Engine knocking LDS-456

[Oerthedge21]

Well that sure does suck. After I pick up a car this weekend I guess I'm gonna tear the heads off this hings and see just what happened

 

[cattlerepairman]

The in-cab video has great sound. I can hear the knock. Darn it. No easy fix with a couple Viton O-rings.

A few things to consider.

• You can pull the heads, identify the damaged piston and liner, replace and button it up. And hope that was all there was to it. You will spend 350-500 bucks in piston, liner, gaskets and stuff.
• You can do an in-frame refresh. Lift the front up on the frame (to get more clearance between axle and oil pan), heads off, oil pan off and you can get liners and pistons out. Liner and piston (NOS) sets you back $150 per hole (super cheap by diesel engine standards). If one liner grenaded, I'd be inclined to replace them all. A set of new main bearings (why...because you are in there) is about $80. Gasket set is around $250, new style head gaskets 2 x $80. It does add up. About $ 1500 - 2k with miscellaneous small stuff, like planing the heads, maybe a set of upgraded 12-point connecting rod bolts, odds and ends.

I did rebuild my LDS because I wanted to do it. It did not make any "economic" sense. I agree with Jeepsinker.

• You can get a good running takeout for half (or less) of what a rebuild costs you. The only time spent is getting the new motor, lifting the old donk out and putting the new one in.

If you believe in "life-lemons-lemonade" - now is the time to upgrade to a good running LDS from a 5ton and enjoy 80 or so extra ponies. And a power steering upgrade is sooo convenient to do when the engine is out (if I had been smarter, that is).

 

[Oerthedge21]

Ive looked around and there's not much for takeouts around here. Plus, it would be easier for me to rebuild it than lift that massive thing out and set in another with the limited tools and equipment I have on hand. Plus I enjoy that kinda stuff so I see it as more of a fun learning opportunity than a chore. And my truck has the LDS, right in the title lmao. It also has the air assist kit so PS isnt too high on my list. That and a few other upgrades, so in my eyes it's worth saving. If it was a bone stock truck I very likely would've posted it for sale the moment I realized the kinda bad news that knock means.

 

[Jeepsinker]

You would be money ahead looking into a Cummins swap. I have a complete video guide if you are interested. It will be more expensive than rebuilding your multifuel, but you won't be doing it again in 20,000 miles.

 

[Oerthedge21]

I've been watching your series on it. It's a cool idea but again, that much fabrication and work isn't something I'd b able to do with the space and supplies I have available. Plus this truck is more of a toy, I highly doubt I'll put enough miles on it to have to rebuild it for a very long time, if ever again

 

[cattlerepairman]

LOL @ LDS. Yes, It was a little late when I wrote that

 

[Oerthedge21]

I started pulling parts off yesterday, got a bunch of the intake piping and stuff off. I'll keep the thread updated on my progress and what I find when the heads come off

 

[Oerthedge21]

Picked up a car this weekend and finally got some spare time to get to work on the truck. I ordered an injector that I'm going to make a compression tester out of, in the meantime I've been stripping the topend down, since even if the pistons are somehow all good, it needs head gaskets since they both leak oil. Anyhow, I got the front valve cover off and in playing with the rockers I found this. That's way too loose right? And is there any way I can hope against hope that maybe one of these is so loose it was making that noise? Or would it just be a nasty valve tick? I'll keep tearing it down, and get a video up when I get the rear valve cover off as well.
https://youtu.be/jl0YXobwUaI

 

[cattlerepairman]

No, I don't think that is your problem. The valves do need adjusting, though.

 

[davidb56]

other things can cause a knock too. diesel fuel injector causing a engine knocking sound

 

[davidb56]

it wouldn't hurt to have the injectors tested while they are on your bench.

 

[Oerthedge21]

I'm going to, a friend of mine said he can get t done at a shop he works at.

 

[Oerthedge21]

Got all the injectors out today, working on oulli g the manifolds off right now. Noticed 2 things with the injectors though. #2 seems like it's the bad cylinder, injector tip has a large mass on it that looks very much like aluminium bits. Also, #1 injector is a 2 holes, all others seem to be 1 hole although I haven't taken a closer look yet, more focused on trying to get the head ready for removal since the weather here is gonna be gorgeous this weekend. I'll post up some pics later

 

[Oerthedge21]

Close to getting the front head off. Took up a bunch of time running around picking up lunch and supplies. Ran into the issue of the side head nuts behind the oil cooler. Was able to string my way through threads compiled by cattlerepairman (thank you) and built my own tool. Didn't have a 7/8 crowsfoot so I cut the bottom part off a socket and welded it to an extension. I was sure it would break but it worked great and used maybe 10$ worth of tools.

 

[Oerthedge21]

Well I think we found the problem. No hole, but the #2 crater has been melted into just that, a crater with no lip or swirl path

 

[cattlerepairman]

We have some good experts here on the site but metinks a dripping injector might do that!

Now it's decision time how far you want to get into it....1 piston, rings and liner.....or 6 pistons, rings and liners....and mains...and rod bearings...decisions, decisions.
I do recommend the 12 point connecting rod bolts, though. I sourced them from a tractor place el cheapo...The White 2-155 and 2-135 are the LDS and LDT equivalent engines and some parts are interchangeable.
Not affiliated, but the price seems good: https://www.agkits.com/hercules-478-diesel-connecting-rod-bolt-40-1091706.aspx
I've seen them go for double that.
The tractor main and rod bearing sets also work for the LDS. Tractorjoe.com is another source.

 

[Oerthedge21]

Im going to inspect everything more closely once the pan is off, but I'm likely going to do the one bad cylinder and theupgraded rod bolts. That engine was overhauled and dropped in in 89 and doesn't have a whole lot of hours on it so most of the other components should still be in good shape. I gotta replace the seat switch in my car today so that I can finally drive it comfortably, after that I'm gonna try to get the oil pan off the truck and knock that piston out

 

[davidb56]

We have some good experts here on the site but metinks a dripping injector might do that!

Now it's decision time how far you want to get into it....1 piston, rings and liner.....or 6 pistons, rings and liners....and mains...and rod bearings...decisions, decisions.
I do recommend the 12 point connecting rod bolts, though. I sourced them from a tractor place el cheapo...The White 2-155 and 2-135 are the LDS and LDT equivalent engines and some parts are interchangeable.
Not affiliated, but the price seems good: https://www.agkits.com/hercules-478-diesel-connecting-rod-bolt-40-1091706.aspx
I've seen them go for double that.
The tractor main and rod bearing sets also work for the LDS. Tractorjoe.com is another source.

Agree on the injector. often it will make a knocking noise and unfortunately excessive fuel will wipe the liner out along with the piston. Happened on a friend's cummins 5.9.

 

[Oerthedge21]

It wouldn't surprise me if that injectors bad, like I said somebody slapped a 2 hole in the #1 cylinder while the rest are 1 hole so there probably a mixed set of random injectors

 

[frank8003]

a multifuel does not have liners but a LDS does?