Blew the turbo in my truck???

So I am pulling my boat up a steep incline and running it up fast to hear the nice noise of the turbo and the new exhaust. I hear a loud pop of air. The truck still runs, but felt like I was towing with a volkswagon bug (or tacoma, sorry shane couldn't resist). Here are my questions:
-Does that sound like a blown turbo?
-I have a chip on my truck. I assume I should remove it before taking it in? Could that have been a factor in what happened?
-Can they trace that I had a chip? It is a quadzilla?

Thanks and it is a 05 Ram 2500 Diesel with about 35K miles on it and towing about 5000lbs up hill.

check intercooler boots and everything going to the turbo

we did a visual inspection and everything looked normal from plain view.

Not only can we trace the chip and how long it was in, but we have lawyers who have read this post and are preparing a case against you incase you try to get this repaired under warranty. WE ARE DODGE, THE MOST POWERFUL UNDERWORLD AUTOMAKER ON EARTH,hehehehe.

Were you in "tow" mode, when the turbo blew? You need to change your settings back too. My Cummins runs like a banshee, with zero mods, and I pull mountains as well. Chips are prone to do more damage, than they are worth-in the end. If they find you altered with a chip, your paying for the repair, otherwise, it should be covered under your warranty. Sounds like you blew the turbo too.

I was not in tow mode. Usually I am, but occassionally forget as it does not make as much difference since the boat is not that heavy.
Would that have much affect?
My chip does not have any settings. Won't the computer reset when the chip is unlplugged?

chris,
if you think your truck runs good now, put a chip in it and see how it is!!!!

I cant remember if the quadzilla is a programmer or an actual chip. if it is a programmer then put it back to stock. the only thing they might be able to tell is the # of starts because essentially you are changing the ECM. that and they can check rail pressure if that box does rail pressure instead of timing and duration

doubt very seriously you blew a turbo -- most likely a hose came off from the intercooler or so. just check it out a bit closer. you should not have to be in tow mode for the boat -- i haver pulled in excess of 12k w/ mine on the 150+ setting w/ no problems --just got to watch those egt's on long grades...

(Message edited by showtime on May 11, 2007)

problem is it is a dodge. Sorry Had to say it. Good luck though

They call it a towing module. It is the Quadzilla XZT. It is a fairly mild chip/tuner.
Thanks for all your help. Keep the info coming

They can tell if you had a chip by many different means. They can also tell your top speed etc. Put it back to stock and take it in. If they say no warranty, pick it up and take it to a performance shop and finish the upgrades. That is of course if it didn't just pop something off.

I went and checked all hoses and everything looks visually fine from the outside.

It also could be in limp mode.

It doesn't sound like a blown turbo, you could pull the tube off the turbo from the air filter & spin the turbo compressor wheel. It should spin free, and not have any side to side play. It sounds like probably an intercooler boot, check both clamps at each of the 3 boots very carefully. Even try to loosen them up & reposition them. It doesn't take much of a boost leak to loose power. The other place to check is the intercooler itself. I've heard of the plastic side tanks blowing out. Also make sure you remove any aftermarket chips before you take it to the dealer. I am currently installing a new engine in an 05 dodge cummins with 40k miles on it. The plastic oil pressure sender split and pumped out all the oil, siezed the engine. Dealer would not warranty because of a chip that they installed.

When it happend it literally made a loud explosion type sound. I thought I blew the motor, but it kept running just fine, except no power.
Nick,
I will check those things. thanks

Was the sound like something breaking or like a ballon pop? Do you have a check engine light on? I have seen about a half dozen turbos go out on newer dodges, but never heard anyone complain of a loud noise when it happened. It could def. be the turbo though, I'm sure you will know as soon as you pull off the intake tube. The intercooler boots will make quite a loud pop when they come loose.

Diggs- I had the same thing happen to me on my Ford. It ended up being the side tank on the inter cooler, when it made the loud boom it was the tank blowing apart from the main body of the cooler,something you might want to check out, I checked all hoses and connections too and found nothing until I saw the side of the tank hanging there. And like you said there was an instant loss of power.

Thanks guys....
Nick,
Yeah more like a large balloon popping. Definitely air releasing somewhere....

A loud POP could be the blow off valve for the turbo aka waste gate. Not sure how they wrote their software for limp mode. What codes does it have? Check engine light on? Even without check engine light on there could be codes on the manufacturers side, but you will need a scanner that can communicate with it.

How much boost were you running? BTW they will know how much when they scan it.

Tyler, Sounds like you blew a boot on the intercooler. I have blown a couple on my Dodge one of your clamps were loose you need to go check all the clamps and see if there tight if you want help PM me and I will be glad to give you a hand. Also first Rule of mods is gauges first. I check my clamps every oil change as they are known to get loose. Did you ever race Discos Ford??

(Message edited by tcaton on May 11, 2007)

The boost is about 65 hp. The check engine light is not on. I will run home at lunch and do a little more digging around. Thanks all and Tom might take you up on that.....

Peter there is no blow off valve on diesels. There is a wastegate(not the same as a blow off valve) on the exhaust side of the turbo, but it would not cause a pop.

