After head gasket replacement issues

POORfixwhenbreaks

New member
May 8, 2018
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I recently replaced the head gaskets in my (NEW TO ME) 05 duramax 2500. I now know what to look for when i buy. This is my first diesel so please be patient. I got it all back together. It has All new injectors new seals new left lower valve cover. ARP bolts in heads and exhaust. New glow plugs. I had adjusted the valves to the best of my knowledge (youtube) I had the heads resurfaced and was told i had to adjust the valves. Anyways my issue is when i start it i hear a knocking noise sometimes sounds really bad sometimes not so bad. I am currently not driving it due to the noise. I had originally drove it after the repair and did not hear the noise i hear now. Only difference i can think of is it is a lot colder now then it was when i originally started it. If i try and drive it it idles really rough until i give it a bit of gas but still seems a little shuttery. The guy before me had efi live on it and i know on the later models new injectors could make a similar noise. I am not getting a engine light at all. It does smoke at startup (white) did that right after i fixed it but went away after a few minutes. Wasnt to worried considering what had just been done to it. Could i have adjusted the valves wrong and that is causing this. I need this truck for work but am largely out of money and patience. Does anybody have any ideas? I am suspicios of a passenger side exhaust leak but again didnt have problems when i orginally drove it 12 miles and parked it. I did have coolant leaks but i just got new seals and will replace this week. At a loss of what this could be and just made my 2nd payment.
 

THEFERMANATOR

LEGALLY INSANE
Feb 16, 2009
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Where did you get your new injectors?

What he said. There's alot of "rebuilt" injectors out there that are GARBAGE! And white smoke on startup is also not good and could definately be a sign of bad injectors. Also make sure you're using LLY glow plugs and not LB7's. The dieselrx LLY glow plugs are not correct for an LLY as several have learned the hard way. Only use AC delco glow plugs for an LLY.
 

POORfixwhenbreaks

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May 8, 2018
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Pensacola fuel injection was where i bought them from but wouldn't glow plugs only affect it at start up? Again not a genius when it comes to diesels. Would valves adjusted wrong create constant knocking or could it be intermittent? wouldnt bad injectors throw codes?
 
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Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
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that knock is a fuel knock because of the injectors you bought. Pensicola is well known to sell junk injectors. even when you do finally get the bad ones replaced from them, it will be a short time till they go bad again.
 

THEFERMANATOR

LEGALLY INSANE
Feb 16, 2009
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As has been stated, Pensacola is JUNK! Even there supposed Bosch rebuilds are junkers slapped together. This is1 area you get what you pay for. I would be calling Lincold diesel if it was mine and I didn't feel like hydro locking the engine. And glow plugs can cause white smoke at start up that can take 30-45 seconds to clear up. If you got your glow ugs from them, chances are they're WAP which is dieselrx, and the wrong glow plugs just waiting to leave stranded on a cold morning with a no start.
 

battlegraduate09

Gearhead
Mar 18, 2010
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another vote for LDS. I have bought 4 sets from them for personal and customers trucks and have never once been dissapointed from the initial phone call to the last set i installed.
 

POORfixwhenbreaks

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May 8, 2018
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Looks like i will be looking into the injectors. I will update when i finally get it all fixed. Hopefully that is indeed the issue. It would make me feel better considering i had never done head gaskets before or anything close. But frustrating in the way that i did everything right but tried to save a buck on injectors. I just want my truck back. i only put 130 miles on it since i bought it. Thanks Again Guys
 

POORfixwhenbreaks

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May 8, 2018
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So it has been a while but life got crazy. so i got my injectors back from pensacola diesel and put everything back together as it was before. Now i am just getting a no start and i have been cranking for a long time. i dont know what the issue is. originally had a transmission code when i first tried to start but the truck hasnt moved or ran since and i cleared the code after charging the batteries and it hasnt came back. Dont know if that matters im very close to selling my house so i can pay the dealer to fix it. This was supposed to be my work truck not lawn ornament. i have no idea whats wrong and im hoping pensacola didnt screw the injectors "cleaning" them. Any ideas?
 

ZeroGravity58

Well-known member
Mar 23, 2008
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You picked the worst place to send your injectors. As said before Pensacola is junk. You prob need to buy a new set of injectors. Hook a scantool up and see what the actual fuel pressure is when you are cranking. If it doesnt build enough rail pressure the injectors won't open. One or more maybe returning to much fuel
 
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1TRIKHD

Country boy Limo.
Sep 15, 2015
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You picked the worst place to send your injectors. As said before Pensacola is junk. You prob need to buy a new set of injectors. Hook a scantool up and see what the actual fuel pressure is when you are cranking. If it doesnt build enough rail pressure the injectors won't open. One or more maybe returning to much fuel

Some people have to learn the hard way!
 

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
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The fact you didnt take the guys' advice about Pensacola just saddens me. Please, please give Lincoln Diesel a call.

At least you've got an LLY, so its relatively easy to change them back out.