2007.5-2009 Dodge 6.7L Cummins Turbo Parts

The turbo on the 2007.5-2009 RAM 6.7L Cummins

When the 6.7L replaced the 5.9L in mid-2007, it came with a Holset HE351VE, an electronically controlled variable-geometry turbo feeding an air-to-air charge air cooler. It was the first VGT put on a Cummins pickup. It is a sliding-nozzle design: instead of pivoting vanes, an electronic actuator slides a ring that changes the effective width of the turbine. There is no wastegate. The ECM uses that one ring to set boost, drive EGR flow, hold heat in the exhaust for DPF regeneration, and close down to act as your exhaust brake. That is a lot of jobs for one moving part, and Diesel Hub says plainly that VGTs are less reliable by design than fixed-geometry turbos because of the extra moving parts and electronics. The turbo is also water-cooled, so coolant lines come into every turbo job. These trucks were badged Dodge Ram when new; RAM became its own brand for 2010.

What fails and why

The big one is a sticking VGT. The nozzle ring and vanes live in the exhaust stream of an EGR and DPF engine, and they coat up with soot, oil and ash until they stop moving freely. Diesel Hub flags it as a 2007-2009 problem. You feel it as heavy turbo lag, weak top end, surging, an exhaust brake that is weak or stuck, and turbo performance codes. Lots of idling and short trips make it worse, and it can show up well under 100,000 miles. For 2009, the turbine housing gained an access port so the mechanism can be cleaned without pulling the turbo.

Early 6.7L turbos, 2007-2009 in particular, also fail outright in a handful of ways:

• Oil seals leaking into the compressor or turbine housing.
• Compressor wheel damage from dust, which traces back to a neglected air filter.
• Turbine wheel damage from heat.
• Worn bearings and shaft end play.
• Electronics: speed sensor and actuator failures.

The symptoms across that list are oil in the intercooler piping, blue smoke, a whine, boost codes and speed sensor codes. The actuator is also its own failure mode. It is tied to heat cycles, and when it goes you get actuator codes, no exhaust brake, or a turbo stuck in one position. Replacement turbos are sold with pre-calibrated actuators, and Fleece puts a new actuator on its drop-in, which says a lot about how often the actuator is the fault.

Stock replacement vs. upgrade

If the truck is stock and the turbo is done, the straight repair is a factory-type Holset VGT replacement with a pre-calibrated actuator. If you want more air without giving up anything the factory turbo does, the Fleece Cheetah 63mm FMW (FPE-351-0712) is the compliant drop-in for 2007.5-2012 trucks. It looks stock, runs a 63 mm forged milled compressor wheel and an Inconel turbine, comes with a new actuator that needs no calibration, and keeps the exhaust brake and warm-up cycle. Fleece rates it to support up to about 700 rwhp, and it carries CARB EO D-834-6, good in all 50 states. ATS builds its Aurora turbos for the 6.7L with investment-cast housings and heavy-duty bearing packs; check the product page for emissions status before one goes on a street truck. That rule covers every turbo change on this engine: to stay compliant it has to keep the VGT, exhaust brake and emissions functions working, so confirm the EO number before you buy.

What we carry

• Turbochargers: the Fleece Cheetah, BD Diesel remanufactured stock replacement and Screamer turbos, XDP Xpressor new stock replacements with or without the actuator, Calibrated Power Solutions Stealth STR and Stealth Mach 1 (64), and the ATS Aurora VFR VGT.
• Compound kit: the ATS Aurora Plus Compound Turbo System.
• Install parts: MAHLE mounting gasket sets and T4/T6 flange gaskets, plus turbo installation and mounting kits from Fleece, BD and Alliant Power.
• Oil lines: feed lines, drain tubes and fittings from Fleece, BD, G&R Diesel, EvilFab and PPE.
• Actuator parts: a BD remanufactured actuator and VGT actuator harness adapters from BD and Cummins.
• Heat and clamps: titanium turbo blankets from PPE and Mishimoto, and V-band, hose and constant-tension clamps from BD and Turbosmart.
• Testing: the Calibrated Power Stealth Boost Tester with its HD regulator and compressor inlet adapters.

Fitment notes

This page covers the 2007.5-2009 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups with the 6.7L Cummins. Read the year range in each product title. The Fleece Cheetah, the BD turbos and the XDP Xpressor units are listed 2007.5-2012, while the Calibrated Power Stealth turbos and the ATS Aurora VFR are listed 2007.5-2018. All of them include your truck, but order by model year. Oil line kits marked S300/S400 are for that turbo frame, not the factory Holset. On any turbo swap the coolant lines have to be reconnected, and the Cheetah kit includes the exhaust flange gasket, studs and nuts, oil drain gasket and coolant banjo washers. Its turbine speed sensor is sold separately. If your truck is a 3500, 4500 or 5500 chassis cab, verify by VIN: the 4500/5500 sits on a different chassis and most pickup parts do not interchange.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my 2008 Ram 6.7L have turbo lag and a weak exhaust brake?

A sticking VGT is the known problem on 2007-2009 trucks. Soot, oil and ash build up on the sliding nozzle ring until it cannot move freely, which brings lag, poor top end, surging and a weak or stuck exhaust brake. Idling and short trips make it worse. Rule out the actuator too, since it fails on its own with similar complaints.

Can the VGT be cleaned without pulling the turbo?

The 2009 turbine housing has an access port added for that purpose. The 2007.5 and 2008 housings do not have it. If cleaning does not free the ring, or the turbo also shows oil leaks, a whine or shaft play, replacement is the better call.

Is the Fleece Cheetah emissions-legal on a street truck?

Yes. The Cheetah 63mm FMW (FPE-351-0712) carries CARB EO D-834-6, covering all 50 states, and it keeps the exhaust brake and warm-up cycle. Fleece lists it for 2007.5-2012 Ram 2500 and 3500 6.7L trucks only.

Does a replacement actuator need programming?

Replacement turbos for these trucks come with pre-calibrated actuators, and the actuator on the Fleece Cheetah needs no calibration. If you are replacing only the actuator, read that product's setup notes or call us before you order so you know what the job involves.

What does oil in the intercooler pipes mean?

On early 6.7L turbos, oil seals leaking into the compressor housing is a documented failure, and oil in the intercooler piping and blue smoke are the signs. While you are checking, feel for shaft end play, because worn bearings are on the same failure list. Find the source before you replace anything downstream.

Not sure what fits? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell.