Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) ticking sound

[bowhunter]

I know everyone has heard the annoying ticking sound from these trucks (96-98 model years). Some say the lift pump, oil pick-up tube, or overflow valve.



My 97 has almost 170 K miles and the sound is getting worse. It sounds just like a lifter in a gasser, or an exhaust leak.



Now I can hear the ticking at idle, hot or cold, and especially after I run down the interstate at 70mph and get stuck in stop and go traffic. When you are in 3rd slowing the truck down you can hear the ticking sound slow down with the truck and when you press in the clutch, the sound becomes steady at idle.



Has anyone had a problem that sounds like this? Is this the lift pump arm on the cam?



Thanks



Kurt

 

[SOOT]

When was the last time the valves were adjusted? At what milage? Mine is starting to do it upon cold start up. When I get a chance this week I will run the valves, there due anyway.

 

[illflem]

When the return spring in the lift pump gets weak the actuator arm doesn't retract fast enough and will tick on the cam. This should be taken care of because the cam can get damaged if the slapping goes on too long. Think you'll have to buy the entire pump for the spring. Injection pumps can also tick when the plungers stick, double dose of fuel additive with lubricity may clear it up. Overflow valve can tick also. Best bet is to use a stethoscope or a piece of pipe up to your ear to isolate the sound before throwing parts at it.

 

[San Felipe Bob]

My Tick Was the Overflow valve

I narrowed my search for the tick tick , by checking my fuel pressure at the banjo fitting on the fuel filter.

I used the TST adapter. well worth the bucks .

Makes the job a piece of cake.



When I check the pressure it was 36 psi at idle.

It would drop to 15 lbs at 2000rpm.



After changing overflow valve

18 lbs at idle

28 lbs at 2000rpm.



SFB

 

[Todd T]

i have noticed a ticking on startup on a VERY cold engine. it usually goes away after warm up. my DV's are new and the return valve is fairly new. i can hear it best out in front of the truck (10ft) off to the right side for some strange reason. HMMMM.



no fan in the winter either!



Illflem, you think i should look at the lift pump for this? who sells a rebuild for them or the best price on a new one?



Thanks

Todd

 

[bowhunter]

I adjusted the valves @ 130K and have never touched the timing.



I put an extra spacer on the overflow vavle spring last fall and noticed the truck responds better.



Now I'm worried since this tick has been around since about 69K. I'll check the fuel pressure and go from there. I'll start with an overflow valve. . never hurts to have an extra.



Then I'll look into the lift pump depending on fuel pressure after the overflow valve.





Do you use the old arm off the old lift pump for the new lift pump?



... since the arm is already "worn" to the lobe on the cam.



I think I remember seeing this on a earlier thread.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I have a mysterious ticking sound too. I checked everything. Could never pin it down. Long screwdriver against the ear for days. I gave up. Truck runs fine. It sorta sounds like it is coming from near or #1 injector.

 

[illflem]

bowhunter, don't know about rebuilt pumps but you can get new ones from most any auto parts or from Cummins. First make sure the tick is really coming from the pump though.

 

[pathaymond]

My situation may be unique to me only but here goes.

I recently had the tick sound. just as you describe. I lost boost and power shortly after the tick Appeared I went to a trust worthy diesel shop and we changed the fuel filter it was really nasty and we cleaned the screen on the lift pump? or preheater some thing like that anyway This solved the tick and the no power issue. The culprit was a bad load of fuel I purchased from a place I was not familiar with but had to buy fuel or run out. Maybe this helps you I dont know but wanted to share my experience. Point being I think the cummins is sensitive to small changes from what would be considered ideal. and reacts.

Patrick

 

[bowhunter]

I'm ordering a fuel pressure adapter from TST. I'll check the fuel pressure, and then pinch the return hose to see if the overflow valve is junk.



If so I'll start there.



Pre-filter is clean and new, the filter in the canister is new too. . still ticking.



I did notice today that accelerating or decelerating , I get the ticking sound @ about 1500 rpm's.



It disappears over 1500 and comes back when I left off and the tach hits 1500. At idle it is a steady ticking noise.



Oh well, I needed a good excuse to put in a set of 370's, 16 cm housing and a gov spring kit.

 

[rjones]

Originally posted by Todd T

i have noticed a ticking on startup on a VERY cold engine. it usually goes away after warm up. my DV's are new and the return valve is fairly new. i can hear it best out in front of the truck (10ft) off to the right side for some strange reason. HMMMM.



no fan in the winter either!



Illflem, you think i should look at the lift pump for this? who sells a rebuild for them or the best price on a new one?



Thanks

Todd

Me too tick/buzzing on cold mornings then goes away after a few minutes... ... seems like ever since I installed the 370's

 

[The patriot]

I've had at a ticking sound since almost new. Had it to the dealer under warranty, and they said it was the fuel line pulsating from the fuel pump.

They said "dont worry about it".

I now have 91K miles, and it's still making that noise. It's REALLY noticable when youre idling next to a concrete wall.

I'm going to bring it back to a different dealer and see if they'll give me a different answer.

Eric

 

[Dkevdog]

Eric- My 96 did the exact same thing from day one. I just thought it was normal .



Kev

 

[Todd T]

Rjones _ that's it! buzzing sound too forgot about that.



as far as trouble or hurting the engine..... 250K and still going strong here. so i dont think you guys with ONLY 90K have anything to worry about

 

[The patriot]

I only get that buzzing sound on rare occasion when it's really cold out, and I dont have access to an outlet to plug it in.

Eric

 

[San Felipe Bob]

Check your fuel pressure!

ok here's how it was explained to me.



your overflow valve can fail in two ways.



1)It can stick which will raise your pressure in the injection at idle.

this causes the lift pump to work very hard at idle.

Mine read 36 psi at idle checked at the fuel filter at idleand 10 psi at 2000rpm. the engine ran just fine!

not good! it used to tick a long time ago so I forgot about .

Guess it went from sticking open to sticking closed.



2)as mentioned above the Overflow valve can stick open giving low fuel pressure in the injection. Also makes lift pump work more cause it's pumping like the dickens to try and get to proper pressure.



Think of the Overflow valve as a pressure regulator.





read the TST guidlines for checking fuel pressure it will help make sense.



Remember the old addage. if it aint broke dont fix it?



Well if you don't fix a bad overflow it may break your lift pump.



Just check your fuel pressure to be sure.



TST sells a nice adapter . I used a very accurate liquid filled pressure gauge I had laying around the shop. I attached a Grease gun hose between the gauge and the adapter. (makes the job easy)



SFB

 

[Bigramguy]

I have had the ticking noise too,seemed to get a little louder over time,but has hasn't gotten any worse lately. Have tried to track it down,and it also seems to come from the #1 cyl area,near the injector. You can really hear it in a drive thru or an underpass. 350 K and it's still going strong,so I'm not too worried.

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

Had it in my truck since day one. Thought it was normal. Had a new exhaust put on at about 70,000 mile, and had the truck up on the rack, running. Could really hear it then. Sounded like it was coming from the fuel lines, under the cab of the truck. The guy doing the exhaust work was puzzled, too.



Jim

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Rams-n-Hogs,



The return fuel line will make a noise like swish-swish. This is the excess fuel the pump has used for lube & cooling and is sending back to the tank. You can feel it pulsating with you hand. It goes in time with the noise. It's normal.



I think this is a different noise than the infamous tick.