Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Turbo Output Exhaust Clamp Question

[dfirlik]

Over the last couple of weeks I've noticed exhaust odor in the cab when the truck is standing still and the heater is on. Not being in a position to deal with this myself, I dropped the truck off at a garage that has done work for me in the past and asked them to see of they could locate the leak. They found the joint at the exhaust output of the turbo was leaking due to the clamp missing two of the tapered pieces inside and the metal gasket being bad. They ordered a new clamp assembly from the local Dodge dealer. When I picked up the truck at the 5PM, they told me that the new clamp they ordered from the Dodge dealer came with a rubber “O” ring instead of a metal gasket. They called the dealer’s parts dept. and were told this is the correct part, so they installed it.



That didn’t seem right to me but I’m not a diesel mechanic and it was too late in the day to do anything else, so I accepted their explanation and took the truck. On the way home I again had exhaust in the cab, just as before.



My question is a rubber “O” ring the correct gasket for this joint? Or is someone going to get an opportunity to fix it again?



Don (MI)

 

[HoleshotHolset]

I think they blew smoke up your butt... . seriously.



There should not be any rubber in that clamp at all. They are made of stainless... By design a v-band clamp does not use anything but flat machined surfaces for the sealing duties... . the v-band part just holds it all together nice and tight...



I've never seen one fail the way they are describing... .



The clamp should look just like this:

#ad




Maybe they just tightened it?



Matt

 

[Bob Wagner]

there is an oring on the lower turbo connection going to the intercooler



not on the exhaust side

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Bob said: "there is an oring on the lower turbo connection going to the intercooler"

Exactly.



Matt

 

[QRTRHRS]

A couple of thoughts on this clamp. IMHO, it's a good idea to clean up the flange surface a bit once disturbed. A bit of high temp antiseize applied to the tapered surface will help it seat more evenly. The flanges should seal eventually. Also, a good trick to remove a flange clamp rather ruin it is to heat it with a little MAPP gas.

 

[dfirlik]

Thanks for the responses and the pic and info. I saw the clamp they removed. Looking at it from one side it looked like the picture. On the other side however, two of the three “ears” were completely burned off. In other words, only one of the three arcs was complete enough to exert any clamping action. This joint must have been leaking for an extended period of time to do that amount of damage to the clamp.



I spoke with the shop owner tonight and we discussed the info you sent. He didn’t do the work so he wasn’t sure of how the repair was done. I’m going to take the truck in tomorrow afternoon and we’ll have look at it and get it sorted out. I hope the current leak is just a misplaced “O” ring but in view of the damage to the old clamp, I’m a little concerned that maybe the machined surfaces might be damaged.



Don

 

[dfirlik]

I took the truck in this afternoon and found the joint was still leaking. After taking the joint apart we compared the “new” clamp to the old and found the new one was slightly smaller that the old. After finding a knowledgeable parts man at the dealer, we determined the new clamp was actually the clamp for the pipe going to the intercooler (thus the included “O” ring) and not the clamp for the exhaust side of the turbo. And of course, they don’t have the correct clamp in stock but will have it by Monday! I guess ole Murphy is still hanging around.



A closer inspection of the old clamp, after cleaning off the soot, shows two of the clamping pieces are broken off, not burned off as we originally thought. (pix attached). The pieces were missing when the clamp was first removed. Perhaps the clamp was over-tightened when last assembled.



Don (MI)

 

[dfirlik]

I guess it would help if I attached the pix!

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Wow. I've never seen one break like that... . but I guess you know where your problem was.



Thanks for updating us... and I hope it all turns out well for you!



Matt

 

[Bob Wagner]

glad you are getting it fixed right

 

[dfirlik]

This was sort of a case of the blind leading the blind! I’ve known this shop owner for 50 years and he and his troops were right up front about not having any experience with diesel engines. I’m in the same category as this is my first diesel. Not a problem because this was a simple case of finding an exhaust leak under the hood and fixing it, with the needed parts to come from the local Dodge dealer. And that is where Murphy jumped in with both feet! We relied on the parts guy at the dealer to send the correct parts. Unfortunately, we learned after the fact he was new at the job and didn’t get it right. Armed with the info from this forum, we questioned the correctness of the part they sent over and an ”old timer” in the parts department sorted out the mix up. Fortunately, there’s been no damage done and except for a little more time and labor than was necessary. And we all learned a lesson!



Thank for all of the help.



Don (MI)