Best DPF Delete Kit for 6.7 Cummins: Full Buyer's Guide

The 6.7L Cummins inline-six produces up to 420 hp and 1,075 lb-ft of torque from the factory.^[4] But the DPF chokes exhaust flow constantly. Every 200-500 miles, the truck triggers an active regen — dumping raw fuel into the exhaust stream to burn off accumulated soot. That process costs fuel (2–4 MPG),^[1] raises Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT), and puts hours on your engine doing nothing useful.

Removing the DPF and CAT and replacing them with a straight-through 4" or 5" stainless race pipe eliminates that backpressure entirely. According to Ramforum users who have documented their builds, owners report jumping from 14-16 MPG stock to 18-22 MPG highway after a full delete with proper tuning.

The key phrase is proper tuning. Without reflashing the ECM, your truck will throw DTCs and enter limp mode. The delete pipe is hardware — the tuner is what makes the whole system work together. No tuner, no real gains.

Here's the thing — a lot of guys buy a DPF pipe and call it a day. Then they wonder why they're still throwing codes and not seeing the fuel economy they expected. A genuinely complete delete kit covers every piece of the emissions chain:

1. DPF/CAT Delete Pipe: 4" or 5" straight-through stainless. Replaces the filter section between the downpipe and tailpipe. Weighs roughly 1/5th of the OEM assembly.
2. EGR Delete Kit: Block-off plates, coolant reroute T-fitting, and valve removal hardware. Stops recirculated exhaust soot from entering the intake.
3. DEF/SCR Delete: Sensor plugs or a simulator to disable urea injection and silence related DTCs.
4. Tuner: EZ Lynk Auto Agent 3 or EFI Live AutoCal V3 with preloaded delete tunes. This is the non-negotiable piece — it reflashes the ECM so the truck doesn't fight the hardware changes.
5. CCV Delete Kit: Optional but recommended for high-mileage trucks and performance builds, rerouting crankcase vapors away from the intake.

Skip any of the first four, and you're leaving real performance and reliability on the table.

Let's talk real numbers. The 6.7L Cummins in a 2013-2018 Ram 2500 makes 385 hp and 900 lb-ft stock.^[4] Dyno-documented full delete builds with a mid-level tune consistently show gains of 140+ HP and push fuel economy into the 18-22 MPG range on highway runs — compared to 14-16 MPG stock (20+ MPG highway after delete).^[3]

The power improvement comes from two places. First, eliminating exhaust backpressure allows the Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) to spool faster and hold boost more efficiently. Second, the tuner rewrites the fuel maps — more precise injection timing and increased rail pressure unlock what the engine was already capable of delivering.

EGT reduction is one of the underrated benefits. Under heavy tow loads, stock 6.7 Cummins engines can see EGTs pushing 1,400°F+. Post-delete with tuning, that same load typically runs 200-300°F cooler — extending piston, injector, and turbo life significantly. Ramforum members consistently cite EGT management as a primary reason they chose to delete, not just power output.

The tuner is the most important single piece of your delete kit. Here's a quick breakdown of how the top options stack up for the 6.7 Cummins:

Ramforum users consistently call EZ Lynk the best balance of ease and tune quality — selectable power levels on the fly, with OTA updates. EFI Live is the top choice when you're working with a custom tune shop targeting 600+ HP builds.

The 6.7L Cummins spans three distinct ECM generations, and your hardware and tuner need to match your truck's year:

2007.5-2012: The first-gen 6.7 Cummins ran a simpler ECM architecture. The 385 hp / 850 lb-ft factory rating leaves plenty of headroom. A quality DPF/CAT delete pipe, EGR block-off, and either an EZ Lynk or EFI Live tune handles this generation cleanly. The Ram Cummins 6.7 Full Delete Bundle for 2007-2009 and the 2010-2012 bundle are exact-fit solutions for these trucks.

2013-2018: This is the highest-volume delete platform. DPF clogging and EGR cooler failures are most documented in this range.^[8] The 385 hp / 900 lb-ft factory output responds extremely well to full delete tuning — gains of 140-200 HP are well documented.

2019-2024: Ram updated the ECM security in this generation. You need EZ Lynk Auto Agent 3 specifically — older tuners cannot flash these trucks reliably. The 2019-2021 Full Delete Bundle and 2022-2024 bundle are built specifically around this requirement.

Here's the general install sequence for a full 6.7 Cummins delete:

1. Lift the truck and support it safely on jack stands. Locate the DPF and CAT in the undercarriage exhaust section, between the downpipe and tailpipe.
2. Remove all emission sensors from the DPF/CAT assembly before breaking loose the flanges. Set them aside — your tuner or simulator will manage the signals.
3. Unbolt the DPF/CAT assembly using 3/8" bolts at the flanges. Slide out the OEM unit — it's heavy. The replacement 4" delete pipe weighs roughly 1/5th as much.
4. Install the delete pipe, sliding hangers through rubber grommets. The bolt-on flange design makes alignment straightforward.
5. Install EGR block-off plates and coolant reroute T-fitting per kit instructions. Torque to spec and pressure-check coolant lines.
6. Plug or simulate DEF sensors to prevent SCR-related fault codes.
7. Flash the tuner via OBD-II port. EZ Lynk is plug-and-play; EFI Live requires a laptop connection.

Total time: 2-4 hours for an experienced hand. Top off coolant after EGR work and verify no DTCs before driving.

The price difference between a DPF-only pipe ($300-500)^[7] and a full delete bundle ($1,800-3,500) is real. But here's the thing — the partial route almost always costs more in the long run.

When you delete the DPF but leave the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) in place, soot-laden exhaust gas keeps circulating through your intake. That causes carbon buildup on intake valves, EGR cooler failures, and persistent DTCs. Ramforum members who went partial consistently report going back for a full delete within 6-12 months after the EGR or DEF system generates new fault codes.

The full bundle approach — DPF pipe, EGR delete, DEF simulator, and tuner — addresses every link in the emissions chain in one shot. You do the job once, the ECM is reflashed to match, and the truck runs clean with no stored codes.

From a bang-for-your-buck standpoint, the full bundle wins. You're getting roughly $2,000-3,500 in parts versus chasing $500 fixes that don't resolve the root issues. The Diesel Dudes' year-specific full delete bundles are packaged exactly this way — all the hardware matched and confirmed for fitment, with tuner compatibility built in.

We've done all the hard work for you. Instead of piecing together components that may or may not work together, our full delete bundles are matched by year and include everything you need:

• 2007-2009: Ram Cummins 6.7 Full Delete Bundle | 2007-2009
• 2010-2012: Ram Cummins 6.7 Full Delete Bundle | 2010-2012
• 2013-2018: Ram Cummins 6.7 Full Delete Bundle | 2013-2018 — the most popular platform we sell
• 2019-2021: Ram Cummins 6.7 Full Delete Bundle | 2019-2021
• 2022-2024: Ram Cummins 6.7 Full Delete Bundle | 2022-2024

Every bundle ships free and is backed by our technical team. Need a standalone DPF/CAT pipe? We carry those too — 4" and 5" options available for every year range. Call us at (888) 830-2588 if you need help confirming your year.