Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Help me with a sound

[Johnstra]

My engine makes a chuffing, pulsing kind of sound when it's heavily loaded. It sounds like it's in time with one cylinder. Could this be a valve lash issue? I hear this most when I'm climbing a very steep grade and the engine is turning about 2k RPM. My truck isn't using oil (oil level hasn't changed in 2k miles) and it runs strong. EGTs are a little hight as I slid the stock plate about 1/8" forward. My boost is in line with what it should be. Overall the engine runs great; I'm just a little bothered by the pulsing/chuffing sound.



Any ideas?



-john

 

[dodge cummins]

past experience on me on a friends ctd, a pulsing or surging sound was the injection pump going bad. it was under warranty luckily for him.

 

[Johnstra]

Looks like I fixed this by adjusting valve lash. #5 exhaust was way out (loose) and I think this was causing the sound. The noise was like WAWAWAWAWA and it occurred under heavy load, like accelerating up a steep grade. The noise is gone now.

-john