First off, I LOVE my pac brake! I had my pac brake installed in April 2008. In June 2008 I noticed some seepage from the rear of my turbo and front of turbo inside the Rubber CAC tube. In december of 2008 The dealer replaced the turbo as it started to "Drip". ( FInally met the Criteria for replacement). I had gone 9,000 miles from the time the Pac was installed to turbo replacement. It is now April 2009, I have traveled 7700 miles, and my turbo once again is leaking as the first one did. Beings it was such a short distance the Tech at the dealer had to call and get Authorization to replace it a second time, which prompted them to speak to engineering.

Engineering felt that the Aftermarket Exhaust brake "Could" be the cause of the early turbo failure. The oil return line was clean and clear, and everything checked out OK. Just the Turbo seals were leaking.

They agreed to replace the turbo AGAIN under the cummins warranty for free. HOWEVER,Chrysler has asked the dealer to disconnect the Pac brake for the amount of time it took the last turbo to fail. Basically 3 months or 7500 miles whichever comes first. They want to test and make sure it is not something else causing the turbo failure or BAD LUCK. Tech is saying bad luck etc. and they have been OUTSTANDING to work with. SOOOOOOOOOO, they are going to hook everything Back up and not disconnect the Pac if I promise to NOT use it for 7500 miles. I know they need to be used daily to keep the Pac healthy but I see their point to some degree. I told them I would provide the origional piping removed for the Pac install but they said it comes as a set with the turbo. Not an option I guess.

Sooooooo, any ideas? Dealer told me that if at the end of 7500 miles the turbo is healthy and I begin using the Pac again, and turbo fails, that they probably will not replace it again under warranty and for me to take the pac off of it... Any ideas?

 

Have you talked to pacbrake? Ask them if they have had any reports of this problem

 

Sounds to me like Chrysler and this dealer are trying to use you as a Test Dummy or later as the Poster Boy to attack PacBrake with some nonsense. To the best of my knowledge, PacBrake went to GREAT extremes in their design to involve Cummins, et al and that they have some level of OK in their design that meets Cummins specs.

I would get PacBrake involved, if they have done their homework, if they have meet with specs, they need to defend thier product before this game with you leads to something terminal for their product.

I have more miles tha you do using a PacBrake towing loads equal to if not greater than yours, driving over more mountaneous comditions and altitude as well, my turbo is just fine.

Odds favor getting a couple bad turbos in arow these days as the products and the manufacturing standards and QUALITY all seem to be on different pages.

CD

 

40,000 miles with a Pacbrake that is always on. Tow a LQ horse trailer and never had a problem.

 

I only have about 30,000 miles with my PacBrake but I don't have any oil leaks. I did have to replace the original 275 compressor but that is because I believe that the installation location if a very poor one. The under hood temps surely exceed the 158* pump max then add to that the vibrations it receives.

My loaded for travel weight is a bit over 19,000 lbs and I go from about 75 ft elevation to over 8,500 on some of my trips. This includes hauling across the deserts.

 

Just a heads up for all who are watching this tread, I've been speaking directly with Roperteacher. It is highly unlikely that the exhaust brake is causing his issue. However, for peace of mind, we are going to do a backpressure check on his exhaust brake to make sure he is within Cummins spec of 60 psi. It don't matter who's brake is on the truck backpressure is backpressure and 60 psi is the limit Cummins approved.

Harold

 

Super, let us know what you find and thanks for being proactive.

 

Glad to see you jumping in here Harold. Like you said, backpressure is backpressure and if the brake is within the Cummins spec, well, the dealer and Chrysler are jumping up the wrong tree.

Frankly, I get so tired of reading threads where the company puts ALL the blame immediately on aftermarket products, it is about time they take responsibility for their designs and choices of some of the stock equipment. We pay a high price for poor quality and poor engineering.

Good excuse to just add another gauge to the mix of gauges already added beyond the stock junk that just reports what the software tells it to.


CD

 

Atta boy Harold!

 

Yes, I want to thank Harold for his immediate response and he is really being proactive on this issue. The dealer is actually being quite PROACTIVE in allowing me to keep the brake. THey just "Advised" me on what DC is coming to them with. I will let everyone know what happens when I hook up that back pressure gauge!

 

I have a PacBrake and I can say that customer service is excellent.

Well Done Harold.

and thanks for the new compressor...runs like A DREAM

 

Here is an Update: Dealer called and said during turbo replacement they found that the turbo got so hot that the Exhaust Manifold is now burned and toast!!! They are replacing it under the cummins warranty as well. However, they said DC will not install another turbo if this one fails "If" it comes in with the Pac Brake installed. Harold hooked me up with a Backpressure test kit and I will be at the dealer to do the test with them present. We are also going to hook it up to a Jake Brake 2007 and compare. THis will be next week. Can't get the Exhaust Manifold until Wed.

 

Exhaust manifold burned and toast....... It's an exhaust manifold, of coarse it is. That makes me wonder. Warped, yes, burned NO!!! This is getting good...LOL


Rusty Red color????? Normal from working hard.

 

Something does NOT seem right about this manifold stuff. You could have had a warped manifold right from the start. You could have some cooling problems too, temps getting to high on the back two cylinders.

Maybe they are suspecting that YOU have been running too high on EGT's, meaning that your driving habits are suspect in their eyes, or that the brake is behind your current problems with your turbo, they may also be thinking that something else may creep into this picture, could be in some future engine problems, and they are setting you up for pinning it on the PacBrake to deny your warranty down line.

I would tread lightly here. Give them your stock elbow, return the truck to stock to satisfy them for now. You can always put the brake back on and have an independent shop test you brake. Have them cap off the hose to keep it clean, rubber vac cap will do the trick, cost is about a dime, tie it out of the way on the firewall, just pull the fuse on the electrical side of the brake compressor. Deal with your issues on this stuff seperately.

It is wholly possible that the brake could be exceeding the 60#s, Harold will take care of you with it. Chrysler on the other hand, not in nor ever have been in the 'taking care of' anyone but themselves mindset on any aftermarket product.

They have problems with the #5 and #6 cylinder temps, rear freeze plug and cooling taking place, you might end up with those problems before it's all said and done, they would LOVE to have all this to deny your warranty.


Carol

 

Thanks CD. I agree with everyone here, I am shipping them the Stock elbow. They agreed to reaplce the pac with the elbow no problem. I will have an independent test done at a later date...