Lets play guess that sound!

[Mattc2066]

So I just got this truck, I know nothing about the 7.3 IDI and I know absolutely nothing about these forums, so this is all new to me. I have read info in forums before and some folks can be unhelpful and seem to only be there to run their mouth, so if thats you dont waste your energy you will be ignored.


So to the point, The truck is a 1989 F-SuperDuty with the 7.3 IDI, Banks Sidewinder Turbo, Electric fuel pump conversion, the Injection pump is turned up just shy of 90 degress, about 85 degrees. I dont want to go any higher until I have an EGT gauge. It has the ZF5 trans, upgraded flywheel (I am told the original was a pita and always had issues). It has 247k miles on what seems to be the original engine. The injectors, injection pump, Glow plugs, Glow plug control (or whatever its called) complete A/C system, complete cooling system, clutch master and slave, bigger alternator are all brand new.


So with that information, I am hearing a knock or tick. Its not super loud just annoying. It reacts with RPM. I have cracked the fuel line loose on the top of every injector and listened for changes. The idle drops and it misses with every one I take loose but the tick/knock never goes away or gets lighter. Power seems to be good, idle is smooth, No smoke whatsoever at any load or throttle position when boosting. slight puff of black if I qiuckly floor it but as soon as boost builds its clear again. Never smokes on start up and it never has a start up issue no matter how cold it always fires up faster than I can take my hand off the switch. When I hit the interstate and do 65MPH (3k RPM) for a mile or two then jump off the interstate the sound goes away, after 3 to 5 miles of low RPM driving it slowly comes back. I am told that it may be normal and that the 7.3 IDI is just a noisy engine. I will ad a video of the truck below that I put on youtube. Thank you for any help.

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[gnathv]

Do you think it may be an exhaust leak being it goes away after heating it up and then comes back when it cools? I’d get a flashlight and look for soot around manifolds, uppipes, turbo mount flange Etc

You posted this in the powerstroke section, if you can repost in 6.9 and 7.3 section you’ll get more responses.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

Put a genuine oil pressure gage on your truck and see if it's related to oil pressure. I don't think the exhaust leak suggested above by gnathv is out of the question, but I think it could also be a lifter.

By the way: that's not the worst sounding IDI I've ever heard. They are noisy engines, but I do agree that you have a very slight and very random ticking sound that changes frequency with RPM.

 

[snicklas]

You posted this in the powerstroke section, if you can repost in 6.9 and 7.3 section you’ll get more responses.

Moved

 

[hacked89]

Put a mechanical oil pressure tester on it and see what your hot idle is when you hear the noise.

Buy an automotive stethoscope if you don’t have one they are like $15 bucks on Amazon and go down the valve covers every two inches.

You can go down the exhaust manifolds and turbo u pipe with the stethoscope too until you locate the sound.

 

[ROCK HARVEY]

A long screwdriver works pretty well as an automotive stethoscope if you can reach what you’re trying to hear. You’d be surprised how well it works.

 

[BrianX128]

I can barely hear it. I'd vote exhaust leak, perhaps torque of engine twists it just enough to make the noise more pronounced and it goes away with less rpm? Could always try loosening each injector to see if one causes less chaos when not firing then the others, fuel knock can be more pronounced through the rpm curve if the pop pressure isn't off by a lot.

 

[Mattc2066]

so i looked all up and down the exhast. no leaks. I cracked all injectors loose again, and none of them change the tick/knock but they all make the idle lower and miss. running a stethoscope I can hear it almost everywhere :***: i will listen again and take more time to see if the sound is more pronounced in one spot. The injection pump is new so if timing could be the issue im wondering if it wasnt installed too advanced. I will check the timing marks to see and update.

 

[Mattc2066]

so to me this looks very very retarded on timing. am I looking at the right marks?

 

[Mattc2066]

okay I am now very confused. it looks like there are 2 sets of marks. the picture above is on the driver side of the pump. these smaller marks are on the top of the pump. the marks on the side look to be very very retarded and the ones on the top look to be very advanced. what set of marks am I using?

 

[gnathv]

Unfortunately the marks are only ballpark to make it run. It needs to be timed with a meter. That being said you can adjust it to see if it improves. Put a set of marks so you can return it to where you are now. Adjust your pump a dimes width at a time (this is about 4 degrees). Towards passenger side advances, toward driver side retards. You want it right on the edge of powerstroke rattle if that makes sense. I used to set mine to where if I energized the advance solenoid it would rattle, when I deenergized it quieted.

Do not adjust ip with engine running.

 

[Mattc2066]

Unfortunately the marks are only ballpark to make it run. It needs to be timed with a meter. That being said you can adjust it to see if it improves. Put a set of marks so you can return it to where you are now. Adjust your pump a dimes width at a time (this is about 4 degrees). Towards passenger side advances, toward driver side retards. You want it right on the edge of powerstroke rattle if that makes sense. I used to set mine to where if I energized the advance solenoid it would rattle, when I deenergized it quieted.

Do not adjust ip with engine running.

Too bad you arent closer to anniston, id pay you in food and beer to come give a hand. I will give it a shot and see what I come up with

 

[Mattc2066]

I recorded the sound again and it is much more noticeable on this video if that helps anyone.

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[hacked89]

Sounds advanced to me and interesting to hear that it’s clattering all over that’s why I asked about pinpointing. In your one pic it looks like the one set of scribe marks is like a dime and a half towards the passenger. Turn that back to where they are lined up and see if it changes the sound. I’ve turned my IP on one of my engines like two dimes passenger side to see what it sounds like at different points and it sounded similar. That was before I got a meter. You need someone with a meter.

 

[Mattc2066]

is it possible that it could be a cold knock? I must thought my temp gauge didnt work right because it never even reaches the "N" in normal or anywhere even close to that. it never climbs past the first line of normal range. I just happened to have my temp gun out so while it was as warm as it ever gets I took a reading of coolant and sure enough its only about 185 - 190*F and it takes FOREVER to get even to that temp. we are talking a solid 45 min of driving. I wonder if the thermostat is stuck open or if previous owner just didnt install one period? could a diesel cold knock? oh and the radiator in this thing is MASSIVE, it is defiantly aftermarket and all aluminum. honestly looks way too big for the truck.