Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Diesel noise, "racket"...

[PGaither]

I just had a new Hayden clutch fan installed in my 96 Ram CTD. Big difference! Its like a whole different truck, lots more power! I love it! now that I don't hear the fan noise annymore (it was bad since I bought it in June), I hear a lot of diesel noise/racket from the engine, but it seems to run great. Keep in mind this is my first Diesel, and I tend to worry a little to much about things that are ussualy fine. All that diesel noise/clatter is normal right? Out of curiosity, what am I hearing? Is it the valve train? Exh. valves? Fuel injection pump (light ticking)? I hear a lot of clatter, some very light ticking here & there (and I hear it a bit inside the cab while driving, especially when the windows are all shut) especially when I accelerate hard arround town/lower speeds (less so when on the highway, unles I floor it into "kickdown" getting on an onramp), then she really clatters. Thats just part of a diesel right? I have no history on the truck, so I should probably check the valve adj. right? Could that make a big difference in the amount of diesel clatter? Are there any noises or sounds I should keep an ear out for, that could mean a problem? Although if I had a serious problem, it wouldn't run so well, right? Or should I just "chill out" and enjoy the Mighty Cummins!

 

[jandtjil]

Wanting to know more about your ride is a good thing!

Here's what I think I know.

Most if not all of the noise is harmonics associated with the thunder clap exploision going off inside the cylinders. The block was designed for longevity and performance without the addition of noise supression as the new ones are.

You are correc there is some noise you can hear that seem to emminate from other areas, valve clatter and ticking from the pump, pretty normal from what I know. The injection pump is dealing with pretty high pressures so some noise is understandable. If you do a search on "noise suppresion" or for posts from "LSfarm" (AKA Greg the noise nazi) you can find some remedies. To date, I have header wrapped my exhaust from the turbo back to the muffler, sprayed undercoat in the doors, sparayed insulation between hood liner and bottom of hood, glued lead sheet to the oil pan, and installed a very pricey blanket over the oil pan. It has taken the bite out of the noise considerably, still not a 3rd gen. But I am happy, I don't mind turning off the engine in the drive through, because I enjoy listening to the fan belt chirp when it stops abruptly!!

before leaving the states recently, I rode in a 96 that had a fuel box and it seemed much qieter than my 24V 01. 5.

I have no data that suggests that fuel box deliver anything other than other than more power, just throwin that out there.



JJ

 

[illflem]

My feeling is most of the racket you hear is coming from the injection pump. If you've ever been around one on a test stand with just the pump running you'll jump back for fear the thing's going to explode. Seems the pump racket is always changing over time. I've noticed some of my tractors will go though periods with a lot of tapping noise for weeks then return to normal. No idea why this happens they still run fine, ace JD mechanic says it's normal. I don't worry about it.