Real problem or is it my imagination?

[NYC F-350]

I was reading a post the other day that mentioned something I have noticed since I have owned my truck. BONGOS!!!

At idle with the trans in neutral, I hear nothing out of the ordinary, unless the oil temps are higher than say 190°F or so.
But when it is warmed up and in gear, with your foot on the brake, I hear it, the dreaded 'bongo drum' noise.
It isn't real loud, pretty faint actually, but it is there.
If it is a rocker, what type of damage am I doing (or have done), since it has been this way since I bought the truck a little over 20K miles ago?
Is this indicative of a failed rocker?
How involved is this? Tear off the valve cover or am I going deeper?

Am I being a hypochondriac?

[late_99_PSD]

Hmmmm..... Never heard of this, but if your that concerned with it you can pull the valve covers off and see if anythings up.

[NYC F-350]

Thanks for the reply.
Wellll, I am hoping to avoid that since the garage where I work on this thing is 250 miles away. This is my only ride other than the two wheel variety and can't really afford to have it down long term. So if I am tearing into it, things are getting replaced.

[Evil Eye]

I have never heard nor noticed anything like that. Maybe tomorrow after I get the engine up to temp, I'll have to remember to try that and let you know if mine makes any "bongo" noises.

[NYC F-350]

I will hear it sitting at a red light if the radio is off and there is no other 'in cab' blah blah blah going on.
The truck runs like a top and purrs like a kitten. Nice quiet and smooth.
Ever since I did the BPD install, I have had 0 problems with the engine. Just that I read a post that mentioned that if you hear what could be described as a 'bongo drum' noise, then that would be a lifter problem. Kinda freaked me out when I read that, so I took a ride and sure enough, I can hear it a little.
Oh, and Thank You in advance for the help. I appreciate it.

[HAM_RADIO_MAN]

Do you have a link to that thread? How many miles on the truck?

Now all of use are going to be driving around with the radio off listening to to the best sound around, the purr of a Powerstroke. That was my favorite station anyway.

[Enterko]

I started to hear the same thing after i got my studs put in (3500 miles ago). I think its just me be being paraniod.

I had to replace one exhaust valve, all of the guides, and re- grind all of the valves. I think that the machine shop would have noticed a rocker being bed, if they went through all the valves.

Hopefully this will ease your mind. I certainly feel more comfortable after knowing that you heard the same thing.

[NYC F-350]

Originally Posted by HAM_RADIO_MAN

Do you have a link to that thread? How many miles on the truck?

Now all of use are going to be driving around with the radio off listening to to the best sound around, the purr of a Powerstroke. That was my favorite station anyway.

No, I don't, sorry. The link was about someone that had done his own head gasket/studs recently. He had reassembled everything and it was running fine. Someone else dropped into the thread and said something about "be on the lookout for bongo drum sound" as that would mean he did not get the lifter assembly properly installed.
When I read that my heart sank, and I went out the following day and had to drive from NYC back to Massachusetts, then on to the Seacoast of New Hampshire, then return to NYC that night. I didn't hear the noise at any other time than at idle and sitting at a red light with my foot on the brake. Before I read the description of "bongo," I would have said that it sounds like a pump of some sort.
Like I said, the truck is running strong and quiet.
There is one other thing that I HOPE is not related. From day 1 when I installed my boost gauge, when I stand on the "go pedal" the gauge fluctuates so much that it is difficult to read. My fuel pressure gauge did the same thing, always fluctuating.
I had the FP gauge hooked up direct from the top of the fuel filter canister all the way to the cab. Yes, I have a live fuel pressure gauge in the passenger compartment. It no longer works, having shaken itself into oblivion.

104,500 miles. Bought it back last September, wayyy out in Missouri. Got in it and drove it home knowing absolutely 0 about a Powerstroke.

[NYC F-350]

Originally Posted by Enterko

I started to hear the same thing after i got my studs put in (3500 miles ago). I think its just me be being paraniod.

I had to replace one exhaust valve, all of the guides, and re- grind all of the valves. I think that the machine shop would have noticed a rocker being bed, if they went through all the valves.

Hopefully this will ease your mind. I certainly feel more comfortable after knowing that you heard the same thing.

Thanks, I hope it is just my paranoid mind. Maybe my inner Powerstroke child needs a hug or something.

[HAM_RADIO_MAN]

OK my story. I was calling around looking for a shop that could do some of the work to my 6.0 that I didn’t feel comfortable with. I talked to one guy and after he got done bashing D-MAXs he started on 6.0s and their valve train issues. From what I know the push tubes are very thin and cheap ( $ 11.00 ) . I so when a 6.0 is run at low idle for a long time and wet stacks the valve and it decides not to close properly the piston whacks it and bends a push tube. When a motor gets hydro locked with fuel or coolant 6.0s bend a push tube. When we over rev a 6.0 and float the valves 6.0s bend a push tube. I see a theme here, yep. I also hear that the design with the bridge working 2 valves off of one lifter and push tube is sorta weak and wears easily. I wish there was more discussion of 6.0 valve train issues and performance, but there don’t seam to be many experts on it around. I am glad the push tubes are the weak link I would rather install a bunch of them than have to remove the head for valve work.

After calling around I decided the best guy to work on my PSD was ME . No one will take as much care of your investment as you will.