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6.0 ENGINE KNOCKING

97K views 126 replies 21 participants last post by  Hydro 
#1 ·
First, thanks for any help or advise in advance.
I have a 2006 f350 harley 6.0, 140kms,arp studs,egr delete,predator tuner(on tow only,40 hp)studs and delete kit was done at dealer 3000 kms ago.just run out of warranty on the 22nd of July.
First,truck runs perfect but has a knocking noise after engine gets up to temp.
truck idles fine with a very little popping noise kind of driverside by firewall.
When towing or while truck is hot under light acceleration there is a knocking noise on the driver-side,just after the injectors start to open(idle no knocking noise)went 400kms(with trailer) and was knocking quite loud under stop and go traffic.sounds like one cylinder and is consistent with rpm's.
I think it is a injector but no codes on my scanner and the truck runs perfect(except noise)16 mpg towing with trailer.

symptoms=first start up even 35 deg days white haze coming out of exhaust,smells like unburnt diesel(burns eyes).until warmed up,then no smoke.
knocking noise most noticeable under light acceleration.
when i restart in the morning the noise is almost gone again until engine reaches normal temp and does it again.has been doing this for 5000kms,dealer says it is normal but i don't think so.they should come on vacation with me and here it(lol)they say it does not do it for them.
PLEASE HELP WITH AND ADVISE.
Sorry for the long explanation but tried to give all the truck details and symptoms.
thanks
 
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#37 ·
Kind of a update but not a solution yet,i am now hearing the noise a little louder now that the weather is getting colder,about 3-6 degrees Celsius the truck is still running the same but the noise is definitely louder.I have tried 3 different code readers and there are no codes at all except the egr(it's deleted)i tried different hp tunes on my programmer and the only thing is, that the higher the hp tune i put in,the engine noise idling is quieter as the power goes up,but there is a kind of popping noise right in front of the radiator driver side.i opened up the air box and listened to the engine and it is definitely not the same noise,just turbo whistle and some engine echo's from the diesel rattle.I have put the truck back to original program and the noise driving is still the same.when i put the truck in netural and rev it up the engine sounds tight,cannot make it make the same sound.when i put the truck in gear and hold the brakes and power it up i still cannot get it to make the same noise as when driving..i use diesel kleen and cetane booster but does not help.Have 2 bottles of rev-x in it,checked the oil filter for metal partials(none)blue spring upgrade,no help.tuned and not,the same thing.
Question on the blow by on the oil filler cap while running,there is whitish smoke coming out dosent smell bad,but how much should it steam or smoke out of it?engine was warm.i took it off to see if the noise would get louder or not,(no different noises)oil dipstick is clean no frothing or milking..ARRRHHH
probably have to get the dealer to scan it.Don't know,driving me nuts.
 
#39 ·
put fresh coolant in the truck and use thicker oil. try the unplugging of the injectors one at a time. if you really do have a noise its either injectors/injector or a bad wire on the injector harness or ficm. i can pretty much bet you are just paranoid as most of the 6.0 PSD owners are.
 
#40 ·
Just went through my last service at the dealer when the h/g's were done(with studs)egr delete,and at that time the oil was changed(ford 10w30)and the coolant was changed too,the oil cooler was done at the same time,they put on a new turbo,vanes were sticking,this was all 8000kms ago.what else can i check?
I am going to buy a scan gaugeII today and watch the injectors and the ficm while driving.(the injectors are a new program for the scan gauges)

Last night while driving to pick up a bed for my son,the truck started knocking real hard and loud,it was not missing or sputtering,so i pulled over and shut the truck down and checked the oil and coolant(both ok)started it back up and the knock was almost all gone,still can hear a little bit of it but nowhere near as bad as before.I started the truck this morning and most of all the noise is gone again,so i drove it to work and just back to the same annoying noise as before(not the hard knocking)the one in the vid...any more help,this thing is starting to scare me with the funny noises it is starting to make..
 
#41 ·
I thought my new FICM fixed it but it didnt. The knock is back. Sounds like I have a sewing machine running under my truck.
 
