I notice that while I'm cycling the glow plugs prior to starter engagement there's a (growl?) At about the same time the light goes out.

 

A couple questions:
Regarding the light are you referring to the WTS light or a GPR light?
Do you have a GPR or GPCM?
Is it every time you cycle the GPR?

Take a piece of hose and use it to listen for the "growl" , put 1 end up to your ear and the other to the GPR etc. Sound likes to travel this helps you isolate the noise.

 

Yes the wts light in the dash. Not sure yet if it's a relay or module.
Only had this truck a few months so far. Getting ready to mobilize to Texas this winter and pulling my 35' travel trailer. Moved up from a standard cab 12v dodge, needed the CC this rig offered.
Usually I'm in the 73-79 dentside forum

 

Is it a growl or a vibration? Do you have a 4×4? I am wondering if it's your vacuum pump you're hearing?

 

4a-4? I'll have to look into that. I've been on the road all week. I'll take a pic when I get home and maybe you guys can help educate me to working on diesel. I wouldn't say it starts hard but it sure doesn't pop like my 12v did
Found a reference to injectors making me think the p.o. fibbed to me about replacing them... quote
(This sounds a lot like tired injectors. There have been several trucks in the last several years that wouldn't start unless they were plugged in even in mild to warm weather. 280k is a lot of miles on stock injectors. Some go farther but many die sooner.)
except I don't have to plug it in and it doesn't smoke much

 

I'm guessing you are hearing the vacuum pump located on the passenger side front fender well.
Open the hood, stand on that side and listen while someone else turns the key on. It's normal to hear it after the truck has been sitting a while.

 

I don't know what the thing is that he (we) is (are) hearing but both of my trucks do it too. My '01 parts truck is louder and I never noticed that my DD does it until I heard it on the other truck. At key on it seems to come from down around the oil cooler area on both trucks. If need be I could probably get an audio off of the plow truck. I noticed that it also does it when I hook up me Forescan. It's a short, eeeee 1 second grrrr.

 

Mark, probably the vacuum pump. My 97 didn't have the electric so when I first got the E99 it was somewhat concerning. I don't hear it on every startup, only if rig has been sitting for a few days. Electric Vacuum pumps are quite noisy (they vibrate like hell) when they first start pulling a vacuum but quiet down quickly. Just bad mounting brackets can cause the sound to be misleading to where the noise is actually coming from.

 

I don't think it's the vacuum pump, I know what and where that is and this sound comes from the driver's side of the engine bay. I'll get a recording of it.

 

Have a helper jump in and key on and get to the noise. Aside from the very good input above, your quite likely hearing your frame rail pump that sits on the frame below your left knee. If it's loose, she'll rattle. If your planning on taking the trip you spoke of, and you have no idea if it's ever been replaced, buy one and the quick fuel line disconnect tool and carry with.

Denny

 

Nope, not that either, that one runs for about 20 seconds and sounds different. This thing sort of sounds like a short cow 'moo'.

 

My 01 GROANS like an old man saying... You want me to go again ? OMG.....

 

I know what hes talking about about every ford we have on the fleet 99-04 gas or diesel both do this demon growl I can pin point to the passenger side but can never find the culprit, might be something in the HVAC system?

 

Could it be the blend door repositioning. That would go slow.

Try to put the heater controls in the off position and see if it still moos.

:')

 

Sure it's not the fuel bowl after the fuel pump shuts off...??

Mine does a growl kinda noise when the fuel pump shuts off......and it comes from the fuel bowl area. Usually you don't hear it because most of us let the glow plugs run for a while then get the engine running, but if you cycle the key long enough for the fuel pump to shut off you will hear that noise.