BatocheBob

2008 Dodge Ram 2500; Cummins 6.7L with no mods; 150K KM

Back when my engine light first came on I was told it was electrical, low battery voltage. Had both batteries replaced with factory replacements and everything checked out by the dealer. Shortly after leaving the shop my engine light came on again and this time the dealer told me it was a P2563 code and everything indicated I needed a turbo replacement. Several guys, including this forum,suggested that a good cleaning was often all that was needed and after playing around with diesel additives and cleaners i took it to an independent diesel shop where they cleaned it and told me everything was good. Again, not long after I left the shop the light came on again and the mechanic told me that it was probably some of the old codes that were left in there. They are also warning me that my DPF is at the end of it's life and needs replacement. They also warned me that my exhaust pressure was high likely due to a bad head gasket. How did I progress from a low voltage code to a clogged DPF and a blown head gasket.

I understand that after several re-gens the DPF eventually does get totally clogged and need replacement. This sounds reasonable and if so which is the better way to go , replace the DPF or install a delete kit. What's the price difference? After just leaving the shop I do notice that the truck has a lot more 'zip' and I personally do not detect any signs of excessive exhaust pressure ( not sure what I should be looking for). Any comments would be much appreciated. Thanks.

nkennedy

First if there was a low voltage code it could've been the batteries, but usually there are other clues. Second off I have heard the turbo cleaning is just a band aid, and you will need to replace the turbo in the near future. I got a re-built from Pensacola Diesel for about $1K. Third, if you can do the deletes where you live, do it. The engine will run much better & live much longer. I don't know what a DPF costs, but I spent about $1.2K on a full delete kit using H & S Min Max. Then had to spend another $200 on transmission codes as it didn't seem right after the new engine tuning. Now runs good, and pulls the fifth wheel great.

BatocheBob

Thanks for the feedback 'nkennedy'. The truck was almost 8 1/2 years old when I got the low voltage code so I wasn't surprised that the original batteries would be shot. Right after that the Turbo code pops up and, yes, I did understand that cleaning the turbo might not be the ultimate fix and that I may still need a replacement. What concerns me is that this sequence of events has progressed to where I now supposedly need a replacement DPF and have a blown head gasket. This leaves me wondering about the 'legitimacy' of all these codes. I suppose it is possible to have all these issues one after another but...