cracked air intake hose

[Gardiner]

Hi guys, I need some opinions. I have owned my truck going on three years. After owning it for a couple of months I noticed that the underside of the air intake hose from the air filter to the turbo had a crack in it..... 2 to 3" long right where it hooks onto the turbo..... not good!! I replaced the hose and continued to run it (this hose by the way is no longer offered by our friends at dodge!!).



Two years later the truck seems to run fine, doesn't puff smoke etc. My question is, how can one tell how much internal damage this unfiltered air may have caused?? Can you do a compression check on a diesel? The crack was on the underside so it shouldn't have been gaping open, plus my driving is mostly on pavement and we don't use much sand/salt on the roads up here... . rains all the time!! I'm just worried about wear and tear on the rings.



I need to shell out for a new injector pump in the next little while as I just noticed that my throttle shaft is starting to 'seep' a bit of fuel. Should I keep dumping more money into this truck or sell it before I have any future engine problems?? I have already spent the money on a new trans and numerous other wear and tear items on the truck. I noticed a bit of grime on the fins of the impeller but the edges of the fins themselves seem smooth when I look inside the turbo.



Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[paccool]

So you don't know how long it had been gapped open if you only had it a few months. The best way to see if there is dirt in the engine would be to do an oil sample and see what the silicone levels are but since this happened two years ago, that probably wouldn't show anything now. If there was scuffing of the cylinder walls from dirt then there is probably some high readings of iron so I guess I would recommend you go ahead and do an oil sample and see what it shows. I suspect you are OK but if there is some abnormal reading then you could have a compression test done. Is the oil pressure still running about midpoint on the gauge?



Other than this, I don't know what else to do other than tear down and look at the cylinders, bearings, etc if you are afraid to trust it. Maybe someone else will jump in here. HEY PASTOR! any input on this one?

 

[1stgen4evr]

Well I ain't the minister but this is what I did. Some time ago, I noticed that the intake hose had cracked probably similar to what you mention. I drive all around the east and west to Texas and have been to Ladysmith (Van Couver Island) BC and Alaska. I have no idea just when the hose cracked but I priced $$$yikes$$$ the hose and decided that I could shorten it by the inch that was broken. I removed the aircraft type clamp and trimmed (about an inch) to the crack. This left ridges on the hose where the clamp would fit. I burnished them away with my Sears brand Dremel tool. Installed a regular hose clamp and have driven at least two hundred thousand miles since.



For your situation, you mention that you have driven another two years and no problems. Clearly, you don't have a problem. Forget it. PM Greenleaf for some help on the leak at the throttle shaft. I am thinking there was mention of this recently. I don't think the pump has to be removed.



If it ain't broke, try not to fix it. Trade? Count the time and money you have to spend monthly and when it gets to be more than the payments on a new one, consider trading up, but look at the issues discussed in the second gen forum before you think that they don't have maintainence just like we do. The day you make the first payment on a new truck, it IS A USED TRUCK.



Nicer seats, axle mounted air bags, and you will have the ride of the second gen.



Oil analisis isn't all that expensive but you probably won't find out much since there isn't any thing really wrong. Yes you can do a compression check. But you will get the same result if you ask 'does it fire up without a problem when it is cold'. Even if the answer is no, you could have something besides compression that is at fault. If you aren't sitting beside the road, there isn't anything wrong with your truck. Now that isn't to say that there won't ever be. I have replaced the water pump, the belt tensioner, the starter, the alternator, all the wheel bearings, front pads three times (new rotors once) and rear shoes twice, currently doing the differential bearings, all three ujoints, the head lights, the light switch twice (should have put in some relays), the battery, some cab lights, the seats, the rear springs, shimmed the transmission twice, changed the oil on 10k interval, and I need a new windshield along with re doing the paint (I touched up the cab top and hood at about 300k). The lower drivers side door hinge needs some attention. Completely removed the ABS. But all this in 500k miles. I have no complaint.



James

 

[Gardiner]

Thanks guys. You put my mind at ease. I usually go with the 'if it ain't broke don't fix it', but I've been doing a lot of fixing lately and the last thing I need is a big engine job!!!



It doesn't lose any oil between changes, and doesn't puff any smoke so it can't be that big a deal.