OK guys - i have been helping a friend do a pretty massive upgrade to his 97 and it was going great until our test drive. For clarity sake here is the list of things we upgraded:

SD GTP38, intercooler, up-pipes, and upsized intake runners
Regulated return and fuel bowl delete
Riffraff HPx Oil crossover
Comp 910 spring and valve seals
used FFD 160cc singles w/upgraded tunes (had ~15k miles on them)

The install was difficult because of the intercooler piping, etc but we think all that is worked out decent for now. The issue was when we took it out and it seemed to be running ok except for very poor throttle response but we thought that it was just air in the oil and fuel system. About a mile or two out we started hearing some bad clacking and clattering (noise scared the crap out of me since i thought it was something big broken in the motor). We shut it off and it started raining diesel out the driver side up-pipe. Turns out like idiots we forgot to torque down #8 injector all the way and it shot up and tore an oring. It was hand tight but really not correctly seated at all.

So fast forward to some more work where we took out all the injectors, inspected the tips and orings (replaced as needed), and reinstalled but this time made sure to seat with a deadblow and torqued a bit over the Ford spec. We cleared out the cylinders by turning it over with the GP out and things sounded good/normal with healthy puffing of air out exhaust. When we finally got it to fire up we had alot of smoke (think it had blue tinges) and still had some loud noise. We could get it above idle and the noise changed but still didnt sound good to me. It was not as loud as before where I thought something was going to explode but still loud enough that as it idled for several minutes we both put on hearing protection. We were poking around trying to find where the noise was coming from and moving around some fuel hoses when it just shut off. It will not not re-fire - in desperation we even stuck on a new CPS to no avail. There are no useful codes, even when idling and making a ton of racket.

So questions are:

- What the heck did we do wrong that is making all the racket? Is it possible for injectors to make that much of a racket?
- Anyone ever have an issue like this and how did you resolve it?
- We just bought an ODB bluetooth scanner that will let us do a buzz test but i am not sure that will tell us anything helpful.
- We are getting close to wits-end, anyone have some good troubleshooting advice? We are thinking about pulling valve covers again, removing rocker arms to inspect springs/pushrods, swapping injectors (i have an extra set of SD splits, can a 97 even use those as a test?!?)
- Do we try and remove the oil pan to try and inspect the bottom end?!?! Dont even want to think about an issue down here :-(

Thanks for any help you all can provide!

 

What's the fuel pressure? Are you sure on the injector miles? Why were they removed from the previous truck they came from? Injectors can make a lot of noise with problems like a lack of fuel.

You can try the SD splits as a test. I highly doubt you have a bottom end problem if there wasn't anything before.

 

I should have mentioned that we do see 62 psi on the regulated return so I think we are good but interestingly enough it did cut off when I was touching the passenger side fuel return line. Got any other ways to test the fuel supply to the injector?

No I can't confirm the miles exactly on the injectors, just trusting someone.

 

If the injectors are all seated good, fuel pressure is good, and there was no noise like this before the injector swap, then I would say you may have gotten a set of bad injectors. Do you have any history at all on them? Do you know the person you are trusting on them?

 

I don't have much history or trust. They came from the parts truck that I got from a guy. It was wrecked but he had receipts on some of his rebuild that showed 12-18 months of usage.

I guess it sounds like maybe I should try to put in the splits I have just to see if there is any change. Anyone else have thoughts?

 

When you say regulated return, what did you install?

 

We installed the full Strickly Diesel regulated return and fuel bowl delete with upsized fuel banjos. This install includes frame mount filters, Bosch pump, fuel pressure regulator with a test port, and connects to several places on the fuel rail.

I think it was this:
https://www.strictlydiesel.com/p-343...el-system.aspx

 

As long as this was installed properly, it doesn't look like fuel is your problem. Like Darin said, there's about a 1% chance it's in the bottom end. And you can't pull the pan on these trucks with the engine installed.

So we are back to injectors. The splits are gong to run rough when installed, so I'm not entirely sure this will eliminate your problem. You would need tuning or the splits to run properly. What about his old injectors? If there are no codes present, I would start working my way backwards on what was installed to start eliminating what components are good and what aren't.

Did you try a buzz test?

 

I wasn't thinking that the splits would solve my issue - I just though it might isolate those injectors so I could see if the loud racket would go away. If it would run at all and not clack like crazy then I know I need to buy new 160 singles. Am I better off trying my stock pcm controlling the splits or having DP Tuner running them with 160-single programming?

I do have the capability to run the buzz test and will do that but have to borrow some stuff from a friend.

 

Since its tough to understand what your loud racket is without hearing it, my point about the splits is that you might have a loud racket with these as well. However, if it runs with the splits.....

I'm not sure what the best way to run your splits would be. Both aren't coded to run splits, so that might be splitting hairs. Although the tuning for the 160's will be asking for more fuel. Dunno. Can't DP e mail tunes? Maybe see if you can get a tune for splits.

Have you checked the chip connection? Something easy and simple to eliminate. Or try to start it with it removed.

 

Good ideas - will try with chip off. Unfortunately I have F5 which doesn't let me update without mailing it.

Anyone else ever try running splits with an OBS pcm and stock tuning? I know it isn't made for it and would run rough but I wanted to know if yours clacked/sounded like someone hammering in the engine. I would not run it long, just use it to eliminate something.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ctor-swap.html

You can run the splits. Read what DZL Jim put in the thread.

 

Interesting. Good read right there. Straight from the horses mouth. Reps tried Darin....

 

Thanks guys - I'll try the splits and see if I hear anything different.

 

Did y'all happen to change uvch and pigtails?

Cause if you got wires crossed then you have a timing issue