Engine Ticks and Knocks

[pwr2tow]

Try a couple bottles of seafoam in one tank full along with 32oz of ashless 2 stroke oil. It won't hurt anything and will probably take away that tick. Don't use seafoam in every tank. Don't use seafoam unless your trying to get rid of the tick. Only use seafoam after a tick has developed.

Without being there and listening to the noise it's very hard to determine what's wrong. It could be several things. bad injector, sticking injector, valve out of adjustment, and the most severe knock would be connecting rod or main bearing.

Start with the seafoam/2 stroke combination and see if the noise gets better.

 

[CTRice]

Thanks for all the input, guys. I will try some of the additives you have recommended and report my findings.



A special thanks to Ryan Battelle. You saved me the cost of a FCA, as I was going to try it as a possible fix for the pre-ignition sounding knocks and ticks.



Thanks again, Chuck

 

[CDonaldson]

I also have the 2006 infamous tick. I started adding 16oz PS to every tankfull. I noticed the tick diminished some, but not gone. Then I added 8ozs MMO to the 16ozs PS and noticed the tick diminished a little more. From there I increased the MMO by 1oz at a time with every fillup. I am at 50/50 16 ozs each PS+MMO and the tick is gone. Interestingly enough, when I turn on my Quad STD the tick returns, and it increases with ever position up the switch. That leads me to believe that the tick is timing related. I had the white smoke flash and my tick got louder. I do not know what timing changes take place in that flash, but I asked my tech and he could not tell me as he did not know either. Some who have had the 'cold start' flash have said their tick decreases. Again, the tick must have something to do with timing? If it is a timing associated issue, my next question goes to why the PS+MMO quiets it down? Both the white and gray PS bottles DO have a cetane boost in them I believe. That would then explain why the tick goes away some, it' about fire power too. Since the tick is pretty much the same with no changes in tone and very rhythmical/consistent, I'm just using the additive mix and driving it till something else surfaces or it breaks.



CD

 

[betterthanstock]

The FCA has nothing to do with injection timing. Injection timing is controlled entirely by the ECM.



The FCA is a simple valve mechanism that distributes fuel between the CP-3 pumping chambers, cooling circuit, and returns the remainder to the tank. Ryan

Actually the FCA controls the rail pressure, by starving the high pressure section of fuel, to keep pressure down. Unplugging the FCA will give you 30K psi (or whatever it can max out at) pressure all the time.



I know you read about damaging the CP3 by starving it of fuel. . That only occurs when there is not enough to cool or lubricate it, but the 3 plungers run starved 99% of time, except at full power.



What distributes fuel is called the overflow valve (or cascade valve).

 

[CTRice]

This really starting to get interesting. I honestly believe if we all put our heads together, we can determine the cause(s) of these annoying noises. Once we know the cause(s) we can correct the problem.



There are enough of us affected that it makes good sense to keep this thread going. Has anyone out there seriously pursued this issue with Cummins Engineering?? I know some of us may know who to contact.



Will someone please take this on or provide the Cummins contact names??



Thanks, Chuck

 

[DPKetchum]

Carbon. The tucks I know that tow 8k plus weekly/daily have high miles and no ticking noises. Two of these guys had 3rd generations before and same deal. 150k miles and no ticking noises. Mine went away after my 600 plus miles pulling 10k over hill and dale for hours. Egts get to be held at 800 to 1000 for a longer substrained period. Thats my thoughts. As MANY on this site have been saying for years. Hook it to something and worked it like its suppose to be.

 

[CTRice]

Hey Guys,



Does anyone know any DCX or Cummins Engine engineers we can contact to help understand this issue?? I for one, will call the dogs off if someone at one or both of these engineering disciplines says I should not be concerned or tells me how to correct the situation. Just provide some names and numbers privately and I will do the leg work.



Thanks,

Chuck

 

[rbattelle]

I've found the Cummins Powermaster very receptive and responsive to questions in the past.

Link

Ryan

 

[DPKetchum]

Give it a go and hope you get a REAL answer. I've managed to get a few from the powers to be. But its like selling flouride to a 3rd world country. ONCE on DTR finally got a guy that SNUCK in with D. C. on AC issues. Lots of shocked readers and he WAS a help. But he trolled around for a while and did E/mail a friend of mine and it WAS a D. C. engineering e/mail addy. I've e/mailed,called Baldwin filters today trying to get in PRINT about their 5 micron fuel filter. No STRAIGHT answer as of this evening.

 

[DerekW]

I have never had a ticking sound but as my fuel additive I go to walmart, go down the grocery isle and buy veggie or cannola oil. One day I got to messing around and found a couple gallons on the stuff mixed with diesel makes the truck run better. also the veggie oil is like a additive that is easy to find and cheap. but normally I don't use a couple gallons of veggie oil. another suggestion is to find some biodiesel or make some. It lubes the fuel system better than ulsd or crappy 3rd world country fuels. but than again I would honestly start by popping the hood and figure out where your annoying sound is coming from. It could be something as simple as a exhuast manifold coming lose slightly as my jeep did just take at 30K and ticked. could be valvetrain. could be timming. could even be the injector making the same noise as a ignition on a gasser (they make noise when they fire when setup so electric motor turns distributer which fire fires the plugs when set up in a classroom) without being there it is really hard to tell. DOn't you have a mechanic over there? what happens if your truck breaks down who do you take it to? I am sure somebody over there can use a little knowledge and some common sense to figure it out.

