I have worked on her the whole time I have owned her-15 years-maintenance mods etc. Due work and family no longer have the time.
I took her in to our fleet service shop (where only the owner works on my girl) for smoking and rough idle on start- I smoked out the neighbor the other morning and had to fix it.
When I called to check on her I was told she now starts like a champ with no smoke but has a lifter tapping. I was told to run her and could not bring myself to do it very far.
Sorry I had to give back ground.
I took it back and he pulled out the lifter and tested it. Reinstalled and now no tap at idle(that I can hear- he says he can hear it). Take it for a drive and she taps like a broadway musical on one lifter.
Any thoughts?
Before you pound the mechanic- he knows diesel and owns a 6.5 and is a friend. We both need a little help.

Maybe its an injector ticking. May just be a coincidence that he took out and put one lifter back in and it changed the sound. These engines also have a problem with some kind of plastic rocker retainer or something like that that breaks. I have never had to open mine up so i am not sure exactly what it is that they are in reference to. Someone else will chime in I'm sure.

It could still be the lifter,you should take them all out on that bank and take them apart and clean them thouroughly.[dont lose the little clip in the top]There is a thingemedjing in the bottom with a ball and spring [sealed unit]A little carbon buildup on the seat or a weak spring is usually the problem. It may work fine when tested in a can of oil, but not when the engine is running.

He removed the lifter cleaned and reinstalled. It helped to where at idle it was not noticeable. If the lifter requires replacement fine. Just that it did not do this prior to the injection pump relacement- any one think we are looking in the wrong direction?
Thanks

what exactly has been done to your engine by your friend in regard to rough idle and the smoking issue.

I would look closely at both the injectors and lifters:

1. Sticky injectors have been known to make a tapping sound like a lifter.
2. Check over the plastic button, that is what locates the lifter on the shaft and they have been known to fail

I had hard starting- missing badly. Lots of smoke for 5-10 seconds. The miss clears up and so does the smoke. I will confirm the codes with him. After pump- starts like never before and no smoke. He is using a scan tool to shut off the injector with no diff. in tapping. I am beyond my expertise. I am a refer mechanic with not enough time in the heart of a 6.5. I will see if I can get him to join the thread.

He is shutting the injector off with a scan tool??? These are not electronically controlled injectors, they pop when enough pressure builds. So I don't think that is what he is doing.

Did he perchance happen to drop something hard like a small screw like the little one that is used on the injector line clamp in the injector hole,that found its way in the combustion chamber. something like that gets quikly embedded in the piston without doing real damage if it did not hit a valve, but still interfering with the head.
What about glow plugs,did he change them,did they come out whole?
A little piece of glowplug tip on the piston can cause it too.

He is shutting the injector off with a scan tool??? These are not electronically controlled injectors, they pop when enough pressure builds. So I don't think that is what he is doing.The 94's had electronic IP as well,and you can shut off individual injectors with a scanner

you can shut off each cylinder with a tech 2. It makes the IP stop pumping fuel to whichever cylinder you select.

The 94's had electronic IP as well,and you can shut off individual injectors with a scanner

you can shut off each cylinder with a tech 2. It makes the IP stop pumping fuel to whichever cylinder you select.

Well don't I look stupid........... I guess you learn something every day.

^ dont feel bad ,I have goofed up more times i care to remember.