Engine brake Pacbrake and turbo failure

[BSpycher]

Hi all,

I'm currently traveling the USA with our 2500 5.9l RAM, engine everything stock.
We had a Pacbrake installed about 3 years ago, now have driven ca. 50'000 miles.

About 10'000 miles ago, we had our original turbo replaced. Now, not even 5'000 miles later, the new turbo (I just learned it was not a OEM part but from High tech Turbo, even if i wanted an original one) shows the same symptons with leaking some oil.

The mechanic (a known shop in the Portland area) now tells me that it is due to the Pacbrake that the problem is happening, and they don't want to do any warranty. But it was them that installed the pacbrake.

So I need your help:
Can really the pacbrake be the issue, since our car is about 5 tons (with a pop up camper and other stuff), but when I see all these Rams (or other makes) with their heavy toy haulers, I do not believe that weight should be an issue.

What can a foreigner (we're from Switzerland) do if a shop refuses to give warranty, knowing that we now have to drive east to get the car on the boat early in October.

Thank you for all your help.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Mechanic doesn't understand how the brake impacts (doesnt) the turbo. Or he's just making stuff up so he doesn't have to warranty the repair - which he should.
BTW, I've had the pak on mine for 90,000 miles without any issues what so ever.

 

[AH64ID]

I would call Pac and ask for their recommendation. If your mechanic is one of their dealers it might help.

 

[TJJEEPER]

I had the Pacbrake on my 06 5.9 and never an issue.

 

[mfurrh55]

I had a jacobs exhaust brake on mine for 180, 000 miles trouble free

 

[jhenderson]

Installed a pacbrake on my 04.5 at 225, 000 miles to replace my Jacobs brake. I sold the truck at 385,000 miles. It now has well over 400,000 miles on the original turbo. The truck regularly towed 15,000lbs from day one. Tell that shop since they installed the exhaust brake they need to prove the exhaust brake hurt the turbo or warranty the unit. Then they can explain why they installed something that was detrimental to your engine.

 

[BSpycher]

Hi all,

thank's everybody for your input.

A short update what happened since then:
I called Pacbrake, talked to TJ (many thanks to him) and he confirmed what all you guy also say: engine brake cannot be held accountable for turbo failure
I discussed with the shop a day later, and the agreed that the turbo will be replaced on warranty. They have no explanation why the turbo failed.
One input was that high EGT could be an issue, but then why the old turbo held out that long?
A clogged air filter could also be possible, as I understood, that not enough air got sucked in leading to a leaking seal at the turbo. But filter was regularly replaced.
We also discussed exhaust issues, but a long shot.

So: we had an EGT sensor built in as well as the new turbo (again High Tech Turbo, but as I learned that company delivers Mopar with the same turbos, but they rebrand it and sell for higher prices).

Now we will see what happens.

The people at the shop took great care now, and treated us very fairly.

So thank's again you guys for all the comments and inputs. Was very helpful.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I seriously doubt the turbo cares about EGT's.
Gas engines use the same thing and they run much hotter temps.

 

[Ozymandias]

Especially as he's truck is stock, at least to my knowledge. And never pulls a trailer.

 

[cerberusiam]

I seriously doubt the turbo cares about EGT's.
Gas engines use the same thing and they run much hotter temps.

No, gasoline engines run lower EGT's than diesels in normal conditions. Gas engine EGT's are much more stable across an rpm but overall lower unless they are an FI engine. Even then it is rare to exceed 1500 degrees in an FI gas engine. 1500 is normal stock temps in a diesel and can easily exceed 2000 degrees in a fueled up scenario. Doing that with a gas engine severely reduces life expectancy if it doesn't outright melt things.

The turbos do care about extended EGT's, they simply do not last at extended high temps. It will eventually get the seals and coke bearings if care is not taken in cools downs. In normal stock usage, not an issue. That was pretty funny comment that an EB hurts the turbo, somebody either doesn't have a clue what they were talking about or were told to look for an excuse to deny warranty. Respectable diesel shop, phooey!

 

[BSpycher]

Hi all,
just a quick update before leaving Northern America and having to go back to Switzerland.

We got the Turbo replaced. After just 2 days of traveling the leaking of the brand new turbo started again. Contacted the shop again, but no help there. So since we had to cross the States (due to shipping date for our camper) we decided to continue our journey.

So: after replacing the original turbo - which held out more than 130'000 miles with travels in dusty deserts I think this is an ok value - and now two brand new ones which have an issue with leaking oil, I look for possible root causes. The people in Portland have no idea, and searching the internet brought a lot and nothing.

This is also why i'd like to ask you guys and all your swarm intelligence and experience:
How would you proceed to find the root cause?

I don't mind spending some money in a new catalyic converter (its still the first one) or replace the crank case ventilation, but it makes no sense to do all of these things without a basic plan and some experience what would be sensible to do.

So: thank you very much for any input you can provide.

And for those who are interested to see what we have been up to the last few months: www.doggeli.ch

 

[AH64ID]

Is the drain plugged?

 

[sag2]

Looking at their site it appears they sell genuine Holset and their own modified turbos. So what did they install, a direct stock new turbo or one of their modified turbos with stock Holset housings? It is hard to tell where the oil is coming from in the photo, but if it is from the compressor seal there should be oil in the intake also.

 

[BSpycher]

I was told the turbo was stock.

Regarding oil: I cannot see any other oil leak, and since we are still

Regrding plugged oil drain: I did not check myself, will do that once we are home. But the shop told me they checked drain as well as crank case breather (I hope I wrote that correctly), and both are supposed to be fine.

 

[Tuesdak]

Did you pay the shop on a credit card? Some cards have extended warranty and others are "happy to help" if you dispute the charges for shoddy work.

Wouldn't hurt to take the oil fill cap off and check for blowby than may have suddenly started.

 

[2004HPCR]

Ugh, I hate these stories. And shops... Giving out BS information to confuse the customer, and unable to troubleshoot the simplest of problems.

I would check, in no particular order:
-engine oil pressure with a manual gauge
-oil flow in the pressure line and free of blockage in the return line
-take the turbo apart and see where the leak is occurring exactly
-check to make sure the air filter is not blocked
-determine if the turbo is in fact new OEM or a DIY rebuild or a cheap chinese knock off
-test the back pressure after the turbo to check proper operation of the exhaust brake and for any restrictions with the EB fully open.

Your answer should be somewhere in there.

Good luck.

 

[BSpycher]

Thank you,

 

[BSpycher]

Hi,

thanks for the input, will discuss this with my mechanic.
And I'm pretty confident that the shop in Portland did not sell my any chinese copy.

Great day