 

[CTRice]

I have sent inquiries regarding the "spark-knock" like noises to both DCX and Cummins Powermaster. My contact at DCX however, is not an engine engineer, but a lab. and vehicle technician at the DCX Proving Grounds. He is in daily contact with engineers from all vehicle systems, so he probably knows who to contact. I will keep you all posted.



Chuck

 

[CTRice]

Wow, I heard back from Cummins Powermaster already. They said that the "spark-knock" type of ticking is often caused by fuel with a lowered cetane rating. They said that this was a normal thing. They also included the disclaimer that they would have to have more information on the history of the truck and that they would not be able to tell for certain what the cause was without having one of their tech. people investigate the issue.



What do you owner/experts think about this cursory evaluation of the noise/ticking?? Could this be due to ULSD that may be of a lower cetane rating than required??



I fully understand the necessity of a technician to make the final diagnosis. However, is this preliminary diagnosis plausible in your collective opinions??

If so, should I now try PS Silver??



Thanks, Chuck

 

[REmpson]

Also had ticking noise that started around 1,000 miles. Turned out to be serpentine belt. Noticed ticking at idle. Crawled under truck, carefully sprayed a couple shots of WD40 on belt while running, ticking stopped, repeated a couple of more times over a months time, and the ticking is now gone for good (hopefully!). May help, may not.



'06 Ram Quad Cab Inferno Red, 2-1/2" Lift, Edge EZ, Isspro Gauges, Pro Comp Wheels, 34" BFG's.



R Empson

 

[rbattelle]

carefully sprayed a couple shots of WD40 on belt while running

Why would you lubricate a belt?



Ryan

 

[REmpson]

Desperate. It solved the problem. What more can I say?



REmpson

 

[MMeier]

They make a spray specifically for belts. I would think WD 40 would make that belt slip like no tomorrow!

 

[REmpson]

They make a spray specifically for belts. I would think WD 40 would make that belt slip like no tomorrow!

I'm only talking a couple of quick shots, did not slipping, and took noise away.



REmpson

 

[CTRice]

Well guys,



My contact at The DCX Proving Grounds tried to get some engine development engineers to answer my questions regarding engine spark knock like noises. They told him that the best thing to do would be to call a Cummins Dealer and talk to a tech. This a load of bull ****.



They merely don't want to be bothered or they just don't care. Their reasoning was that DCX only puts the engine in the truck and it was up to the suppliers to handle issues. These guys ARE responsible for a total vehicle that is reliable and durable. They should be fired!



If this is typical of the attitudes currently held by DCX engineers, DCX deserves all the bad press they have been getting recently. I am going to contact some other people in DCX to determine if this noise is a serious issue or not.



Again, I ask you my fellow Ram owners, do you think that the "Spark-Knock" like noise could be caused by fuel that has a lower than required cetane rating?? If so is it possible that some batches of ULSD could be inferior in terms of cetane requirements?? And finally, is this noise a reason for concern??



I know some of you have accepted this noise as normal. However, my truck was not making this annoying noise until I had about 2,000 miles. This tells me that something has changed. What do you think it is?? and how do we correct it??



I am not interested in adding $4 - $7 worth of additives to my truck every time I fill-up. This is also a load of bull ****. There must be a corrective action or repair for this totally irritating sound. We must get our heads together and solve this issue.



Thanks for reading this post,

Chuck

 

[DPKetchum]

Hate to say it but TOLD YOU. Its NOT just D. C. For the most part I run into this with all sorts of products and services. I inquire about lots of things and it just goes round the world. I've talked to Bosche about filtering(its like asking Fort Knox for a taste) and AAM about u/joints and weight of lube(same deal talk to D. C. ). What you have to do is fake them out and go in through a back door(Finally got Bosche R&D whom answered questions about the TWIN diesels I was installing in a off shore boat with Common Rail about Micron ratings) etc. Tell you who knows is a engineer(the right one) with STAR. They actually have TONS of stuff on file but rarely discuss it. I still say HOOK something to the truck and tow a few hundered miles. Don't see many HotShoters or ones being worked hard asking about some of the items others do. I had the tick noise. Gone for now after 800 miles pulling 10k. My neighbors 05 with 115k(90% at least towing 8/9k)has never had it. (100% stock) Guys at a Cummins store hardly EVER work on these trucks. Busses with a lower horse/differant set up version is proberly the extent of it and THEY don't want to be brothered with little trucks that they have NO vested interest in. Find a BACK door into D. C. R&D.

 

[CTRice]

Hey DP,



You are absolutely correct, but we both there REALLY IS someone responsible at DCX for the Cummins Diesel.



I am exploring a new avenue or "back door". I have another contact in engineering who also pursueing the names and phone numbers of those engineers responsible for the seamless integration of the Cummins Diesel into the Dodge Truck. I am not prepared to accept "that is not my job" for an answer.



I have also asked my contact to explore the DCX purchasing connections to Cummins. It seems that purchasing surely will have some engineering support for product change incorporation and cost studies relating to price adjustments. My thought is that if this aspect of my investigation turns up fruitless, I will bite the bullet and buy an hour of Cummins Tech. time to get to the bottom of this.



This lack of service and customer satisfaction is really more pervasive than anyone can imagine. This one of the many reasons our manufacturing base and auto company solvency is being eroded. "We have found the enemy and he is us!"



I am still looking for opinions on whether or not the infamous "spark knock" like noise is caused by ulsd.

Chuck