6.7L Cummins Forum

Squid - Thanks for the link to the cleaning procedure.

Funny thing, (according to the overhead display) I'm now averaging a MUCH lower avg mpg. I'm still on my first fill up after the dealer clean out, and I pulled a fifth wheel in the mountains a few hundred miles. But I feel it should have come up to my previous 18-20 mpg not pulling anything. What could they have done to my truck?

Well, went to the dealer this morning, they told me the turbo is bad, and they are going to replace. I have to drop it off tuesday night so they can work on it Wednesday morning (want it cool for obvious reasons). This time the warranty covered (I purchased extended warranty)....what about next time...is this something I need to plan for every 50-60k? I am really happy with my truck, have owned nothing but dodge trucks for the last 20 years, and this one has been great until now. Is it something i am doing? Do i need to drive harder to keep soot from building up? I pull the camper once or twice a month and my boat once or twice a week, but other than that, back and forth to work empty. I am writing this off as a stroke of bad luck and expect many more years of good service out of this truck.

You have to drive the crap out of it. If you're just driving to work in town you aren't building any boost which moves the sliding vane in the turbo. This sliding is what cleans off the soot. You have to get her on a on ramp and drag race up it to build boost, thus moving the vane, thus desooting her.


I have 114,000 miles with the same turbo but I do little things like shutting her off when stopped by a train. I always run the exhaust brake. downshift in town to third and I drag race up on ramps when not towing.

All new owners should read the following info to understand how the turbo operates so you can understand how to protect it.
Cummins 6.7L Turbocharger Information

Cummins 6.7L VGT Exhaust Brake Operation

__________________

2007.5 Dodge Ram 3500 HD,QC, 6.7L Cummins, 6speed Auto, 4X4, Bighorn Edition.
Click for installs: Carr Steps PML Diff Cover Edge Juice with Attitude Volant Intake Hankook ATM RF10

Well, probably should have explained "back and forth to work empty" a little better....I live in Kansas, and everything is pretty spread out...back and forth to work is 25 miles each way at highway speed...can't remember the last time my truck has been to town. Anyways, got the new turbo now, runs great...just like I remember it. I talked to the tech that changed the turbo, he recommended the same as you, run the engine brake all the time, it will keep the turbo from sooten up.
I really appreciate all the good info.

I'm also in Kansas south of Wichita.............good to see you made it through Hell alive. Man was it hot and humid!

__________________

2007.5 Dodge Ram 3500 HD,QC, 6.7L Cummins, 6speed Auto, 4X4, Bighorn Edition.
Click for installs: Carr Steps PML Diff Cover Edge Juice with Attitude Volant Intake Hankook ATM RF10

Flashback to July 30,2011. I thought it was fixed, but now less than two months later, I got the P2563 code and it's running really rough, just like the first time. I took it to the Rapid City Dodge dealer. They cleaned the turbo using the installed port and said it was good to go.

While there I talked to the mechanic and asked him how to prevent this from reoccurring. He told me to drive it like a truck, vary the RPMs above 1700, use the tow/haul and exhaust brake to keep the vane moving and use Ctane or similar product regularly. I tow a fifth wheel camper a lot. When I do, I usually drive 300-400 miles sometimes two or three days in a row. I keep the speed pretty constant at 60 MPH. He said this is probably not the best way to drive it. I should vary the speed and let the exhaust brake slow me down when possible. He also suggested always using fresh diesel fuel from a high volume dealer, no unnecessary idling and downshift to a lower gear when driving around town. Gee, sounds exactly like what Squid has posted.

Thoughts?

If its out of warranty? EGR and DPF delete.
Why dodge decided to put a precision turbo on a diesel and then choke the turbo down with every thing it can to soot it up is beyond me. When they added the EGR and DPF systems they should have never considered a VGT. This is an example of where an engineer needs to get in the real world and out of an idea lab.

It's not the engineers it's the damn EPA that is running wild. I do everything I can to do what they say not to. Our government has the automotive industry in such a mess they'll probably outlaw engines that get good mileage because it's not fair to those who drive fords.