Engine Problem?

[CATCRACKER]

It seems like one of my valves or injectors is knocking hard at idle. it is only one of them from what is sounds like. then the other morning my idle seems to be surging ever so slightly. the truck actually rocks a little when idling but is barley noticeable. do you guys have a tickning noise at idle. i aslo heard the a/c compressor make that crunch sound as discussed on an earlier post when turned on. what could the slight idle problem be injector, valve, timing issue, fuel filter? i have notice a small amount of oil coming out from around the bottom of the aluminum piece(where the aluminum meets the top of the head) that houses the rocker arms are you guys getting a small amount of oil coming out of there. it is only on the turbo side of the motor. i am scared to bring it to the dealer

 

[Steve M]

Yeah mine has a slight umm shall we say "cackle" to it with the emphasis being "slight". All four of my Cummins engines have had this characteristic. From outside the truck it sounds normal but from inside it sounds like it's only coming from one cylinder. Once it's warmed up completely it quiets down. This new engine is so quiet, we hear every little tick. I think if you had a faulty injector causing an abnormal combustion knock, it would stand out like the Powerstroke cackle... Five quiet cylinders and one banging and hammering away. Or seven in their case.

 

[Rosco]

I have a quite tick at idle with my truck also but I am sure it is just the injectors doing there thing.

 

[A Johnson]

Sometimes you can get a resonence in the valve cover that sounds like a hard knock, try putting you hand on the valve cover and see if it goes away. This wouldn't explain the surge though.



The light ticking noises are probably the injector solenoids actuating.



A Johnson

 

[CATCRACKER]

the ticking like you guys hasnt really conserned me that much. but the pulse sound accompanied with a slight rock of the truck w/ a/c off is concerning me it maybe nothing though. sometimes i am real sensitive to new sounds and in the past i have been right about many strange sounds other people could not hear but turned out to be something. we will see i think may be the computer is doing funny things at idle. my guess is that the computer timing is off as far a the pilot injection goes causing a slight imbalance. this is the last i am going to say about this but if someone else has an issue such as this let me know. this truck is a pure animal. i had the money waiting for an edge comp but they made me wait to long. i am now the proud owner of a browning left handed 7mm08 which i have been wainting on browning to make for 8 years. this year they finally did so i guess the comp will be put off for a while.

 

[cpizz]

My truck surges sometimes when I first start it up. However, I have not heard a ticking noise. I do have a strange situation with the engine. Most of the time the engine runs a little rough; you have to press on the accelerator more(not as responsive); and minimal turbo whistle. Some of the time the engine runs smooth; you barely have to press on the accelerator(real responsive); and you hear alot more turbo whistle. I can definitely tell it is a power issue because when it is running good; it hits the "sweet spot" much quicker. Also the truck is only getting 13. 2- 13. 7mpg no matter what kind of driving. (3500 reg. cab,DRW,6spd. ,3. 73 gears,4x4)

 

[CATCRACKER]

ok i think the ticking is normal but my surge is not i am waiting to see if the problem gets worse. i have not changed my fuel filter and i have 10k on her but i dont think this is going to change anything. it seems like it is injection timing. it is barley noticable.

 

[pstillo]

I have a slight ticking sound. I guess its normal. The power is great. I averaged 14. 3 mpg on a 1400 trip pulling a 2000 lb trailer. No load i average about 15mpg But thats at 75-85mph. If i drop down to 60-65 the mpg jumps up some but a dont say there to long. I heard a little bang when i turned my AC on the other day But it was fine the rest of the weekend.



03 drw, ho ,6spd, QC,4wd

 

[RHalley]

My truck surges sometimes when I first start it up. However, I have not heard a ticking noise. I do have a strange situation with the engine. Most of the time the engine runs a little rough; you have to press on the accelerator more(not as responsive); and minimal turbo whistle. Some of the time the engine runs smooth; you barely have to press on the accelerator(real responsive); and you hear alot more turbo whistle. I can definitely tell it is a power issue because when it is running good; it hits the "sweet spot" much quicker. Also the truck is only getting 13. 2- 13. 7mpg no matter what kind of driving. (3500 reg. cab,DRW,6spd. ,3. 73 gears,4x4)

This sounds like the problem I have with my 04 HO 6 speed. It sounds rough throughout the whole RPM range. I have about 14k and it has been doing this for about 1k. Dealer thinks it might be carbon on the injectors by operating too much below 1500 RPM (I have been doing more city driving lately). I am trying injectoe cleaner but so far no change.

 

[MCornwell]

My truck has been loping/surging at idle for sometime now... prolly about



15,000 miles... only when cold or when just restarted. You cant see it on the



Tach but can hear it in or outside the cab, also in the exhaust note. Have



had the "tick" at idle for even longer which seems to be getting worse, with



the truck in gear... Odometer= 36,500 Miles



I think its an Injector getting close to "Out-Of-Spec"... itll hafta get worse



before i take it to the dealer.



-Mitch

 

[DPelletier]

My 2 cents;

- Some of you are hearing the normal ticking of the injectors, and Some of you (Catcracker, for instance), may have a bad injector. See if you can isolate which injector the noise is coming from, just DO NOT crack open the injector lines. My guess for symptoms of heavy ticking, irregular idle, surging, rough spots and low power/mileage would be a bad injector. Make sure you are checking your oil regularly and PANIC if the level goes UP.



Dave

 

[rbattelle]

My 2 cents;

- Some of you are hearing the normal ticking of the injectors, and Some of you (Catcracker, for instance), may have a bad injector. See if you can isolate which injector the noise is coming from, just DO NOT crack open the injector lines. My guess for symptoms of heavy ticking, irregular idle, surging, rough spots and low power/mileage would be a bad injector. Make sure you are checking your oil regularly and PANIC if the level goes UP.



Dave

I second these suggestions...



-Ryan

 

[Beer Man]

Mine has a sound of a real fast rattle, but when i touch the acc. pedal it quits. Let off the acc. pedal and let the engine come down to idle you can hear it come back. From the inside of the truck it sounds like it's in the dash, open the hood and in sound like it's under valve cover. And yes i do have oil residue on turbo side of engine. Ask dealer last time it was in, and they said they did a dye test and it wasn't leaking. Frustrated at how long they had had my truck, i thought to myself whatever I'll take it back later.

 

[rbattelle]

10:1 it's your throttle pedal vibrating. Happened to a lot of early '03 trucks. Harmless but annoying.

 

[Beer Man]

It can't be the pedal itself, cause it still makes noise and gets faster as i run the rpm's up, then it quits around 1000 rpms.

 

[JHardwick]

Also remember, some of the faint ticking is probably rocker noise. These engines are high performance and have solid lifters. Solid lifters require a gap for clearance unlike hydraulic lifters. This would have never been heard with a 2nd gen engine.

 

[Beer Man]

But, mine didn't start until around 40,000 miles.