Just the last few days on cold starts the motor fires kind of slow then a few seconds later it makes a noise sounds like a bird chirp or a blow-off valve. But the 6.0L don't have blow off valves. I'm assuming it's from the turbo. After the truck runs for a couple seconds longer you can hear the turbo spool up and whistle like normal. It has a 4" cat back with a cat delete and Xcal3 with custom tunes. Any ideas?

 

Bird chirp and blow off valve are two different noises. More of high pitched squeak? Pop the hood and try to locate the noise next time, you have plenty of places to get a random noise from.

Where you located in Ohio BTW? Suppose to be around 3 degrees tomorrow morning.

 

I would say more of a bird chirp more like a blue jay !!! I'm pretty positive it's the turbo but hay you never know. I'm located in Medina Ohio. Yeah it got cold again. I've been wanting to get a grill cover for the last couple years to help keep the truck warmer in the winter months. I finally ordered one yesterday from cabelas but they are back ordered.

 

You can always check the turbo for end play in the shaft. When you cycle the key on, the vacuum pump starts up, also as cold as it is it could be the engine belt. Noise travels in funny ways.

 

There have been a number of folks that have heard "chirps" from their tensioner and idler pulleys IIRC.

 

Ok. I have seen ""IIRC" used several times. I am pretty good at figuring out acronyms but not this one. What does this mean? thanks

 

I use it a lot after a long / crazy day at work. It means "If I Remember Correctly".

 

Thanks bismic!

 

no the sound comes from the exhaust pipe. Normally when it's cold I just open the door lean turn the key to heat up the glow plugs and turn it over. So I'm always standing outside the truck when it fires up. Maybe it's a turbo fart at start-up

 

I had the same noise when I started my truck it was like a 1 second squeak, and then about a month later I lost horse power, I took it to the dealer and they scanned the computer and said it had a under boost DTC, the turbo variable vanes were stuck, and they replaced it with a rebuilt turbo and the squeak was gone.

 

Well the sounds seems to have gone away. The only thing I can figure is it was the oil. I have always run Rotella dino oil in it. When it was in the shop for head gaskets the changed oil with fords oil they use. I just changed oil and used Rotella synthetic this time. After a few hundred miles the noise has gone away. I've read where the 6.0l has had some problems with dino oil gumming up the injectors and turbo. I did run some hot shot secret in it over 10,000 miles ago but I didn't notice any differance after 5,000 miles. I also had a oil analisis done and it showed everything was good. So I wonder if it's the oil from the ford garage that did it or me switching and then me to synthetic that stopped it?

 

My truck does this occasionally, I think your probably hearing your turbo vanes sweep closed into the warm up position. Mine was pretty audible, sounded like a door creaking. This was when I first bought it. I don't think the guy I bought it from drove it very much. Now that I drive it daily the noise has pretty much gone away. Except occasionally it will chirp like you describe (maybe once a week). It doesn't seem to be hurting anything so I haven't worried about it. The best way to get rid of it is probably to clean the soot out of the turbo.

 

Mine just started making what sounds like the same noise. I just posted about it a couple days ago, with not much response. I havent had a chance when its cold to get someone else to start the truck while I listed but Im not going to spend much time on it as Im taking it in this sat for a BAD cold start issue and get the latest flash, I will have them check this too. I just cleaned my trubo less then 10K ago.

 

yes I've been thinking about cleaning the turbo. I need to read a little more about that before I pull the turbo and clean it