If you're looking into a 2019 cummins egr delete, you're probably already familiar with the love-hate relationship most owners have with their Ram trucks. On one hand, you've got that legendary 6.7L inline-six that can pull a house off its foundation. On the other, you've got an emissions system that sometimes feels like it's actively trying to choke the life out of your engine. It's a common dilemma for anyone who actually uses their truck for heavy work or long-distance hauling.
Let's be real for a second. The 2019 model year was a bit of a turning point for the Cummins platform. With the introduction of the high-output version and the transition to hydraulic lifters, these trucks became more refined. But even with all that tech, the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system remains a primary pain point for guys who want maximum reliability. It's the same old story: soot, carbon buildup, and those annoying sensors that seem to trip the moment you have an important job to do.
Why People Even Bother With an EGR Delete
The main reason anyone considers a 2019 cummins egr delete usually boils down to one thing: engine longevity. The way an EGR system works is pretty simple, but also kind of gross when you think about it. It takes a portion of your hot, dirty exhaust gases and shoves them back into the intake manifold to be burned a second time. This is great for lowering nitrogen oxide emissions, but it's terrible for the internal cleanliness of your motor.
Think about it like this. Imagine you're running a marathon, and instead of breathing fresh air, you're forced to breathe into a bag and inhale your own carbon dioxide. You'd get tired, your performance would drop, and eventually, your body would probably give out. That's essentially what's happening to your Cummins. Over time, that soot mixes with oil vapor from the crankcase and creates a thick, nasty sludge that coats the intake valves and the manifold. It's a mess, and it's a recipe for a "service emissions" light appearing on your dash at the worst possible time.
Improving Fuel Economy and Performance
It isn't just about keeping the engine clean, though. A lot of owners notice a decent jump in fuel economy once they get rid of the EGR. When the engine is breathing fresh, oxygen-rich air all the time, it burns fuel more efficiently. You aren't just recycling hot air that's already been used.
Most guys report seeing an extra 2 to 4 miles per gallon after doing a 2019 cummins egr delete, especially when paired with a good tune. Beyond the pump, the throttle response usually feels a lot "crisper." That annoying "dead pedal" feeling—where you step on the gas and the truck hesitates for a second before deciding to move—often disappears.
What Actually Goes Into the Process?
Doing a delete on a 2019 isn't as simple as just unbolting a few parts and calling it a day. Since these trucks are highly computerized, you're looking at a two-part process: the hardware and the software.
The Hardware Side of Things
On the physical side, you're looking at removing the EGR valve and the EGR cooler. The cooler is that big, rectangular block sitting on the passenger side of the engine. It's heavy, it's bulky, and it's prone to leaking coolant internally. When that happens, you start "disappearing" coolant without any visible leaks on the ground, and your truck might start blowing white smoke.
A delete kit usually includes block-off plates to seal the holes where the exhaust used to enter the intake. Some kits also include a "pass-through" plate for the coolant so the system continues to flow properly without the cooler being there. It clears up a ton of space under the hood, making it way easier to work on things like the turbo or the manifold later on.
The Role of Tuning
You absolutely cannot do a 2019 cummins egr delete without a tuner. If you just take the parts off, your truck's ECM (Engine Control Module) will go into a full-blown panic. It'll throw dozens of codes and put the truck into "limp mode," meaning you won't be able to go over 5 mph.
The tuner basically tells the truck, "Hey, don't worry about those sensors anymore, they aren't there, and it's totally fine." It recalibrates the engine to run on fresh air alone. This is where you get your power gains and your fuel economy improvements. However, finding good tuning for a 2019+ Ram can be a bit more of a hurdle than it was for the older 2012 models, but the options are definitely out there if you know where to look.
The Potential Downsides (Because Nothing is Free)
It's not all sunshine and rainbows. Before you go ripping parts off your truck, you've got to consider the trade-offs. The biggest one, obviously, is the legal side. In many places, tampering with emissions equipment is a big no-no, and it can make passing an inspection impossible depending on where you live.
Then there's the warranty. If you have a 2019 truck, you might still have some factory coverage or an extended warranty. The moment you flash that ECM and pull the EGR, you can pretty much kiss that warranty goodbye. Most dealerships will see the delete and immediately deny any engine-related claims. For some people, that's a dealbreaker. For others who plan on keeping the truck for 300,000 miles, the risk is worth the reward.
Resale Value Considerations
It's also worth thinking about what happens when you're ready to sell the truck. While a deleted Cummins is highly sought after by certain buyers in the private market, most big-name dealerships won't touch them as trade-ins because they can't legally sell them. You're essentially narrowing your pool of buyers. Of course, many people keep their stock parts in a box in the garage just in case they ever need to go back to stock, but that's a lot of work to reinstall.
Is it Right for Your Truck?
Deciding to go through with a 2019 cummins egr delete really depends on how you use your vehicle. If you're just driving it back and forth to the grocery store or using it as a "mall crawler," the emissions system might actually stay relatively clean for a long time because the engine never gets hot enough to create the worst soot buildup.
However, if you're towing a 15,000-pound trailer through the mountains, or if you spend a lot of time idling on job sites, that EGR is going to work overtime. These trucks love to be worked hard. When they aren't worked, the soot builds up fast. If you've already started seeing "DPF Full" messages or you're noticing your coolant levels dropping, it might be time to make a decision.
At the end of the day, a 2019 cummins egr delete is about taking control of your truck's reliability. It's about making sure that your engine isn't eating its own filth and that you don't get stranded on the side of the road because a $50 sensor decided to fail in the middle of a blizzard. It's a significant investment in both time and money, but for the guys who want their Cummins to last forever, it's often the very first modification they make. Just make sure you do your homework, get a quality kit, and find a tuner who knows exactly how to handle the 2019's specific computer quirks.