Do you hear any air leaks under the hood when you drive it now? Do you have a boost gauge? What does it read now?

Nick, sorry for using improper terms. Bypass valve is the correct term for the ECM controlled Command valve that is PWM, and there is also a mechanical wastegate.

If cut loose rapidly they will often make a POP sound on high performance vehicles, but you know more about diesel trucks than I do. My specialty is Porsche's not diesels.

by a chevy sorry i couldn't resist

sucks though man, aleast we know a kid with a sweet denali and nothing to put behind it

Peter, no problem. I know you have a good knowlege of cars. The Diesel turbo systems are a lot different than the gas type. On this particular turbo, you would not hear any noticeable poping from the wastegate, as the exhaust pressure would just be diverted to the tailpipe which it does normally under high boost.

BTW- I think entrust has the best advice so far

(Message edited by humboldtboarder on May 11, 2007)

how do you by a chevy? like walk by the chevy and go and b u y a dodge.....
couldn't resist either..... i am not loyal to dodge, i would always look at any of the trucks, but i do think dodge has the best motor... i will check this out more at lunch and get back to everyone

karma is a bitch tyler

ha ha

I have never replaced a blown up Duramax(knock on wood). I have replaced quite a few blown up Cummins' & Powerstrokes. 3 blown up Cummins' in the last 2 months. 98, 99, & 05. My shop is getting crowded with junk Dodge parts.

Do you have guages? If not you need them. Never modify a diesel without them. Some 05 and 06 dodges have plastic intercoolers. If you pop a seam you will not be able see it if its behind the radiator. Most likely the case if the turbo did not grenade. If it grenaded though you would be burning oil from the interal oil cooler passages. If its the turbo stop driving it immediately. You could be sucking tiny fragments throught the intercooler into your cylinders. The factory turbo on dodges will only support about 65 extra horsepower and live a long life. After 65hp its on borrowed time. Great turbo for stock, not good for big power mods. Get a bigger turbo. You can get a factory 04 intercooler that is all steel that will support much more boost. To check the intercooler get a boost guage. My 04 has been modified for 70k miles without a glitch, but I only run my box on 65hp for daily use. The high settings only get used every once in a while. Good luck....hope that its not a turbo. Intercoolers are much cheaper.

Brad

no guages.... it is a pretty timid chip as you can tell...

Diggs sent you a e-mail with my cell # if you want any help figuring it out.

(Message edited by tcaton on May 11, 2007)

Thanks everyone... found the culprit. The part that connects to the intercooler (composite head or flange) has been pulled from the intercooler and it is just letting all the air escape. I would try to post a pic, but the wife took the camera. It is going in on Monday.
Thanks Tom, Sam and all the others that helped point me in the right direction..

Quote: 'but felt like I was towing with a... tacoma, sorry shane couldn't resist'

What, you mean suddenly it became much better built, was more comfortable, was easier to drive, had better residual value, had better fuel economy and felt like it was going to last much longer than any other truck out there?

Man, that's a bonus if you ask me!

;-)

diggs...

i told you so brotha!!! now get some damn guages!!!!!

Be careful where you take it. Maybe search some discussion forums like www.turbodieselregister.com (specializes in dodge diesel)
They may have a nearby mechanic to check it out, or know a nearby dealership that will be cool about it. I've been told Dodge can see that they've been plugged in and will void warranty just for a phantom plug in. (although they won't be able to tell what was plugged in) Bunch of crap I know but that's how they play it lately. You might check Timberline dodges service, I've seen they offer there own upgraded injectors and power upgrades, or if you bought the chip nearby check with them. Most shops will know somewhere you can take it. Good Luck!

Nick, maybe you need a bigger shop? Cummins is by far the best engine. Now I'm no diesel expert, but I'm learning, and I've talked to lotso diesel mechanics lately gathering info on my first diesel purchase and they all pretty much agreed on one thing, the Cummins is the most reliabe and will run the longest.

Mild tune or not, Brad had some great advice. The first mod to any diesel should be gauges. I'm willing to be that if more people made that the first thing they did you'd hear a lot less about problems when modding. Spring for at least a exhaust gas temp and boost gauge. If you get a 3 gauge pod, trans temp is a good one to fill the last spot. While I doubt you blew the turbo, you were in the perfect conditions to do some damage to it, pulling up an incline with a tune. Once the exhaust gas temps start climbing in those conditions you can do serious damage in a short amount of time if you don't have the gauges to monitor the temp. After it gets hot enough that you start losing little pieces of that turbo the chances are pretty good they'll end up somewhere else that will cost a whole lot more to fix. On the plus side, you said you replaced the exhaust. If you got a good turbo back system that will help flow the air a little more to keep the gas temps down in the turbo. Good luck, let us know what you find out.

yea turbo's dont blow. I worked on fl70 box trucks with the same motor and the delivery trucks for fedex trust me those drivers were full on the gas and full on the brakes non stop all day turning the trucks off with no cool down nothing. 200k miles on some of the trucks and never a turbo problem. Dont worry run the thing hard and it will do you good.

good lord people

he said it was an intercooler boot