To listen to engine noises just take a long screwdriver and place the sharp end on the object you want to listen to. Put the end of the handle against your ear, or your ear against the end of the handle. Noises come thru very clearly. BTW, check first that the blunt end of the screwdriver is clean. Dirty engine grease and grime are hard to clean out of ones ear.
asilitch, just to make you feel "better", I use the A/C on my truck every day of the year.

 

Yeah...don't put the pointy end on your ear...you might slip!

 

I just got back from Talking to the Owner of Desert Diesel here in Tucson. His analysis and I agree. The Fan belt needs replacing along with the pulley and idler. The idler is bright shinny like a mirror which says it is probally hanging up. While we are there the water pump will get replaced just because. He also detected a problem with at least one injector. It produces a clattering sound because of raw fuel entering when you back off on the accelerator. Because these items are causing noise that shouldnt be there and are normal maintance items at this mileage we will see weither the tick tick goes away. I am scheduled to get all this stuff fixed on March 30 I will keep you posted on how things go.

 

I sure have been wrong before, but the dope this guy is giving you just doesn't gibe with my experience.

If the idler is hanging up, your belt will squeal enough that you know there is a problem, and will burn through the back side of the belt pretty darn quick.

"raw fuel entering when you back off on the accelerator"

I don't know what that is supposed to mean -- if you have a leaking needle valve, you will get some knock and smoke from that cylinder, but the ONLY thing those injectors ever squirt is raw fuel . . .

At 156k miles, injectors are not a normal maintenance item.

As for swapping turbo housings -- I think there are at least ten guys on this site who have swapped 'em on high milage trucks, and I haven't heard of one, let alone nine, that had any trouble. Swapping the housing makes the turbo spin faster, and increases the drive and compressor pressure, but it isn't like there is anything that has worn in or taken a set that is forced to change by the new housing.

Just my $.02

 

Hey Charles..
Are you talking to a guy named Fred Swanson? I think he owns Desert Diesel Parts.

Merrick

 

To Mcummings.

Probably the two places are side by side in the same Bldg.

 

Asilitch:

The idler hanging was my assesment due to the heavy wear evident. The belt looks to be heavily burnished as well as having several horizontal cracks. I think he meant that the fuel was continuing to be injected after the accelerator said stop. As to servicing the injectors at 156,000 you mean they can't get dirty and misbehave? until they have been run much longer ? In any case this is a good time to kick her up a notch with a little more fuel with a 50 HP injector.

 

Asilitch:

As to the turbo: Turbos get quite hot and get set in their ways Change something and bad things could happen. I don't blame him for not recomending it as he has to guarentee the results. When you do it yourself the results are purely your responsibility. and it won't cost you much but a little sweat.

 

Wait 1 min. define high mileage,150,000 on trucks that have the potential to go 1,000,000.Think about that!

 

Why not just check the stuff first. Just take the belt off, spin the ac pulley, spin the tension pully, and spin the fan hub. If they are all smooth just put the belt back on and run it. The manufacturers say that cracks across the belt are meaningless. Cracks lengthwise mean change it.

 

Hi Charles, I live I Tucson as well and welcome aboard. Well I read your post and and gave it some thought our trucks are intercooled and have a heat shield on the down pipe that is revited on could one or more of your rivits broke and this could be you tic-tic-tic my does this every once in a while and I just live with it. I`ve been over too Desert Diesel a few times and I can`t get by the Hot Blonde reseptionest and the fish tank. Also when the time comes and you want a 4in ex-pipe speak to Kenny over at Exhoust Works there off of Ft. Lowell

 

93w3504x4duelly.

She is HOT alright only she has black hair now If you are refering to the repair dept . . There is snow on my roof but fire in the fernus. Thanks Ill check the shield on the exaust down pipe.

 

I,ve heard the O'l TICK TICK TICK 3 times on my 93 auto 4x4..... you know what it was each time.... a broken Flexplate.. pull the inspection cover and take a look..dont let anything fall into your eye's when you take off.. Good Luck

 

The results are in. When the serpentine belt was removed the idler pully would sing a song of I am almost done. Replaced the belt and the pully as well as the water pump for good measure. Tick tick is gone I am now ready to hit the road for the summer. Sure hope I don't go bankrupt at the diesel pump I paid a $1.91 here in Tucson today.