Knock, knock...

[sailor2000]

OK... I was a diesel mechanic (good lord) 30+ years ago, and THINK I know what a diesel sounds like... but.... should there be a 'bit' of a knocking sound at idle? Some diesels normally do (like a sledge hammer on a block of wood) and some diesels normally don't and are loud but free of any knock..... and this is my first experience with the multifuel engine.....

 

[m-35tom]

the multifuel engine is direct injection with no prechamber but with a twist. normally engines with a prechamber are noisier having a fuel knock., the multi has no prechamber, but has a cavity in the top of the piston. some fuel starts to burn right away and some goes onto the surface of the chamber (like a small cup) and burns as the piston goes down on power stroke. this makes it a much quieter engine, but it is still a diesel so some small fuel knock. best to compare yours side by side with another.

 

[CanonNinja]

Give me a shout this weekend.. I"ll drag mine back out of storage and we'll cruise out to Kemah or something ridiculous to compare the engine sounds... I was in the same boat, and got the OK from Ken this weekend, no abnormal knocking here

 

[sailor2000]

It is also about 2 qts above full on the oil and has hot idle oil pressure of about 15... have e-mailed the former owner who had just changed the oil a few weeks ago to see if he over filled or am I 'making' oil... Won't be moving til I get that answer...

 

[Stretch44875]

I too was concerned about a idle knock on my deuce. Took a piece of hose and checked all over the engine, dang if I could find it. Then at Haspin last year and this year, I was able to compare it side by side with other deuces. Every truck that I listened closely to had the same small knock at idle.
Also I was concerned about oil pressure, seemed like my idle pressure was the same hot or cold, and then the gauge started to read 30 psi no matter what. Put a mechanical gauge on the oil sampling port(next to the oil filters), and got 45 psi at idle, and 60-90 psi at higher rpm's(oil was hot). Much relieved to see those numbers.

Dennis

 

[sailor2000]

I have oil pressure of 30-40 cold idle, 30 running, 15 hot idle.... and 'may' be 'making' oil... I have only had the beast for a week... so have no baseline... and do not remember the oil level, other than being OK before I started the 60 mile run home.... have e-mailed the seller for some baseline data.... we shall see...

 

[sailor2000]

Will be doing the mechanical gauge check this weekend... where to put it and what size??? Thanks!!

 

[jasonjc]

Keep in mind that you need to check oil about 1-2 minutes after shut down. If you check it cold it will show over full.

 

[sailor2000]

I checked it 'pre-start' after it had been sitting a week or so... X owner says shoud be 'full' after 1 to 2 min shutdown and 15 psi hot idle has been normal for his 1500 miles...

 

[littlebob]

Glad to hear someone else has the same pressure at idle.I only ran mine a few hours before taking it apart to change the cab, but I had simalr readings before I did.

 

[cranetruck]

Take a sample of the oil and have it analyzed (NAPA, Catepillar kits for example).
I have had a small knock for a couple of years, but was aggrevated by a fuel leak into the engine oil, which reduced the viscosity and oil pressure and caused accelerated bearing wear, all which showed up on the analysyis report.
There is a separate thread on this, got the oilpan gasket on hand so it's just a matter of time until the investigation of the bearing knock can continue.

Learning as I go....

 

[sailor2000]

What size connection for the temporary oil pressure gauge and where best to install it?

 

[ken]

There is a oil fitting on the pass side of the engine. If you look above the starter you will see the 1/8 NPT connection where the original sending unit is.Install your guage there. What side of houston are you on? I'm on the north east side. If you like i could have a listen and see if it's different than any of mine. Also smell the oil on the dipshick. And see if it smells like diesel. Mabye your FDC is leaking and bringing up the level.

 

[FSBruva]

sailor-

There's a reason the capacities dataplate says the engine has 20 quarts of oil, 22 with filters. You SHOULD be 2 quarts high if you check your oil on a cold engine. Also, wierd pressures can also be attributed to mis-matched senders and guages.

Matt

 

[sailor2000]

... Put a mechanical gauge on the oil sampling port(next to the oil filters), ...
Dennis

Oil sampling port??? Where is that?????

 

[cranetruck]

....
Oil sampling port??? Where is that?????

This should help.

 

[WillWagner]

[quote="ken". Also smell the oil on the dipshick. And see if it smells like diesel. Mabye your FDC is leaking and bringing up the level.[/quote]
Another thing you can do is taste it. Yeah, yeah, I know, you're not supposed to eat the stuff, but, if there is ANY fuel in it, you'll know. Non diluted tastes bitter, dilluted tastes just like it smells..like diesel. Another clue is, put a drop on your fingertip when cold. If the oil runs into the grooves of your fingerprints after 15 seconds or so, it's dilluted. If it just sits there like a drop, it's not. Sorry, I'm old school.

 

[cranetruck]

...... Sorry, I'm old school.

The best kind.

 

[sailor2000]

So that would also be the place (duh) to get an oil ample for analysis?? Cool!

 

[sailor2000]

Well... the saga continues... The oil does not feel diluted or smell like diesel... got a generic pressure gauge and connected it to the sample port... started up (cold, or what passes for cold in Houston, about 90) and had about 40-45 on the generic gauge, 30 onthe gauge in the dash... felt better.... warmed it up and ran around the block and got up to temperature... popped the hood.. gauge in cab says 20, generic gauge says 10 to 12... now feeling worse...

Am feeling better about the knock noise... doesnt sound very metalic and goes away when I rev the engine a bit...

But am getting more nervous about the oil pressure....

What is the correct idle RPM? Am idling about 600 RPM... and am still wondering if that 15w40 oil may be part of the problem....