Fleece Performance Engineering’s New Turbo Drain Tube Kit For Second-Gen Cummins Applications

When you’re in the turbocharger business, it pays to make the installation of your products as easy as possible for your customers. This is especially true for owners of older trucks—trucks that are at times in dire need of upgraded supporting components such as oil feed lines, fittings, and a new drain tube. As the years go by, the latter part tends to corrode, become brittle, and can eventually spring a leak on ’94-’02 Dodge Rams—reason enough for the folks at Fleece Performance Engineering to expand their line of flexible drain tube kits to accommodate the second-gen Cummins platform.

At this point, the Pittsboro, Indiana company offers a turbo drain tube kit for every Cummins produced in the last 30 years. From the HX35 to the current VGT, every factory (or factory-based) Holset turbo is covered. Of course, a Fleece drain tube kit is the perfect complement for any of its Cheetah turbochargers—the 63mm direct replacement units that’ve dominated the drop-in performance turbo market for years. Once again, Fleece has delivered a quality, problem-solver part at an affordable price.

The Reason Behind Developing A Better Drain

Improving on OEM shortcomings is part of the Fleece forte, reason enough to develop a new and improved turbo oil drain. Though intended to be flexible from the factory, the accordion-like, stock drain tube is anything but—oftentimes proving a bear to remove or (worse) reinstall. And while the factory Cummins piece is double O-ringed, both sealing points inevitably end up leaking, given enough time and age. This leaky OEM drain tube is being pulled off of a ’12 model year 6.7L Cummins.

HX35 & HY35 (1994-2002)

Given its location on the 5.9L and 6.7L Cummins platforms, flexibility is highly beneficial in a turbo oil drain. The easier something is to install in this hard-to-reach spot along the passenger side of the block the better. Also notice the feed line supplying oil to the HX35-based Cheetah, another better-than-OEM supporting part in the Fleece arsenal. The -6 AN smooth bore Teflon feed hose comes surrounded by a sleeve that protects it from excessive, under hood temps.

HE341CW & HE351CW (2003-2007)

Fleece’s oil drain tube gets its pliability from being made of formed silicone. At the same time, it’s designed to stand up to the obvious internal (and external) temperatures it’s exposed to, as well as survive the elements. The version shown here fits both the Holset HE341CW on ’03-‘early ’04 5.9L common-rails as well as the Holset HE351CW used on ’04.5-’07 engines. As we mentioned earlier, this means it works seamlessly with the company’s HE341CW and HE351CW-based Cheetah turbos.

VGT (2007.5-2018)

For 6.7L Cummins-equipped third and fourth-gen Rams still making use of the factory location VGT, this is the oil drain kit you’ll need. Like the other drain tubes Fleece offers, it features a black anodized, billet-aluminum flange with an integrated O-ring for a leak-free install. At the other end of the tube, dual O-rings (just like factory) are employed for a leak-free seal at the block. Due to the factory HE351VE’s propensity to fail, this is a product that dozens of Fleece dealers keep in stock and on the shelf at all times.

VGT (2019-2024)

Facilitating an easy install, Fleece includes two new bolts, as well as the required hose clamp, in all of its turbo oil drain tube kits. The M8x1.25×20 fasteners shown thread into the flange at the turbo, and the provided worm gear clamp (also shown) installs around the drain hose at the block. A 10mm socket, a pair of needle nose pliers, and a flathead screwdriver are all you’ll need to perform the install.

Fleece Vs. Factory

The final area where Fleece bests the factory piece exists in the size of the oil drain hose itself. The inner diameter is larger than the OEM drain, improving oil flow leaving the center cartridge returning to the block. As for the bottom line, all Fleece kits retail for $99.74 aside from the ’19-present version (that one runs $104.99)—a price point that’s competitive with what you’ll pay for an OE replacement.

Highlights