'98 6.5 Turbo, K2500, 165,000, just did head gaskets 3,000 miles ago and I went to leave my house after driving around and when I started the truck, it had a small tick tick tick. Sounded just like an exhaust leak or a lifter tick. Well, I thought it would go away after it warmed up. BUt it got worse, much worse and i just shut the engine off. I went to go restart it after the tow home and it was doing the same thing. The oil pressure is fine, no change and I saw no metal in the oil. I did run the truck low on fuel and had just filled it up but I had put 100 miles since the fill-up. I need help here, the knock sounds like only one side, drivers side. I am afraid to start it and listen to the motor since it sounds like a nasty rod knock. Let me know sumptin here guys. I am in need of knowledge. Thanks:help:

Not to sure here, I'm still a newbie to the workings of these trucks. Do you recall any smoke (color)? That may help to diagnose. Don't think a clogged fuel filter or faulty lift pump would do that. Does the truck throw any codes? A code reader may help if check engine light comes on.

No codes. Went to dealer and they said that the injectors would be the problem. I went ahead and loosened each line one by one and listened for the sound to go away and nothing happened except the idle dropping due to fuel loss. I went the next step and took all the injectors out and dissasembled each of them. There were about three that were stuck with carbon and I used carb cleaner and a fine 3M scotchbrite pad to clean them. Put them all back in and still the same thing, knock, knock, knock. I am at a loss to what it is. I am hopping there is someoneout there that knows. I also hope the internals are OK, I just had the motor apart for the heads 3 months ago and everything was fine inside.

Well, now you've got me more stumped. When I asked about it smoking I was getting at injectors. Just didn't want to jump to any conclusions to quickly. But now your describing that all the injectors seem to be in good working order. Are they the originals? I am assuming so. Did this ticking/knocking give any indication of starting up before, even just a little? My next "guess" would be the injection pump/timing. Need someone who knows their stuff a bit more to confirm that.

I am getting ready to pull the top of the motor apart. I am at witts end. I am ready to pull the plug on this thing and put in a 350 gasser. I have just put a lot of time into the motor and it just seems to give me problem after problem. But there is a lot of smoke, white smoke at start up.:confused: I need help, PLEASE?

Contact Kennedy at kennedy diesel performance....he knows quit a bit about these motors.

Well, everyone I have talked to was wrong. Took compression test and it was like 330, 300, 25, 310!!! #5 piston was found to be broken after removing the cylinder head. The knock was actually a "knock" and the piston is broken at the oil retention ring, having the wrist pin bore snaped right off the bottom. The connecting rod is loose too with the rod journal more than likely shot on the crank. So, I am screwed. Time to look for a short block. Anyone out th ere looking to donate a short block to a 21 year old mechanical engineer-student struggling through college? :smashfrea

ouch. Didn't see that one coming. Sorry we couldn't be of any more help. I feel your pain with the college thing. I happen to be first-year engineering myself and looking to get into mechanical. Thank god there is only a month left. I'm going nuts over all the work and crap there is to put up with. Oh well, I just want to get it over with!!

Well, everyone I have talked to was wrong. Took compression test and it was like 330, 300, 25, 310!!! #5 piston was found to be broken after removing the cylinder head. The knock was actually a "knock" and the piston is broken at the oil retention ring, having the wrist pin bore snaped right off the bottom. The connecting rod is loose too with the rod journal more than likely shot on the crank. So, I am screwed. Time to look for a short block. Anyone out th ere looking to donate a short block to a 21 year old mechanical engineer-student struggling through college? :smashfreaPull the crank and measure the wear, iirc there's .060" over bearings out there for rod journal.
A used crank could be found for ~$100. look on the auction site.