#42 ·
that is a awesome description of the noise..
Just got a scan gauge last night and first things i set up and checked were:
ficm voltage lowest was 47.5v and the highest was 48.5
eot was 187
ect was 182
truck voltage was 12.5v on start up and 13.6 driving
i also installed all the injector misfires codes and not one of them misfired on the drive to work.
i am going to put in the icp program and see where the psi sits tonight on the drive home.

One other thing is that if i do not let the truck warm up a bit in the morning and after work and drive it immediately i can here a pinging noise until the truck warms up?any comment on this?
 
#43 ·
I had black smoke, then blue smoke and a knock on drivers side. Solved that problem by not shutting it down and trying to nurse it home. No smoke, no noise and no start now. Heard that the injectors on the 03's and O4's break off. Should have it torn down tomorrow and will update.
 
#44 ·
Could it be that the h/g's were done and the thickness of the ones that were in it are different that the ones that replaced them?if the gaskets were thicker than the pushrods would(poss)become a little loose?i know that the lifters should take it up but,just throwing out some different ideas.
Has anybody else got this knocking noise after h/g's?
 
#45 ·
I am sure that is not the problem, in fact this is the only thing that has not gone wrong with a 100% stock motor. But I am sure it is coming. I think what I heard was the #8 tip of injector bouncing around. Took that out and it is broke right off (account for metal in oil filter). It will be cold here in wonderful White River, ON soon so this project of pulling the head off is a spring time job. This is the worst vehicle I have ever bought. Check out my site CHRYSLEROUTBOARDS and click on the "Diesel" button. Norm
 
#48 ·
Not to be mean but I read the stuff on your website and I could not stop laughing. The way you tell the stories is flat out hilarious sucks that your truck blows worse than anyone else's. Im pretty sure mine was made in kentuckey and it runs like a top ( I hope I'm not jinxing myself ) but I hope your luck turns around.
 
#46 ·
Just changed my oil to rotilla t6 5w40 full synthetic and what a world of difference in engine noise.Most of the knocking and tapping noise is gone now.i was running the factory oil after the h/g's and the noise kept getting worse every week,now the truck is much quieter and most of the hard knocking is gone even on light acceleration.(still some noise left but could be the normal diesel knock though)
I will keep driving it for a while and see if the noise comes back or more of the noise goes away.
Clay
 
#49 ·
Well,an update on the knocking of my engine(first i have had 3 6.0 diesels and none of them ever made this kind of noise)(and my truck does not blow MYTRACTORSEXY)just wanting to give as much info on the problem hoping for some accurate info to finding and repairing my truck.
Now for some of the update,finally took the truck to ford for a relative compression test and a balance and contribution tests.and comes back as this.
on the power balance #5 and #8 injectors are reading higher than all the others(probably leaking injector nozzles)when these injectors were turned off the knocking stopped all together.
on the relative compression test it showed that (#4 is 6%--#6 is 4%--#1 is 4% and #8 is 3%)
15,000 kms ago this same test showed #6 at 2% all others 0% with 2 bad injectors.

Having a manual compression test done friday to confirm compression.
The tech thinks that the the 2 injectors(5-8)that are running fast,have the the other injectors slowing down and compensating for the other faster ones.thats why he wants to do a manual compression test.
What do you guys think on the techs therory????
Will find out friday and both injectors will be changed,but a little worried about the low relative compression test..Please feel free to give me any info that would help..
thanks clay
 
#50 · (Edited)
Number 1 injector killer in my opinion is low fuel pressure. If you have not already this is a great time to check fuel pressure and. Change filters etc the other killer is related, a leaking combustion seal will allow combustion gases into the fuel rail. The gases are dirty and the gas pocket has the same effect as low pressure
 
#51 ·
:popcorn2:...
 
