"And there arose such a clatter!"

[tbrumm]

No - this isn't an addendum to Al's IDI version of "Twas the night before Christmas". I drove the truck to work and back on Monday and everything was fine. Tuesday morning at start up it was fine. When I took off down the driveway, I gave it quite a bit of throttle and suddenly it started to clatter pretty loud - hard to describe the sound but kind of like a Powerstroke or like the sound when air is getting in the lines - just a really loud clatter when i would step on the throttle. It was like this all the way in to work - step on the throttle and loud clatter but otherwise running fine and not missing. It was dark both on the way in to work and home so i couldn't see smoke looking in the mirror. Now, this morning when I started the truck, it clattered for a few seconds and then, miraculously quieted down to normal and has been fine ever since. Don't ya just love problems that go away before you can even diagnose them? I should mention this clattering was happening with engine cold and fully warmed up. My thought was maybe the advance solenoid inside the IP was stuck on, but that clatter I heard does not happen normally when the truck is cold and the advance is on. Sticky injector maybe? But it wasn't missing or idleing roughly. It sounds to me like a fuel or injection related clatter - definately not a motor knock or lifter tap. I don't know and I wish I had a recording of it for you guys to hear it. Anybody want to through out some WAG's?? Thanks! Todd

 

[Wyreth]

WAG #1) Was it a regular sound, did it ever change while driving? Perhaps you have a little bit of intermittent air intrusion.

WAG #2) Does the advance arm on the side of the pump have free range of motion? Could something have gotten caught up on it and jammed it?


Personally at this point, I would do the ATF in the filter trick, let it sit... Then wait to see if it comes back, maybe it was just the moon holding water that day.

 

[tbrumm]

Thanks for the WAG's, Wyreth. The sound was consistant - it was always there but quieter when coasting or at idle and really clattering when I got on the throttle. I will check the advance arm and sure nothing is hindering its movement. Just last week I put on my new fuel filter getting ready for wnter, and I filled it with DieselKleen, fired the truck up and ran it a couple of minutes and then shut it off and let it sit over night. Maybe I "cleaned" something loose and it eventually got stuck. Anyway, she is fine now, but who know when or if it will come back.

 

[Agnem]

Sounds like a stuck advance piston. Start saving up for a new pump. Advance piston problems are one of the more common things that lead a pump to my door.

 

[RavenTBK]

Thread Semi-Hijack...

Mel, Since its a more common failure, what causes those pistons to stick? Is it simply wear/age, or fuel related gunk buildup?

I'd love to get a new Baby Moose, but I'm satisfied with stock, and I'd like to keep what I've got going as long as possible.

/Hijack

 

[riotwarrior]

No - this isn't an addendum to Al's IDI version of "Twas the night before Christmas".

Todd,

Just about spit my coffee out when I saw that...

Ya sounds like what Mel said to me too...

Thanks for the ha ha that was good!

 

[tbrumm]

Sounds like a stuck advance piston. Start saving up for a new pump. Advance piston problems are one of the more common things that lead a pump to my door.

Thanks for heads up, Mel. I appreciate your reply as I know you are a very busy guy running your successful business! I know you have Baby Mooses ready to ship. Just out of curiosity though, what might the turnaround time be if I sent my pump in to you and you rebuilt it into a Baby Moose? Thanks! Todd