New problem
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Senior User
Joined: May 2001
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New problem
I recently had a new problem start up on my truck.
On Tuesday on my way to work it started making a noise ticking noise, it sounded like a baseball cards in the spokes of a bicycle wheel. It start while I was doing 55 and stopped before I could slow down.
Wednesday It did the same thing but this time didn’t go away while I slowed down for a ramp. As I slowed down the sound changed pitch and sounded like a misfire. It went away before I had a chance to stop somewhere.
Today It did the same thing but continued doing it when I got onto the surface streets. Stopped at a light it sounded like a misfire but the engine was not running rough, it was just as smooth as always.
It does not do this on my way home from work as I never get above 35-40 MPH. It only starts doing it on my way to work when I do 50+.
Looking through my receipts the IP and injectors were replaced about 50K miles ago.
Last weekend I filled it up with B20 for the first time.
I see no leaks around the fuel lines.
The truck starts fine in the morning and runs a little rough for the first 5 or so seconds the smoothes out.
Any ideas what to check?
Truck truck is an ’86 6.9L.
On Tuesday on my way to work it started making a noise ticking noise, it sounded like a baseball cards in the spokes of a bicycle wheel. It start while I was doing 55 and stopped before I could slow down.
Wednesday It did the same thing but this time didn’t go away while I slowed down for a ramp. As I slowed down the sound changed pitch and sounded like a misfire. It went away before I had a chance to stop somewhere.
Today It did the same thing but continued doing it when I got onto the surface streets. Stopped at a light it sounded like a misfire but the engine was not running rough, it was just as smooth as always.
It does not do this on my way home from work as I never get above 35-40 MPH. It only starts doing it on my way to work when I do 50+.
Looking through my receipts the IP and injectors were replaced about 50K miles ago.
Last weekend I filled it up with B20 for the first time.
I see no leaks around the fuel lines.
The truck starts fine in the morning and runs a little rough for the first 5 or so seconds the smoothes out.
Any ideas what to check?
Truck truck is an ’86 6.9L.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Ladner, British Columbia
A couple of suggestions:
1, When were your rubber return lines, caps and o-rings last replaced? (I.E. how many years ago) The rubber hardens and can cause air leaks into your return system that could explain why the truck runs rough for 5 seconds after starting.
2, Have you used an additive consistently. The new ULSD fuels can really hurt your IP and injectors. I would suggest you try overdoseing on additive for the next 2 to 3 month and see if things improve. (Diesel Kleen, Diesel Tone, Howes, take your pick, I think they all work)
3, Are you buying Biodiesel from a reputable supplier. I have had mixed experience with biodiesel. You definetely don't want to go with too high a blend during cold ambient conditions (i.e. below 30F) B5 should be ok and is generally accepted by most engine manufacturers. B20 could get you into trouble when it gets cold out if the fuel is not properly made, blended, and washed. There are a lot of variables biofuels and cold temperature that are just coming to light recently which can lead to fuel filter filter plugging.
Don't get me wrong, I am all for Biodiesel, it offers a tremendous amount of benefits including excellent lubrication properties for you IP and injectors; however, Given all the variable the safest thing to do is to stick with B5 if temps drop below 30F.
I am currently running B5 in my trucks and will go back to B40 once the weather warm up a little more.
Seb...
1, When were your rubber return lines, caps and o-rings last replaced? (I.E. how many years ago) The rubber hardens and can cause air leaks into your return system that could explain why the truck runs rough for 5 seconds after starting.
2, Have you used an additive consistently. The new ULSD fuels can really hurt your IP and injectors. I would suggest you try overdoseing on additive for the next 2 to 3 month and see if things improve. (Diesel Kleen, Diesel Tone, Howes, take your pick, I think they all work)
3, Are you buying Biodiesel from a reputable supplier. I have had mixed experience with biodiesel. You definetely don't want to go with too high a blend during cold ambient conditions (i.e. below 30F) B5 should be ok and is generally accepted by most engine manufacturers. B20 could get you into trouble when it gets cold out if the fuel is not properly made, blended, and washed. There are a lot of variables biofuels and cold temperature that are just coming to light recently which can lead to fuel filter filter plugging.
Don't get me wrong, I am all for Biodiesel, it offers a tremendous amount of benefits including excellent lubrication properties for you IP and injectors; however, Given all the variable the safest thing to do is to stick with B5 if temps drop below 30F.
I am currently running B5 in my trucks and will go back to B40 once the weather warm up a little more.
