Very noisy injectors/diesel knock

[El doggo]

Hi I have joined this group hoping someone can help me please.
My camper van. Ford transit custom, 2015, 37000miles 2.2 diesel. 125ps.
Since buying the van 1 1/2 years ago it has always been very noisy especially from cold with injector rattle. Much better when warmed fully up but still noisier than others I have driven and heard. Knowing the issues with melting holes in pistons on these engines I wanted it sorting.
I took it to a transit specialist in my area and he put the latest software upgrade in it and did a pump and pilot learn which quietened it down a little but still quite noisy. He suggested getting the injectors tested which I did at a diesel specialist and all 4 were out of spec when tested on his test rig. (Out of the vehicles engine) He fitted 4 brand new ones, coded them in and redid the pump and pilot learn. Still no quieter.[code][/code] money well spent.
I was basically told that it was a characteristic of this engine and it was normal but I know other vans don’t sound like this. The new injectors have been in about 8 months now and 3000 miles. Van still runs and drives great with plenty of power.
Lately when cold it is sounding worse and worse and I’m worried about it. It takes 5 miles or so and the engine to get hot for it to quieten down but still not quiet quiet.
Here is the strange thing. Very Occasionally all the noises disappear completely for a length of time , it’s almost silent. I think great it’s fixed itself but only for it to come back to it’s noisy self again a few miles down the road or the next time I start it up.
How can this be??? Is there another system on the engine that can cause the injectors to sound so bad (fuel pump, sensors, regulators etc)? Oh by the way it has never shown any fault codes up and I always run it on the super diesel and not cheap supermarket fuel.
It’s really getting me down now. Can anyone suggest what I can do/check next?? I love the van but just want it to sound how it should.

[FJ111200]

When was the oil and filter last changed? Just a thought.
I doubt it would quieten the injectors but it might quieten the engine down a bit.

[El doggo]

Hi
Thanks for responding. Oil and all filters were changed only a month ago. The engine itself is very sweet sounding when ticking over and revving in neutral. It’s the injectors making the noise.
Thanks

[longhair]

Hi
I have a 2014, 125ps with 145000 miles and mine does the same, sometimes it knocks and other times it runs sweet randomly. May be I'm wrong but it's a diesel and that's what you sometimes get from one.

[El doggo]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I would love to agree with you but I have driven others and they have all been much quieter than mine and not intermittent.
This surely can’t be right.
If everyone on here says theirs is the same then great, I stand to be corrected but if people say theirs are quiet then mine needs attention.

[loot]

So you've replaced the 4 injectors? Was anything else checked? Timing etc?

[El doggo]

Hi
Injectors were renewed, coded in and software updates done. Checked for fault codes and pilot and pump learns done which all checked out ok. No codes etc. I have heard of prv / scv issues through the forum but I’m not sure what these do and wether this would cause my symptoms. ??? Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated ..

[loot]

The euro 5 doesn't have prv it has a fuel solenoid. Also on a 2015 there's no pump /pilot learn as such it's just a clear of learned parameters. The injectors look cheap and nasty compared to the euro 4 ones too.

On my custom I replaced 1 injector and it was quieter.

I can't give you a specific cure unfortunately.

You do get a periodic dpf clean and that sounds hollow and noisy near the front of the exhaust.

I'm actually in a similar boat with my mk7 it is noisy and smoky and low on power, I've tried most things but the length of time it has been like that I'm actually debating changing the whole lump.

Of course you're on 39k and a much newer van so it seems crazy to even suggest that but unless you start stripping it down and replacing things etc then I'm not too sure what you can do.

But the injectors are new as you say, also maybe replace the solenoid on the fuel pump. Also check if the small electric lift pump near the front of the tank is working. It is similar to the space heater pump and if faulty could possibly cause similar to knock but just check that, it's free to do.

[El doggo]

Hi
Thanks again. I will certainly look at the items you have described

[El doggo]

Has anyone else please got any more ideas/suggestions?
Thanks

[karl]

post a video of the engine running whilst it makes the noise ?

[jrumbel]

Find a diesel additive that specifically mentions improving lubricity. Low sulphur diesel (which is now the norm) results in noisy injectors especially when cold on start up. Injectors rely partly on the lubricating action of the diesel fuel itself (as do injector pumps). It might help quieten the vehicle and extend the life of injectors and pumps. They sell stuff called CRD (common rail diesel) fuel enhancer in Australia that can help. Another is Fuel Doctor that is also meant to increase lubricity. Some guys put a very very small amount of 2 stroke oil in their fuel for the same purpose though I have heard mixed opinions on this practice and wouldn't go as far to recommend it. I use fuel doctor and it definitely make the injectors quieter in my van. Also prevent algae formation. If you have crap in your fuel tank that is going through the injectors and preventing proper lubrication that could also be an issue. Siphon fuel out and put into a glass jar to check for sediment, water etc.

[APW]

My old Mk6 2.0l TDCi 125 used to get very noisy injectors if I used supermarket diesel so I would add 250-300ml of 2-stroke oil to a tank full of diesel and this would make them nice and quiet... I never had the noisy injectors with PB, Esso or Shell etc.

….. on a more modern engine (with a dpf etc) I’d go with an additive (as jrumbel suggests above) but on an older engine the 2-stroke oil worked like a charm!!

[El doggo]

Hi thanks for your suggestions. I am currently using millers diesel injector treatment and have always used premium diesel and not cheap supermarket fuel. I have been using that since the new injectors were fitted.

[El doggo]

Hi
I thought I would give a little update.
I have had the van to a ford transit specialist who firstly checked for fault codes, none present even though it had gone into limp mode a couple of times. He then let me drive the van whilst he had his laptop plugged in and did some live data checks. He did agree the injectors were noisy but again all readings seemed to be fine with nothing showing out of tolerance. He suggested to me that it MUST be injectors and said that even though new ones had been fitted they could have been faulty straight out of the packet.
I went back to the diesel specialist who fitted the new injectors (3000 miles ago)and he agreed to take them out and test them on his test rig. He showed and explained the whole testing sequence and injector 3 was leaking back excessively. Bingo we thought. He got another 4 brand new Siemens injectors out of the packet, tested them on his rig first to be sure they are ok and they were good. Then fitted them to my van and coded them in. These were fitted for free under warranty. Result is that everything is still exactly the same. Still really noisy when cold, a bit quieter when worm but still not right. Again, every so often they go extremely quiet for a while but then back as was.
So now I’m 100% sure the injectors are good what can it possibly be? Fuel pressure regulator /sensor on high pressure pump? Pressure sensor on end of fuel rail? But why would these not show out of tolerance when doing the live data tests?
Any suggestions very welcome.
Thanks scott.