Low pitch chatter under the hood during hard pull

[LEEH]

Just finished a 3K trip on my new 2001 4X2 ETH, DEE pulling our 31' Alpenlite 5er. Now have a grand total of 3400 miles on the odometer. Wonderful truck and and a vast improvement over my previous 96' RAM. Very good mileage 21 running empty and 12. 5 + pulling the 5er. Have run into a problem though (?).

Specifically: During a hard pull with the 5er trailing behind, at about 2000 to 2200rpm I get a low pitched "chatter" from the engine compartment. If I had a gasser, I would describe it as a low octane ping. The "chatter" comes and goes if I hold the throttle steady, and sometimes goes away if I stick my foot in it, but not always. Problem occurs while in 6th, 5th and even 4th gear.

Is this the computer defueling the engine, or is it possibly a lift pump problem, or it something entirely unrelated to the fuel system? Could I expect this problem to go away if I attached an EZ or Plug-n-Power?

Unfortunately, I do not have any guages for fuel pressure, EGT or Boost installed yet. Those are coming soon. Hope someone has the answer to this, as I hate to take the truck into a dealer and put up with the BS.

 

[Guest00]

Good incentive to get thoes diagnostic gauges installed.

Mine makes all kinds of grunts, growls, knocks and pings.

It is possible that you are getting a combustion knock if it is defueling under load because of high (stock ) boost.

 

[Alan Reagan]

Lee, I had that clatter for about 5K miles and it finally disappeared. It was about the time I was working in Florida and using a lot of BP fuel from down there. You may try some Stanadyne in the blue bottle. That helped mine at the time so I figured it was the fuel.

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2001 HO 6 spd 2500, 4. 10 LSD, Towing Package, Electric Brakes, SPA EGT/Boost Gauges, Fog Lights, Real Backup Lights, Molded Running Boards

 

[LEEH]

JNUTTER & ALAN: thanks for the reply guys, will try the fuel adative that Alan mentioned and will also get busy and order the guages.

Not knowing what is going on under the hood due to the lack of guages is the pits.

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2001. 5 2500 4X2 ETH DEE Dark Garnet, Trailer Tow Pkg. , Camper Special Pkg. , Anti Spin, SLT +, Agate interior, Leather

BD Exhaust Brake, TurboLiner Spray in bed liner, 20K Reese 5th Wheel Hitch, 31'Alpenlite double slide out 5er

 

[Gary C]

I posted this same problem a while ago, I do use Stanadyne in every tank and with 13000 miles on the truck I got the ping you speak of. Had the fuel pumped checked 5 lbs at wot and 12 lbs at idle one tech guy says it is ok and another says it is bad, so who do I believe?

Anyways, the ping was during accelleration up hills and towing 6000 lbs, now the other day the ping happened at WOT with no load going uphill.

I quess I will wait until the thing quits and then go postal at the dealership.

Thanks for listening.

BTW, I have 8000 miles on the fuel filter and they are changing that today maybe that will help.

Diesel dumb, but getting smarter everyday because of this great site.

thanks



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2001. 5 2500 QuadCab SLT, Auto, 3. 54 Anti-Spin Axle, 4X2, SWB, White/Tan, Stockland Camper, Interior kit, Debadged, Custom CUMMINS Logo Sticker, Gauges on their way with Pillar Mount, EZ Box on the Table, Front Spoiler, Sport Tail Lenses, Valentine One, Rancho Transmission upgrade, DunRite TC, VB Blueprinting, and the H3ll with the warranty, BOMBing shall commence.
www.ProwlerOnline.com
View my Cummins Sticker

 

[Bob Stephens]

I think I heard the same thing the other day pulling my new fiver. My 98. 5 Auto did the same thing in 2nd gear on hard pull. It eventually went away on the 98. 5. I have guages. The noise would stop if I let off the throttle and then got back on it. EGT's never got over 900 post-turbo. Boost was constant. Temp guage moved just over the 190 mark and settled in. Its a scary sound but nothing ever came undone on the old truck.

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2001. 5 White 3500 Quad Cab 4x4 Sport SLT+, ETH/DEE, 4. 10 Anti-Spin Axle, Camper Special Group, Trailer Tow Group, Line-X, Tekonshsa Sentinel Brake Controller, ICOM 706MkIIG HF Radio, Guages, 15. 5 Pullrite Hitch, DEE-ZEE FX Running Boards, and BD Exhaust Brake. 2001 Alpenlite 35RK fiver. Ham Call: AF9W/7

 

[rob10858]

i know the chatter that you are hearing, i have two trucks {2001. 5} that make the exact same noise under heavy pulls. ive heard everything from the airbox moving to torque harmonics. i really dont pay much attention to it anymore. the trucks run like a charm, but they do make some strange sounds.

 

[Alan Reagan]

I tend to notice it more when I change fuels. On hard pulls I will hear it occasionally but that's pulling 10K up a hill. The only time I hear it empty is with BP fuel. I can tell the fuel is not top quality cause I can see my computer mileage going down . 1 at a time. Remember, the timing is set down on these things for emissions and that is probably the culprit for the sound. A VA or EZ will solve that problem.

 

[LEEH]

Once again guys, thanks for all the input. Many of you describe the exact same thing that I experienced. Sounds like it is not much of a problem, just an annoyance that I didn't have when I was running my older 96 RAM.

Will probably be getting an EZ after I purchase and install gauges. Hopefully that will get rid of the "chatter".

Gotta say that the new 2001. 5 is one hell-of-a-truck in comparison to my 96'!

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2001. 5 2500 4X2 ETH DEE Dark Garnet, Trailer Tow Pkg. , Camper Special Pkg. , Anti Spin, SLT +, Agate interior, Leather, molded running boards
BD Exhaust Brake, TurboLiner Spray in bed liner, 20K Reese 5th Wheel Hitch, Transfer Flow 98 gal Aux Fuel Tank, 31'Alpenlite double slide out 5er