Seb...
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Senior User
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1. I replaced the return lines about a month ago. I replaced the filter at the same time.
2. I have not used any additives.
3. The bio I just started running comes from http://whole-energy.com/ From what I can tell they do a good job. How would cold/gelling fuel effect driving? Would it effect all speeds or just highway speeds? The only bio nearby is B20. It has gotten cold enough at night for me to have to scrape my windows before leaving for work at 5am.
I expect to have to replace my filter a few time until the system gets cleaned out.
2. I have not used any additives.
3. The bio I just started running comes from http://whole-energy.com/ From what I can tell they do a good job. How would cold/gelling fuel effect driving? Would it effect all speeds or just highway speeds? The only bio nearby is B20. It has gotten cold enough at night for me to have to scrape my windows before leaving for work at 5am.
I expect to have to replace my filter a few time until the system gets cleaned out.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Ladner, British Columbia
[QUOTE=lumbermansvo] 2. I have not used any additives.
I would recommend you use some additives for the next 2 to three month. Given the age of your IP, injectors, filter you should be ok and what your are experiencing is just a little constipation in your fuel system.
Sounds like your temps are right around the freezing mark so B20 (properly made and blended) should be still ok.
As you mentioned, since you just started running Biodiesel carry a spare filter with you so you can change it if need be. The biodiesel does have that initial effect of cleaning out your entire fuel system including your tanks.
Note sure if your truck has a "Fuel Filter" idiot light that comes on if you got low fuel pressure to the IP. I have one on my 91' F350 and it told me pretty quickly when my filter was plugging up.
Seb.....
I would recommend you use some additives for the next 2 to three month. Given the age of your IP, injectors, filter you should be ok and what your are experiencing is just a little constipation in your fuel system.
Sounds like your temps are right around the freezing mark so B20 (properly made and blended) should be still ok.
As you mentioned, since you just started running Biodiesel carry a spare filter with you so you can change it if need be. The biodiesel does have that initial effect of cleaning out your entire fuel system including your tanks.
Note sure if your truck has a "Fuel Filter" idiot light that comes on if you got low fuel pressure to the IP. I have one on my 91' F350 and it told me pretty quickly when my filter was plugging up.
Seb.....
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
If the fuel is gelled, your filter is plugged with parrafin crystals and the engine is not running.
I severe cases, the fuel lines are also plugged so changing the fuel filter will not get you going.
When I lived in Colorado while I was driving over the road, on evening I filled up with summer blend fuel, it was 70 degrees.
Ran out to Holcolm Kansas, swapped trailers and started for NYC.
About 12 hours after I left Denver, I pulled into a rest area in Kansas to take a nap, truck and reefer hammering away.
Two hours later I woke up, dead silence and cold in the cab.
The temp outside was 15 degrees and both the truck engine and reefer were gelled up.
I opened the fuel tank, and there were chunks of parrafin floating around in the fuel tank that looked like icebergs.
Trucks were dying and dropping like flies.
Took a service truck 18 hours to get to me, and about 4 hours with a torpedo heater running under the tractor to get it started.
He had been out starting trucks for 24 hours when he got to me.
That was back in the late 70's, way before blended fuel and all the modern addatives to stop gelling.
As I said in another thread tonight, we only had gasoline to add to the fuel back then most of the time, kerosene every once in a while and sometimes #1 diesel at a few truck stops.
I severe cases, the fuel lines are also plugged so changing the fuel filter will not get you going.
When I lived in Colorado while I was driving over the road, on evening I filled up with summer blend fuel, it was 70 degrees.
Ran out to Holcolm Kansas, swapped trailers and started for NYC.
About 12 hours after I left Denver, I pulled into a rest area in Kansas to take a nap, truck and reefer hammering away.
Two hours later I woke up, dead silence and cold in the cab.
The temp outside was 15 degrees and both the truck engine and reefer were gelled up.
I opened the fuel tank, and there were chunks of parrafin floating around in the fuel tank that looked like icebergs.
Trucks were dying and dropping like flies.
Took a service truck 18 hours to get to me, and about 4 hours with a torpedo heater running under the tractor to get it started.
He had been out starting trucks for 24 hours when he got to me.
That was back in the late 70's, way before blended fuel and all the modern addatives to stop gelling.
As I said in another thread tonight, we only had gasoline to add to the fuel back then most of the time, kerosene every once in a while and sometimes #1 diesel at a few truck stops.