#52 ·
I put the blue spring upgrade in it after the noise started and there is no noticable difference.the fuel filters were changed 7000 kms ago,but am doing soon..
does it sound like the other cylinders a trying to compensate for the 2 faster injectors,and balance out the motor.(on last test 10,000kms ago fuel pressure was good at 61 psi as shown on the work order and the noise was alredy there)I think the previous owner was running farm fuel and there was too much water and dirt in it and damaged the injectors??
 
#53 ·
So got the conclusion on what is going on with my P.O.S truck..
Seems that the engine was dusted before i bought it.
on the manual compression test showed
1-2 cylinder 340 psi
3-4 330psi
5-6 310-320
7-8 300

I was told that the previous dealer knew the engine was dusted when the H/G's were done and said nothing...AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHH
Now i have no warranty and a dusted engine...
the tech suggested that i not replace the #5-#8 injectors and just continue to drive it until the engine gives me a reason to do something to it...He also said that the batteries were not the best condition and the numbers may slightly be off.....
But to a positive note,the engine does not burn engine oil,have to much blow-by,or the valves are not leaking...so other than being slightly under powered,i thing i will just keep driving it..
Still starts great,runs good(doesn't miss while driving)maybe it is what it is.
if you put lipstick on a pig it is still a pig....lol lol lol

thanks for all your advised on the matter..
regards clay
 
#59 ·
ok depending where you are they change but at sea level it should be 389 to 390 psi so yes that motor is dusted bad! if you have proof they new it and just sold it that way you have a case!!
 
#54 ·
Did he say what spec compression numbers are? Over all the numbers are fairly even esp if the batteries were weak. Compression testing has to be done with good batteries to be accurate. Those last cylinders dripping down could.just be a sign of the batteries fading.
 
#55 ·
yes those were the specific numbers on the test.
and i also believe that #7-#8 numbers are because of the batteries.
How is it possible to have all cylinders go from 340 psi and continue dropping all the way back to 300 on the last 2,fairly evenly?
clay
 
#56 ·
the other thing that can really throw off a compression test is if the engine is not fully warm. had 1 years ago it was only half warm the numbers were all over the place 20-35% variation. had a bad knock that turned out to be a collapsed lifter, never found any reason for low comp. put it back together, got it fully warm retested the numbers were well within 5%
 
#58 ·
Mine doesn't really knock so much as it does vibrate while idling. Sometimes while I'm at a stoplight mine vibrates really violently and I really don't know what's causing this. I've had all 8 injectors replace and this is quite stupid of me but I can't remember if it vibrated before it was done or not. But it is now.
 
#60 ·
Hey guys,
I have a 2004 f350 super duty 6.0 diesel truck.
I noticed that the cap on the degas bottle would not screw on right and I had a weird smell in the cab. I thought that maybe the antifreeze was coming out the cap and onto the engine. So I ordered a new bottle. When I went to install it, I pulled the lower y hose off and saw brown, oily water coming out of the bottle and hose. It looks like oil has been mixing in the coolant. The antifreeze smells like oil. The truck has plenty of power and runs great. I suspect maybe the oil cooler might be mixing the two. I inquired the problem with a shop here in vineland nj and they say it could be the head gaskets. Any thoughts? I work on minor stuff on cars but I know nothing about diesel engines.
 
#61 ·
Since there are no oil passages from the Block to the Head. It's simply cannot be the head gaskets. Don't ever go back to any shop that even suggests that. They obviously don't know the first thing about a 6.0. A cracked head, can result in fuel in the coolant. About the only place that oil can get into the coolant though is a bad oil cooler. It's a fairly in-depth job but nothing that can't be done in your driveway with hand tools. The big hassle is getting it fully flushed afterwards. I did mine a few years ago, and about a week later had a scare when I found about 1/4 teaspoon of oil in the coolant reservoir again. Just about pooped myself thinking I had screwed something up and the job had gone bad. Took it to a mechanical shop to check my work, he reflushed it and it was good ever since then. After you have the cooler changed out, use straight water and a tab of dishwasher soap, run it for 15-20 minutes including the heater on, drain it do it again and then flush until you have clean water drain about half the water and then add straight antifreeze of an appropriate type
 
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