So I have only had this truck for three months now and I have noticed a small amount of clatter. Its almost like spark knock in a gas engine, It comes and goes with RPM and only with a load on the engine. Once the turbo spools it either goes away or I cant hear it any more. Idles fine and I can only tell its smoking at night in the head lights of the guy behind me. It may have a small power loss, but its hard to tell. I gave it a full service about 2K miles ago and have been adding Power Service in every tank. I am leaning to a injector (clogged tip, or ball seat erosion?). It may be just normal, but now that I hear it I notice it every time I get in the truck. Any one have a noise like this?

 

Yep, my 2007 5.9 6 speed has done the same thing since new~! I would say what you hear is normal. Sounds like its almost coming from the left Front when your driving? I tried different additives etc. Some helped. So far the Lucas fuel additive has taken most of that clatter away

 

This brings back memories of my last truck which had the Hemi tick! It drove me nuts! I guess with all the moving parts of a engine you are just gonna have some noises. But if it's not hurting anything I guess I just need to turn up the radio.

 

yep sounds normal to me too. Get used to it. These critters make a lot of different noises between the diesel motor, the rattling G56 transmission and clutch, the clack of the driveline lash, etc. they just make a lot of mechanical noises.

 

Could always do a valve adjustment, even though they may be in spec, an adjustment might make it run a little quieter, helped mine. These trucks do make quite the racket, and they all seem to be slightly different too, just a diesel thing.

 

If I use Power Service, I get that clatter. I just use good old fresh#2. Where I get diesel does make a difference. Cheap stuff clatters.

 

Well I did several things, ran the truck on just #2 for several days and no change. After that I ran the overhead, it just made it worse. Went back in it and ran the overhead again. Found some valves were a little tight and some were a little loose. All were within what I would take as human error and in the min/max range by far so I set everything back the way I wanted it. By the way that range is crap, on the 60s that we have at work if all the valves are not very close to the same, they will get odd knocks and rattles at idle. The engines that I take my time on and do twice always come out the best. But anyway I am just worried about burning a piston or a valve. Being a mechanic is a curse, I listen for any little noise that may cause a problem and try to do something about it before it costs me some big bucks. I have seen some other posts about guys having this problem after putting in new injectors so they either got some dirt in the injector on install or they have a adjustment issue.

The only thing that I may have made a mistake on is how the engine was timed when I did the valve adjustment. I went off the damper and got it to as close to TDC that I could. I cant see the mark on the front cover so I cant be sure. All the valves that were to be adjusted on that crank position had lash so I couldn't be that far off. What I don't know is if some of those valves were just starting to come off the inner base circle of that lobe when I set them. The only other way I know to do it is to find min valve lift with a dial indicator and set them then. It almost has to be pre ignition, it happens under load the same way it would happen in a gas engine. I wish I had a way to up the fuel or retard the timing. If it still happens then I feel certain that it is not pre ignition and it is just the nature of this motor.

 

Mine does the same. Drives me Crazy sometimes while sitting at a stop light with engine in Drive. It's completely random but consistent if that makes sense.

If you listen very carefully it does it in Park/Neutral too. Additives have helped with my injector tick at cruising speeds, but this "ping/knock" sound is unchanged regardless the additives. My truck has zero smoke.

 

Timing rattle, normal on HPCR's.

 

So why would some guys pick it up when they changed injectors?

 

Because larger injectors add timing by adding fuel sooner due to larger holes, adding timing (mechanically or electronically) can make the timing rattle louder.

 

Thats what I always thought it was. With the manual trucks its so irritating. Just as your getting ready to shift and your easing off the throttle (easing to avoid the awesome driveline lash) it rattles quick, snag the next gear and roll into the boost, just a silent whistle untill you ease out and the load comes off and she rattles some more......

My truck has a noise at idle you can hear from the front that I cant pinpoint. I have heard some discussion on this board about CP3 gear lash, that may fit the bill. More notable when warm. Seems though to be getting louder, that throws me!?

I agree with the comment to adjust the valves. I did adjust mine, the truck had 130K and I found some that were loose and a few that were a tich tight. Definately idles smoother and quieter now, worth the hour of work.

These engines definately have some noises that seem to change here and there.

But apparently wont let you down...

 

As in injectors wear the holes get larger, thus more fuel than the ECM thinks and timing advances from the additional fuel can make the timing rattle louder.

The CP3 "timing" does seem to help on some trucks, not all thou.

Valves are due at 100K, I am not surprised you noticed a difference.

 

The valves were a good plan. Im in the process of injector shopping now. I have some fuel knock when warm and occasional white smoke on startup. I want to do just nozzles but was told by DDP that with 140 on the clock the injectors themselves are likely worn enough to need replacing not just the nozzles.

Thats alot more money so im planning carefully....

 

Your description sounds just like my truck, I do notice mine on light cruise as well or coming off a load...