thank you hellcat1!! This car has been to two dealers for different problems. They have eventually fixed everything until now but it's a little sad to
have a new car that is at the dealer every week and a half for a new issue.

I'll keep everyone here in the loop on how it's handled.
 
#5 ·
I think a new engine is in your Hellcat's future for a crank pulley failure. It's a mass produced car. You bought the first year production as I did. It's a risk you take when you buy the first year. We are the ones working out the bugs. The warranty on the car is pretty robust for a 707hp production car. Get it fixed, drive it and enjoy it!
 
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#8 ·
You know, I don't disagree with any part of your post Sublimecat. However, I had intended to do some work on this car, the typical "bolt-ons"
which of course will kill the warranty. If I had changed a pulley, or just had the car tuned last week I'd be screwed now. I know modifying a car
is a risk but if these cars have significant issues that are common enough to be seen on this site with the number of owners that are here, it
does not "inspire confidence". I don't know how many of the approx. 7200 challenger Hellcats built have had this problem or how many Challenger
Hellcat owners are members here but I think that my car is number 5 or 6 on this site. It may be that every motor with this issue has been posted
here but I doubt it. If so that's almost 1 in a 1000. That's not horrible but I'd think that Dodge is not happy. That must really cut into the bottom line
for the overall HC project.

I guess what I'm getting at is this.

A motor like this, with only slight mods and about a 10 to 15% increase in power and torque is what I'd like to do. I've had so many other problems
with this car already that I did not feel good about modifying it yet, which was one of the reasons that I got the car, so I could bump up the power
a little bit. I know of at least one car that dropped a valve and killed the motor, video is on this site. I've also heard of one of our fellow members
in the UK that has a bad supercharger. I'm not quite sure that Dodge was ready to bring this car to market yet. It may still be a little green. Or like you said, it's a first year run car, bugs are still present.
 
#10 ·
Run the car hard once it gets fixed for a few thousand miles and prove to yourself it's reliable. Once your confident start your mods. There are guys on this forum who are beating the hell out of their cars and not having issues. Me personally, my car hasn't been to the dealer since I picked it up. I have 3500 miles on it and have hit the rev limiter a dozen times. I think it's the luck of the drawn some respects. If you get another it may be better and it may be worse. Figure out what makes you happy and go with it.
 
#14 ·
Thanks usmc341...Will do and thank you Sublimecat. Not bad advice and to be honest, I was driving it but hadn't really ran it hard I've aired it out a
few times but making a high speed pass is not the same as "dogging it" I was hoping that the gremlins were worked out of it and I would wake up
someday and have the confidence in it that I need to start working on it.

I'm expecting Dodge to stick a new motor in it and send me on my way. I'm also sure that they will not do it but I'd like to keep the original motor.
There's no doubt in my mind that I could fix the crank and machine a new crank pulley (Undersize hole to fit the undersize crank) or maybe even
a "sleeve" splined and pinned into the pulley and then pinned on the crank. Then I could have the original motor for the car and a spare to stick
a hot cam in, port the heads and throw some bigger injectors in it and spool up the blower a little faster. In other words, a spare hotrod motor.

Has anyone reading this dealt with this issue?

Does anyone know how many members on this site have dealt with this issue?

Thanks to all of you for your interest and well wishes.
 
#16 ·
Greencat,

I hate to hear of the problem you had. I hope they can get it fixed and you can get back to enjoying the car. I would also ask to speak with someone above the dealership level about keeping the original motor. Especially if they are marked with the VIN. Even if it is just the block that they let you keep.
 
#17 ·
Yeah right.....Lol..I heard a complete engine is 23k
There was an article on ALLPAR that had the Mopar Crate Hellcat around $15K when it is released. Thinking as long as it means replacing fewer than 10% of engines, it is cheaper for FCA to do that than to replace or Pin 100% of the cranks. Business, nothing personal.
 
#35 ·
Thanks hellcat1 and NorCaletch19He77Kat!

I don't really expect to have a shot a keeping the old motor but I've never heard of the trade assist. Could you tell me more about it please?
Thank you
a trade assist, is a goodwill manner, where the dealer and the manufacturer may both participate in a much lower cost transaction to move you into a new car--the car wont have to be stamped buyback/lemon law on the title, therefore making it much more palatable for them. It still takes an unusual set of circumstances similar to lemon law, but the process is nearly presto compared to a buy back--best of luck! worst case scenarion you get a new updated engine... really, you win either way.

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Automotive design Muscle car
 
#26 ·
I think a new engine is in your Hellcat's future for a crank pulley failure. It's a mass produced car. You bought the first year production as I did. It's a risk you take when you buy the first year. We are the ones working out the bugs. The warranty on the car is pretty robust for a 707hp production car. Get it fixed, drive it and enjoy it!
A body hear yet if dodge is pinning the crank yet on 16's... I want mine # matching
 
#42 ·
Wow well mines getting pierced first chance i get... First runs at track today and smelled someone else antifreeze and all i could think about was this issue people are having....not sure i wanna post the results...:):)first three runs were typical over driving... Figured i should let the computer help...
 
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