sludge issues??

[scapmando]

Here's the deal...Posted last April on this board when my truck was out of town doing the wump-wump-wump sound from the intake real bad. Had a small town diesel repair business work on it with the verdict of a collapsed lifter I had them fix (actually, had them replace all lifters). Anyway, they noted there was some significant sludge in the intake area as well as the valley pan they cleaned out. They also inspected all the rockers, springs, and 'push tubes?' and thought overall it looked pretty good except for the unexplained collapsed lifter.

Mind you, when I bought this truck at 90k miles, it had a new replacement engine put in it...therefore, we are talking about a 7.3 with 75k miles on it.

Fast forward to this past weekend...only about 1000 miles have been put on it since the repair and the motor started making some ticking noises that seem to come from the rocker covers and not from injectors, etc. There is also an occasional and slight intake wumping sound again after running the truck warm and restarting.

My question...could I have a residual sludge problem that is causing some plugging in the lifter area? I put a bottle of rislone oil treatment in the oil and ran it for about 80 miles on the highway home. Did a hot oil and filter change and have not run it yet.

Sludge cause? I am theorizing here, but I only put about 5000 miles on this truck a year...it is usually only used by my wife to tow a horse/trailer to my daughters local events and occasional lumber runs by me. It rains a lot here in Oregon and my truck sits outside...I have a Hypermax intake system which pulls air from the windshield cowl box - could I be grabbing moisture from this through my K&N filter as well into my intake and subsequently to the oil?

I realize a drive a diesel and it does make noise but I am in tune with any new sounds and causes a concern for me when my wife, daughter, and a trailer with a horse in it could break down somewhere.

Thanks for your theorys

[cdnsarguy]

The noise from the intake with air cleaner off is usually a slight woof woof or as you say wump wump...... that is the air being drawn into the cylinders. However a loud and sharp woof woof is an indication of a bad intake valve and compression returning to the intake past the valve sealing surface. A sharp chuffing noise at the exhaust pipe is a bad exhaust valve usually..... Valve guides are known to wear on the 7.3 but at around 160K+miles.

Here is a good bit of info re the valve guide wear.........

TheDieselStop.Com - www.thedieselstop.com

What brand of oil are you using...... Rotella 15/40, Delo ???????

[scapmando]

Have always used Delo oil. No noise at the exhaust. The intake noise is not as pronounced as it was with the earlier problem. Therefore, I am thinking it may be some sticking going on. I have not seen one of these lifters in person, but understand they are hydraulically controlled...would gunk moving around in the system clog one of these and fail to appropriately lift an intake valve causing some noise?

[cdnsarguy]

Lifters are hydraulic operated with rollers on the cam end. You could pull the drivers side valve cover and see if oil is exiting the rocker assy....... watch out for the squirting.

An oil pressure test at the sender location with a reliable guage may be usefull...... I used a Snapon kit.......

Start and idle
Idle rpm.....22psi
Highway speed
1000rpm.....30psi
1500rpm.....40psi
2000rpm.....42psi
3000rpm.....50psi

What oil filter do you use..... next time you do oil change check to make sure all the header parts are still installed......ie there is an oil pressure bypass valve and pressure regulating valve....... the oil pressure test should help determine if they are working.

One of the valves is staked in place with an aluminum washer known to fall out so do a close check next oil change.

Check my photo link for oil system pic...... select 60 pics per page/

[scapmando]

CDNSARGUY, reading the archives and searches on lifters, oil, etc, I did come across your past recommendations of ensuring that the bypass parts are still there in the oil filter assembly...They are.

Oil filter? When the repair mechanics replaced oil and filter they used a Fram. Never heard a good thing about that brand. I usually use a Motocraft filter that is for a Powerstroke for the larger capacity of it. I am currenlty putting on a Napa gold.

As far as oil pressure, I have a factory guage. Again, a piece of crap that I probably should change out with the sender and watch the pressure differences.

If the noise repeats again, I will try removing the valve covers to watch them work. Might be messy tho.