Debate: Should you tear down a motor to find a ticking noise or run it until it blows? I spent 14 hours chasing an injector tick on a 7.3 Powerstroke

So I had this 2002 F-350 come in last week with a ticking noise that sounded like a lifter going bad. I spent a whole Saturday pulling valve covers, checking pushrods, even swapped a rocker arm. Fourteen hours later I'm about to give up when I notice the number 8 injector's o-ring was just barely leaking combustion past the copper washer. Two hours of actual work and it was fixed. But here's the thing, part of me thinks I wasted a day when I could have just ran it hot and let it tell me where the problem was. The other half says a thorough inspection is always better than guessing. I know some guys that just throw parts at stuff until it shuts up, but that gets expensive fast. What's your approach when you got a noise that could be three different things? You tear it all the way down or take a gamble on what you think it is first?

3 comments

3 Comments

michaeld4817d ago

You wasted a day" - wouldn't you rather know for sure than guess though?

sage_green17d ago

Ha, reminds me of the time I spent three hours trying to find my keys and they were in my hand the whole time.

jakejones17d ago

I used to think like michaeld48, always wanting to know for sure rather than guessing. But that lost key story changed my mind because sometimes guessing is faster and saves you a lot of pointless stress. It's just not worth tearing your hair out when you could be two steps ahead instead.