directional fins slid down in elbow

[zzman]

I found the plastic fins in the elbow on the turbo had slid down about an inch. I removed the fins (because they would not stay in the intended position) also removed the silencer ring (to give my ears some music). I think this may have been my problem with too much smoke when shifting gears. All the plumbing connecters were tight, good clean air filter, plenty of air intake options. So I drove it today (200 miles) pulling 15k lbs and could finally hear the turbo come alive. I believe the mpg went up about 1/2 to 1 mpg too. What was really noticeable was the little amount of pedal needed to maintain highway speeds. (I think I had a head wind too)

Are these directional fins a BIG MUST for the engine? My "97" didn't have them. You know I believe it actually has better turbo response now too, or maybe it is just normal now. Has this happened to anyone else? I don't know if this was what my problem was but the only other thing I did was changed oil.

The truck runs alot more smokless now.

cool beans

 

[JDiepstra]

Honestly, I am very suprised that those "directional vanes" or whatever they are called, were able to slid down. You are talking about the curved ones in the elbow just before the turbo, correct? I had an extremely difficult time getting mine out. They were really wedged in there. I did get plenty of enjoyment after taking out the silencer in the straight part of the tube though. I think that when I took out the curved piece, I actually lost boost. Those vanes are in there to direct the air into the turbo in an efficient manner. I went to a "Cool Hose" from DPP and now all problems seem to be solved.

 

[mberry]

JDiepstra,

If I remember correctly, the vanes are only in there to suppress turbo/intake noise, not direct air into the turbo efficiently. I could be wrong though.

 

[CKelley1]

you are wrong they are in there for straightening vanes for the turbo. we developed a way to accurately check milage under conditions equal to towing at 65mph with gcw of 20,000 lb. the intake side of the turbo gave us the least amount of gain of any thing we did and most of the mods went backwards the afe stage two was the biggest looser, next was we had to break the plastic guides out of the elbow to get them out. when we lost a little we went back to dodge to replace, you can not believe what they want for that elbow, we decided to try a tag to replace it and the tag was the only item that showed a slight gain over oem the silencer ring removal drooped it enough to measure but was small. the cool hose was a little more gain than the loss of the ring. the psm was near neutral. in summary, the psm, cool hose and tag gave the best combo at about 1. 5% over oem and for only $350 we will see a pay back in just 5 or 6 hundred thousand miles. the afe had a 7% loss and was worth scraping immediately and taking the loss as education

 

[Matt400]

we will see a pay back in just 5 or 6 hundred thousand miles.

I don't put alot of miles on so looks like I would need to keep my truck another 60 years! wait... that would make me 110 years old.

 

[JDiepstra]

JDiepstra,



If I remember correctly, the vanes are only in there to suppress turbo/intake noise, not direct air into the turbo efficiently. I could be wrong though.

Which ones are you talking about? The ones in the straight piece are for sound, the ones in the elbow are to direct air.

 

[JDiepstra]

you are wrong they are in there for straightening vanes for the turbo. we developed a way to accurately check milage under conditions equal to towing at 65mph with gcw of 20,000 lb. the intake side of the turbo gave us the least amount of gain of any thing we did and most of the mods went backwards the afe stage two was the biggest looser, next was we had to break the plastic guides out of the elbow to get them out. when we lost a little we went back to dodge to replace, you can not believe what they want for that elbow, we decided to try a tag to replace it and the tag was the only item that showed a slight gain over oem the silencer ring removal drooped it enough to measure but was small. the cool hose was a little more gain than the loss of the ring. the psm was near neutral. in summary, the psm, cool hose and tag gave the best combo at about 1. 5% over oem and for only $350 we will see a pay back in just 5 or 6 hundred thousand miles. the afe had a 7% loss and was worth scraping immediately and taking the loss as education

Great info. Everyone who buys a Cummins should be forced to read this. Supposed "Cold Air Intakes" are not going to show gains in power like most people say. Do you have any links to your tests or test results or anything?

 

[zzman]

The vanes / fins in the elbow is what had slid down. It looked about an inch from the rubber tit (square tit) in the rubber elbow to the notch in the plastic vanes. When I took the elbow off the turbo, the vanes (turbo side)were actually pointing or angled upwards. It was tight in there until I pushed it back to original position. Then it was real loose and wouldn't stay in the intended position. It wouldn't come out on the turbo side, but it wasn't too hard to roll it out the other side. I pulled a container today and the mpg were 9. 2. The best I use to get was 8. 6 I pull these from the same place and the same route all the time. I don't know if removing the vanes will help or hert any truck but the way mine were working it for sure helped it. I got the truck in Jan with 60k miles. I dont know if they were like that then or not. I put the pac brake on and was thinking some how that may have created this.

I dont know that much but I do know the truck is running better than before.

Thanks guys

 

[Matt400]

When I took the elbow off the turbo, the vanes (turbo side)were actually pointing or angled upwards. I got the truck in Jan with 60k miles. I dont know if they were like that then or not.

When DC started adding these vanes in the elbow I had read here where people were finding them pointing in the wrong direction. I checked my 05 and they were ok on mine. I could see how yours would hurt performance rotated like that.



Here is one post on that-

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...-remove-curved-vains-elbow-2.html#post1737645

 

[CKelley1]

we have a fleet of dodge diesels and the then new 06's including our own personal 06's because of the incylindar egr gave poor mileage we decided to experment with one and what worked we would install on the rest of them that way we could spread the cost of the dont't work or little value cost items over all trucks. we were able to achieve a 65% increase in towing fuel milage with the mods. and had them running before the huge price increase in fuel. because the testing was done on our 06's i do not have a link but as i stated the gains on other areas was huge compared to the intake side of the turbo mods

 

[Matt400]

we were able to achieve a 65% increase in towing fuel milage with the mods.

you musta meant 6. 5%What changes did you make?

 

[mberry]

Which ones are you talking about? The ones in the straight piece are for sound, the ones in the elbow are to direct air.

There 'ya go. TDR just paid for itself again. I didn't know there were two different one's.

 

[BryanHowell]

Stock air box

Ditto on staying with your stock airbox. All of the other open systems out there are overpriced and offer little if no benefits for everybody but the twin turbo and extreme hp crowd. I'm saying this and I sell all of the other systems as well as the PSM/Cool Hose combo.

 

[steved]

I found mine cocked in the intake tube, blocking the turbo inlet...

I have since removed it and the silencing baffle... and I have posted some really impressive mileage numbers. I found the silencer ring affects mileage (for whatever reason) more than most people think...

I couldn't see how a mileage improver (the vanes) could do any good blocking the intake track. I have had them out for well over 100k...