I just bought an E350 with abt. 87k miles on it. Runs well and smoot I think, but has an annoying ticking/clicking sound for every engine turn. When cold this drowns a bit in the normal cackle, but when getting warm, it gets really distinct and increases in loudness.

At first I thought it was the glow relay, because it sounds quite the same, but it's obviously not that.
It starts very weak when cold, sounding just now an then, and not with every engine turn, but increases when the engine gets warmer and then tics on every turn.

It is really annoying, because it travels right through the hood, whitch filters out "all" other sounds but that one...
Tried to loosen the fuel lines one by one to isolate it, but got no closer, engine just running rough when on 7 cyl's, ticking still there.
Gonna take her to a diesel specialist soon if not any of you guys have the answer.

Thanks.

 

Not sure, could it be a vavle?
It's not easy without being able to listen to it, maybe you could record the sound and post it on the forum ?

Magic

 

There are so many things that a ticking noise can be. The first thing I would do is a compression test to rule out piston/rings. If that comes out OK, then you'll know whatever your problem is, your not sinking money into a junk motor. Of course, you'll have to remove the glow plugs. clean them and test them with an ohmmeter. At this point it may be readily apparent what the problem is. I had this problem once, and one of my glow plugs had blown apart and was rattling on top of the piston. It had ripped the nipple off the injector causing a skip to go along with my rattle. Not just that, but that pissing injector was thinning the oil, making it easier for the oil to get by the ring, and I was blowing blue smoke out the exhaust. Really thought I had f*d up the motor. The important thing is to find out what it is right away. What is an easy fix now, could be a blown motor if not found and repaired.

 

Even "Exhaust pop" from a leaky manifold, sounds like ticking

 

Hi all,
have been researchin tickin/cackle/diesel noise or whatever to call it, but not really found the cause. Tried to swap some of the injectors last night, no change. Maybe it's the pump, or this norwegian winter diesel containg almost bare kerosene, so dry you can use it as Martini...

However, I've made some sound recordings to let You specialists listen to it, and maybe give me some clues. They are all done from the cabin, except from the one named "underside.mp3" and gone through an equalizer to enhance "the real noise" a bit.

Listen and enjoy:
Starting-revving Takeoff Kickdown Underside

-Ray.

--------------------
1994 E350 Custom Line 7.3IDI E4OD 2WD, 3rd owner
ACCN - American Car Club of Norway - Member #

 

Hi Ray,

It really sounds like a valve/pushrod/valve seat.
Use a stethoscope to try and find the sound. You can also use a screw driver if you dont have a stethoscope, just put your ear up aginst the handle of the screw driver and place the tip on the valve cover and listen. Watch out for moving parts!
Give that a try and post back with what you find out.

Gr8ride

well after listening to the clip from underneath the truck I'm not so sure it's a valve issue. Like I said use a stethoscope or screw driver and try to find the sound.

 

Hi all,
got a stethoscope today, tore off the "mic" and put a steel rod in the end of the hose. Boy, -this was the right tool, almost blew my eardrums out, but now I'm POSITIVE the ticking is a valve slapping.
It is coming from one of the two backmost valves on the drivers side.

Eagerly pulled the cover and tried to compress the lifters, but every one appeared firm and good, now I feel I'm somewhere back where I started...-[censored].
Valves also move easily.
Can it be the rockers? Rods look perfect. ..or is it a quarrelsome lifter after all?
Is it possible to take out the lifters now with a magnet, or do I have to dig down the valley?

 

Hi Fellas,
I have been driving my IDI 7.3 for 10 years now. In the dead of winter, when it is really cold is the most noticable time for this noise. But it is there all the time. When the engine is cold, that is. There, I believe, is a enrichment circuit in the injector pump that increases the flow of fuel to the rail during cold start up, similar to the choke on a carburator. My truck goes about 2.5 miles or so, and then the noise drops considerably and abruptly, like a switch was turned off, to the "normal" sound of this engine. It varries with the temperature, a little more a little less miles. Has done this from new. Yes I am the original owner. Seems to me that the "cackle" everyone refers to is this circuit stuck in the on position. Is milage poor? I get ~17-18 around town, depending upon whether I break the eggs under my right foot.
I am not a mechanic, but I know and have done much to my baby. I can tell when it needs a new GP befofe it goes. Well not really. But any of you that have driven a vehicle this long know you are in tune with it. Seems to me that this cicuit is controlled through a temperature reactive valve, similar to the old choke spings on carburators. Might be a place to start looking for the answer. The increase in noise in the back of the rail, may simply be resonance from ignition, which seems much stronger when this is on.(read more power) I read somewhere that is how they are removing my favorite sound from the 2004 6.0 PS.
Bill

 

Hi Ray,

Glad to hear that the stethoscope worked for you.
Now that you think it's a valve issue, I think that I would take it to a shop and have it looked at.
BTW: If you happen to end up needing new push rods, make sure you get the one piece style and not the welded or pressed on style. The welded or pressed on style don’t always last as long.

Gr8ride

 

Howdy Ray,

Did you find out what was making the ticking sound???

Gr8ride

 

I hate to throw fuel on your fire but that sounds very similar to the sounds my truck was making and you see what happened to mine. Look in my sig at broken piston. Miine was most apparent under the truck, but you could hear it all over. If you picture pinging the oil pan with a ball peen hammer, thats what mine sounded like.

 

Hi all,
now I'm quite sure what makes the ticking. Using the stethoscope I've found that it is a combination of slight valve slap (bad lifter, maybe) and one injector clacking. Got an indication for this some days ago when I put her in 2. gear downhill for braking, and noticed that the ticking changed in character. Now I heard some slight clicking from one (maybe two) valves, but when I hit the acc. pedal, it increased to "normal" level, indicating a bad injector, making it fire too early i guess.
It's mabe time to replace the injectors now to keep her ship shape and mileage down. But here in Norway these cost me my shirt and tox, so I'll try to find an online store that ships overseas.
(Any to recommendations, guys?)

-Ray.

 

Obviously I haven't heard your truck going downhill or anything, but (just to confuse things yet more) we had an old Leyland that made a very similar noise (like a washing machine on acid) shortly before a bearing in the injector pump went into orbit.
Sound travels weirdly, and we could never pin the noise down. We were certain it was an injector at first, then a follower, then a piston, then a cam bearing etc etc, but nothing ever quite gave us a satisfactory answer until one day the pump announced its intention to retire, and did just that (in the yard, thankfully).

Tried your stethoscope on the pump?

Just a thought.

 

You might want to check and see if their was any work done to the water pump. I know on my truck one of the water pump bolts has to be shorter than the others or it will hit on the fuel injection pump drive gear. Which will eventually ruin your fuel injection pump.which will cost you $$$$$$$$$$$.