Around 15,000 miles my CTD developed an audible metallic ticking noise that you can easily hear above the normal diesel noise. I would compare it to a lifter that is badly out of adjustment, but it seems to be from lower in the motor and is too fast for a lifter.

I have taken the truck in 3 times where they replaced fuel injectors and valve train. Nothing worked.
On the 4th trip in they said too bad. They admit it is not normal, but they called Cummins and Cummins said they won't pay to fix it unless it gets worse?????

WTH? I paid a lot of money for this motor. Now what happens when I resell? Would you buy a motor that had an audible ticking noise in it? I sure as he!! wouldn't.

To say the least, I'm very disappointed in Cummins for not standing behind their product and won't buy their product again.

 

well i dont think i would let them this way that easy,i dunno what u tryed but here in Canada we got an office of buyer proctection that take care of things like this...

 

does the noise affect performance/driveability ? If not, I don't see the problem which may be the view from Cummins. My truck rattles and I know many others do and that includes ticking but, that's the air being purged from the fuel system. A lot of the time it's the nature of the beast making the noise.

It's always possible where you had the work done didn't have a clue about diesels. You always have the option of going to a different dealer.

 

Well could be that since the shop doesn't know what it is cummins isn't going to pay them to just swap parts. I suppose they figure it is just cheaper to wait until something breaks and fix it then.

 

That "ticking" noise, if not injectors and not valve train, could be a piston hitting oil line, Some of these engines have been know to have a piston turned 180 deg which is causing it to hit oil injection line. Simple fix is drop oil pan and check piston alignment if one is found to be turned, its just a matter of pulling it from crank and turning it in the cylinder and hooking connector back up re-instal oil pan and yer good to go.

One side of the piston is grooved to pass by the oil line, other side isn't, been a number of oops pretaining to pistons turned.

 

I hadthesame noise. It was the injection pump. Took it into the dealer and they advanced the timing on the pump a few degrees and the noisewent away.Cummins calls it a "customer satisfaction repair". And if the noise comes back. It causes NO problems. Is what I wanted to know is why it started making noise if the first place.

 

Sounds like the "fuel pump timing" issue, although not truly "timing" since there is no timing to a rotary style pump. Just this week I had the pump gear turned and the noise I had got quiet enough that I can't hear it anymore. I found out about this on another forum, the noise comes from gear backlash on the fuel pump drive gear.
I actually asked about this on here a few weeks ago and Drew posted a very good explanation and easy fix to it.

 

um dude I know this is hard to understand but my Dad does this to me all the time. My jeep starts acting stupid and I tell him and he plays it off. basically finally one time I got pissed and said ya know wtf why don't u think i'm smart enough to know the vehicle I drive everyday has something wrong with it? He tells me that's not it but it wouldn't be worht it to chase down some noise and not be able to find out what's wrong. he told me when u hear a noise u let it go keep attntion to it and wait till it gets worse taht way it's easy to diagnose. Taht's exaclty what Cummins is doing. if you can't figure it out and the vehicle is still running fine then it's honestly better to wait to see if anything happens

 

Still warranty if something break? Drive it like you stole it until it does break. THEN, tell the dealer "See I told you there was a problem, now fix it"

 

I know one thing....

This may seem odd, but the Dakota's have been having manifold bolts come loose/out... and they would make diesel like sounds... people were thinking the same problems as you had posted...

I'd get that looked at... honestly...