What are the first warning signs that carbon soot is choking out your 2007-2012 Ram 2500’s intake tract?

[FuelPig_02]

The early 2007-2012 6.7L Cummins is a legendary workhorse, but the factory intake tract is a magnet for heavy carbon sludge build-up. The worst part? It chokes your engine so gradually you might not even notice until performance plummets. We all know about the eventual MAP sensor codes, but what are the earlier, more subtle warning signs that soot is restricting your airflow? Are you guys noticing a progressive drop in fuel mileage, a slight hesitation under light acceleration, or an unusually lazy turbo spool first?

What did your intake horn look like when you finally pulled it off?

 

[Core_Return02]

The absolute first thing you will notice—long before a Check Engine Light even thinks about coming on—is a steady, progressive drop in your fuel economy. I’m talking about losing 2 to 3 MPG over a 6-month period under the exact same driving conditions.

Because that sticky carbon sludge is narrowing the throat of your grid heater and intake plate, the engine has to work twice as hard to vacuum-pull the same volume of air into the cylinders. Less air means a richer, less efficient combustion burn. If you have an aftermarket EGT gauge monitor, you will also notice your baseline exhaust gas temperatures running 50°F to 100°F hotter than they used to while empty on the highway. If your Ram is suddenly thirsty for no reason and running hot, your intake is likely choking on its own vomit.