New code P2281...Please help!

[ProLean]

Hello Everyone,
Thank you all for your help in the past. I know that your knowledge has saved me a ton of money in the past and here we are again.
Ok so driving down to the dunes in my '14 2500 pulling about 14K of toyhauler, toys and water, I'm in 5th gear doing about 70 when I start cresting a gradual hill and the truck downshifts to 4th with a very quiet pop and the accompanying "ding" of the CEL. I thought I might have lost a boost tube but I can still make about 10psi according to the truck's cluster (i don't have a boost gauge) and it will still hold 70 on the flats. I pulled over to check and see what I could and nothing looked amiss...no boost tubes out of place and no holes that I can tell. I decide to press on because nothing else was wrong...no extra heat and no smoke and the truck seemed to run and sound fine. Then I hit the big hill outside Yuma and i can only make it by downshifting to 2nd at the top! Normally a 60mph hill fully loaded like I am no stress. Anyway, make it to the dunes where i can do a little more investigation but I don't have my code reader so I'm verifying all my hose ends and making sure the intake is all together. I looked at the MAP sensor and it seemed fine and the filter was still in tact...little dirty but nothing crazy.
So, I made the return trip home to avoid towing charges and the truck still acts the same...only makes 10psi boost but I think the VGT actuator is still sweeping like it should. I always drive with it on and it's only about 10 months old...its the Stainless Diesel Towing 60. Seems like the computer is limiting boost and I'm missing the upper 30% or so of my powerband. On the way home, I normally average 10 mpg towing this rig and I got 6 mpg. I know that having my foot in it on the hills made it drop like crazy but I had to to make the hills... when it downshifts to 4th gear, boost momentarily goes to 15psi and quickly settles again at 10psi or less.
Finally pulled the code last night and its a P2281 which is an air leak between map and throttle body message.
Bought an new filter and a new map sensor that I'm going to install tonight. I'll also check all the intake connections.
Any other ideas or experience with this code?
Thanks for reading my saga.

 

[Ozymandias]

If there is a leak between turbo and engine there is a fairly easy way to find even the smallest one.

Follow this guideline.
Take off the intake elbow between airfilter and turbo, grab an appropriate sized piece of STIFF cardboard, start the engine (yes start ist without airfilter) and let idle, put the cardboard over the turbo intake, this will stall the engine almost immediately and generate a heavy vacuum between turbo and engine itself.
The moment the engine stalls there will be silence and you'll hear every small leak hissing.
If the cardboard falls off the turbo immediately then you have a huge leak, otherwise it stays on the turbo for some time till the vacuum is gone.

If the engine doesn't stall you'll hear where it takes the air in.

 

[Turbo Terry]

Your a regular genius

 

[ProLean]

Great idea. I'll try that! Really stiff cardboard i assume to keep the turbo from sucking it into itself.

 

[Ozymandias]

Great idea. I'll try that! Really stiff cardboard i assume to keep the turbo from sucking it into itself.

Yes, just a patch 6"x 6" or so.
Cardboard has the ability to seal really well at the t-intakes edge.

 

[sag2]

When were the intercoolers popping the seams? Was that earlier trucks. I can't remember anything these days!

 

[Ozymandias]

Prior to 2004, long time ago.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Prior to 2004, long time ago.

I thought the 05's went to plastic end caps or something like that and they were prone to popping especially if tuned???

 

[ProLean]

Couple of questions:
Can or does the ECM ever limit boost? I question it because it seems to very consistently limit my boost to 10psi. The truck runs like normal until I push it on a freeway on ramp and you can tell its flat. It will stay at 10psi until I get out of it. I can hear the actuator sweeping when I turn the key on so that is working. It's just weird.
Also, where is the MAP sensor on a 2014? I know there is a sensor on the intake horn just off the air filter that appears to be the MAP but I've also seen videos where people are pulling them off the throttle body by the EGR system where its caked with soot. Are there 2 of them? I know...stupid question.

 

[AH64ID]

Yes the ECM controls boost via fueling and VGT positioning.

An air leak will also limit boost, which would go along with your slight pop.

 

[ProLean]

I disassembled the whole intake up to the turbo and did the cardboard trick. It sealed pretty well and shut down the truck and then held pretty good. I didn't hear any leakage at all. I then assembled it all again and installed a new air filter. Then I installed an new crankcase breather since the last on was from 65K and now Im at 130k. I also removed the TMAP sensor which had some carbon build up. Cleaned it with Super Clean and MAP sensor cleaner and reinstalled it. Cleared all codes I could and then tried it again and.....NO CODES! I'm still going to clean the EGR again but I'm a happy camper to not have to buy another TMAP sensor at $250. No idea there was a MAP AND a TMAP. To clarify...no CEL anymore but I'm not sure it the "permanent codes" have cleared yet or if they do clear. Do those go away over time or do I need to have my friend with the real code reader dump them?
Thank you guys for your input.

 

[Ozymandias]

Well done, problem solved with minimal costs.

 

[sag2]

Permanent codes can generally only be cleared by the vehicle completing a monitor. I just repaired a Chevy Sonic I repaired and donated to a women's shelter that would not run the EVAP monitor. Turns out the inoperative odometer (known when I purchased it) kept the monitor from running. Had to replace the cluster and have it programmed by Chevy dealer. It failed the smog check the first time because of the permanent code. Once the odometer was working again the monitor ran and passed, and the permanent code cleared by itself. The Chevy dealer even flashed the PCM when they programmed the new cluster and the permanent code was still there.

 

[bcbender]

I thought the 05's went to plastic end caps or something like that and they were prone to popping especially if tuned???

Correct, the plastic endcap on the 05 can pop, happened to a friend of mine, he put in an AL welded one from an 04.

 

[AH64ID]

Correct, the plastic endcap on the 05 can pop, happened to a friend of mine, he put in an AL welded one from an 04.

Happened to my early 05 as well, put around 3K miles on it without issue before the dealer replaced it under warranty.

It would hold up to around 20 psi. It happened on an a trip back up from Tucson in October of 09 and I didn’t get into Dodge until mid November of 09.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I mentioned this to a former employee and he scoffed it off but not too long after his blew. He was tuned.

 

[Ozymandias]

Correct, the plastic endcap on the 05 can pop, happened to a friend of mine, he put in an AL welded one from an 04.

So, wait, it was the other way around?
They had Aluminum up to certain date, then went to plastic, and later back to aluminum again?
All within the Gen3 serie?

 

[AH64ID]

So, wait, it was the other way around?
They had Aluminum up to certain date, then went to plastic, and later back to aluminum again?
All within the Gen3 serie?

Yes, only the early 05’s had the plastic end tanks and they didn’t last long.

 

[Ozymandias]

Thanks, I really thought it was 03-04, my mistake.

 

[cerberusiam]

My son has an 05, plastic end cap CAC, over 300k, too many times over 70 psi with compounds. Rod bearing gave up, CAC is still fine. No rhyme or reason why some fail and some don't.