Sorry for the crappy video but it at least has good sound. If you cant tell I am recording this from the intake tube off of the stock air box. The noise I am refering to is the repetitive thumping noise. At idle I can hear it inside the cab but I dont notice it driving down the road. I just got this truck and I dont know a whole lot about diesels although I know my way around a gasoline engine pretty well. Is this a normal noise and I'm just being overly worried about the truck i just bought or is all hell about to break lose? http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v362/joepinder/?action=view&current=IMG_0200.mp4

John, now you are scaring me. I first noticed the thumping in mine 9 years ago when i swaapped out to a K&N(easy guys its gone now). It was still making the noise when I swapped to the BHAF. It is a little more noticeable with the BHAF than the K&N. The sound has been constant thru the years and I have never given any thought to being any thing wrong. I take it the noise went away after rebuilding the head?

John, now you are scaring me. I first noticed the thumping in mine 9 years ago when i swaapped out to a K&N(easy guys its gone now). It was still making the noise when I swapped to the BHAF. It is a little more noticeable with the BHAF than the K&N. The sound has been constant thru the years and I have never given any thought to being any thing wrong. I take it the noise went away after rebuilding the head?

Correct now its gone. Remember two important things 1) I am not a mechanic 2) I am trying to give my thoughts based on a video sound Having said that - the sound is identical. Kinda sounded more like a heavy "ticking" from in the cab but as soon as you put your ear to the CAI filter its more like a thud. So can only tell you what happened on mine and what the fix was. Cost me around $1000 with head work and new valves and labor and head gasket from meory. Wish I had upgraded my springs and headtsuds at that time. I dont know how serious it was/is - but I trusted my mechanic (I had to drive 1.5 hours each way to see him) and he diagnosed straight away. When I came back it was fixed. I have no idea if valves could get so badly damaged they fell into the piston - but I dont see why not if they are damaged. Id say take the truck to a trusted diesel mechanic and ask them if it could be burned/damaged valves or valve seats. I remmeber W&F saying in some years there are no valve seats or something.

Correct now its gone. Remember two important things 1) I am not a mechanic 2) I am trying to give my thoughts based on a video sound Having said that - the sound is identical. Kinda sounded more like a heavy "ticking" from in the cab but as soon as you put your ear to the CAI filter its more like a thud. So can only tell you what happened on mine and what the fix was. Cost me around $1000 with head work and new valves and labor and head gasket from meory. Wish I had upgraded my springs and headtsuds at that time. I dont know how serious it was/is - but I trusted my mechanic (I had to drive 1.5 hours each way to see him) and he diagnosed straight away. When I came back it was fixed. I have no idea if valves could get so badly damaged they fell into the piston - but I dont see why not if they are damaged. Id say take the truck to a trusted diesel mechanic and ask them if it could be burned/damaged valves or valve seats. I remmeber W&F saying in some years there are no valve seats or something.

I appreciate what you are saying and dont plan to run out and have my head pulled. I think after 9 years of knowing to sound is there and apparently no ill effects, I am going to live with it for 9 more.

Dang, I was hoping no one would say anything like that. I was hoping for something more along the lines of "thats the sound the super ulta mega high output motor makes, those are rare, youre a lucky sob." Well, I really hope this is not my problem. Right now I'm suspecting (hoping) it's my water pump. The pulley seems to have some play in it. I'm gonna replace it as soon as I have a chance and pray that cures the sound. I'm not scared to pull the head and inspect it but I just dont have the cash right now to deal with it.

excellent walkthough on valve lash adjustment took my truck to school and had some people look at it that was the first thing they suggested i do but most of them thought its a valve near the passenger side rear going to have to take it in and have them help me look when I get back to school from military training. If I have to do a rebuild is there recommendations as far as what I should replace while I'm at it the truck has 180k seems to run fine and gets between 22-26 mpg on my 50 mile drive to school with a mix of highway/city traffic into denver as far as I know the truck is stock but im sure it used to have an aftermarket air intake and programmer it has a BD exhaust manifold that looks new.

On one of the other web site for Dodge there was some one that had something about this. I think they said they adj the timing gear for the fuel pump by pulling and changing where the gear set on the shaft it had to much slack. GOOD LUCK Finding it.IT could had been on TDR or Dodge Cummins