recently I've noticed that the valves seem to be knocking a little louder than normal. Until the engine completly warms up then it seems to dissapear. Weather here is about 15-20 degrees in the mourning. The truck only has about 1500 miles on it. Does the factory take in consideration of the trucks destination when adding the oil or is this noise normal...

 

Cincy-
I know what you are saying, I flat can't stand all the pinging and clattering noise that comes from mine until it warms up. Sounds to me like something inside just has to break at some point, but everything I have been told, this is normal.
Sorry could not be of further informative help but your not the only one apparently with these concerns.

Rick

 

Yeah, got my attention when I was in New Mexico this winter. Went outside, it was about 10 degrees, cycled the grids, cranked her up, and man, scared the B-Jesus out me. I let it idle and invoked the high idle on the cruise control and let her warm up. Living in the DFW area, we hardly ever see those temps so I never experienced a real "COLD START" on a diesel. Needles to say, that night I plugged her in and it was much better the next morning. This is my first diesel so it was my first experience to listening to something like it was going to blow. My wife makes a comment like "Yeah, those new Dodges are quiet, Huh". Didn't even go there. It's normal. But I tell you one thing, she fired right up like it was nothing.

 

I figured that this was normal, I was just wondering if the DC boys took in consideration of the temperature of the trucks destination when adding the oil

 

Dont know. Mine does it, no matter if it is warmed up or not. When I am in the 1500-2000 RPM range it sounds like an old gasser engine with bad gas...It drives me nuts. It is going in in 2 weeks for the 2nd time (I get free oil changes that is the only reason it is going in) the service manager wants me to take him for a ride along as they dont hear any noise (they only check it in park and rev it up to 2000rpm) and the sound is only when I am driving. They will more than likely tell me it is normal but it is getting louder and louder. I only have 6500 miles on it and it started at about 1100 and has gotten worse.

 

Using a good fuel additive helps with the clatter, I like Stanadyne, and I also found that a synthetic blend helped. I was using Exxon XD-3 Elite for a couple of changes but when I couldn't get it anymore I started making my own blend of 2 galllons of Delvac 1300 and 4 qts of Mobil 1 Truck & SUV. If it got colder around here I'd use 100% Mobil 1 T&S or a CI-4 rated Rotella 5W-40 synthetic.

 

No they don't. They are all filled with Valvoline premium blue 15w40 dino oil. With those types of winter temps I'd suggest a synthetic. I run Delvac 1 5w40 synthetic - which can also be found in most auto part stores and walmarts labeled Mobil 1 Truck & SUV. It protects a lot better in extreme cold than the dino can. I'd wait until you have a few more miles on the truck though, 1500 is pretty early to be switching. You might consider Delvac 1300 Super, which has an advantage over the other popular dino oils like delo or rotella, in that it exhibits 10w pumpability while still maintaining the 40w protection.

 

You say you have a billet fuel cover. Is that the fuel filler door, or the fuel filter cover. javahjoeo

 

Lightman is correct.

The Delvac 1 5w40 is the oil DC uses on their cold/altitude validation/development trips.

It should noticeably help cold starts.

I'll re-iterate Lightman's comment about waiting a little while longer to put synthetic in. 3-5k should be good.