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Question about the older diesel's

RR24
Explorer
Explorer
My question about the older diesel's is mainly the 5.9 dodge and the ford 7.3, these are a lot louder than the newer diesel. Is there anyway to make them quieter without hurting performance. I mean the dodge sounds like a john deer tractor;)
2008 Ford F250 4x4 CC V10
2005 Jazz 5th wheel 2760RL
57 REPLIES 57

ghostrider42
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Explorer
removed
3/27/2014 - Sam passed away in his sleep after a long courageous battle with brain cancer - all vehicles have been sold

cekkk
Explorer
Explorer
WeBeFulltimers wrote:
rightyouareken wrote:
I sometimes take the bus to work and standing there at the bus stop occasionally this older f150 goes by. I assume its a 7.3. Leaving from the light, its louder than most of the semi trucks. What a racket! Good engine from what I hear, but man you're assaulting passers bys' ears.


F150 with a 7.3? :h


That noise is just the frame and body coming apart.
'11 Eagle 320RLDS '02 Ford F350 DRW 7.3 PSD
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch and do nothing" - Albert Einstein."

WeBeFulltimers
Explorer
Explorer
rightyouareken wrote:
I sometimes take the bus to work and standing there at the bus stop occasionally this older f150 goes by. I assume its a 7.3. Leaving from the light, its louder than most of the semi trucks. What a racket! Good engine from what I hear, but man you're assaulting passers bys' ears.


F150 with a 7.3? :h
2012 Ford F-350 PSD SRW ** CURT Q24 ** 2018.5 MONTANA 3791RD

SugarHillCTD
Explorer
Explorer
ScottG wrote:
You really can't make them any more quiet.
Don't lump all 5.9's together though. The Common rail engines (03~07) were much more quiet (unless someone screws with them) than the older mechanically injected models.


Exactly.

We had a 2007 Cummins. MUCH quieter than earlier models.
John & Cathy
'12 Chevy 2500HD CC 4x4 sb
'16 Cougar 25RKS w/ Andersen rail mount
'13 Eagle Cap 850 (sold). B4 that a few other TCs and a TT

4x4ord
Explorer III
Explorer III
JeffroMax wrote:
I'm quite confused by this topic. First of all I don't really consider my 06 5.9 an old diesel. I have the 06 5.9 HO Cummins and think its pretty quite. I love the way it sounds, my Dad hates diesel pickups because they are to loud but drove mine pulling my fifth wheel and thinks its really quite (going up a 7% grade for over 5 miles as well). I turn it off at drive ups but only to be courteous not because I actually need to. I bought it with a Banks 4" exhaust so maybe that matters.


When the Duramax came out in 2001 a new standard was set for the diesel pickups. The Bosh common rail multi point injection fuel system was largely responsible for a much quieter running engine. Cummins adopted that technology for thier 5.9 in 2003 and the Ram became much quieter than it had previously been. For the 2011 model year, Ford designed designed their own diesel which is much quieter than even the Duramax. As a matter of fact, in the cabin, the new Ford is quieter than even a new Lexus sedan.
2023 F350 SRW Platinum short box 4x4.
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2008 Citation Platinum XL 34.5

JeffroMax
Explorer
Explorer
I'm quite confused by this topic. First of all I don't really consider my 06 5.9 an old diesel. I have the 06 5.9 HO Cummins and think its pretty quite. I love the way it sounds, my Dad hates diesel pickups because they are to loud but drove mine pulling my fifth wheel and thinks its really quite (going up a 7% grade for over 5 miles as well). I turn it off at drive ups but only to be courteous not because I actually need to. I bought it with a Banks 4" exhaust so maybe that matters.
06 Dodge Cummins 2500 Mega Cab Shortbed
07 Jayco Jay Flight 30.5 RLS
08 Polaris RZR 800

TxTiger
Explorer
Explorer
Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:
TxTiger wrote:
Mine seems less noisey when I use OptiLube in the diesel. About 1 to 2 ozs per 20 gallons. There are some tuners/chips that have a "drive through" position that is suppose to quite it when you're in line.


How do you like the Option Lube.


It seems to perform well and doesn't require many ounces to lubricate the fuel. My truck is a 2000 year model and I know it wasn't designed to use the ultra low sulfur diesel. I've put about 10,000 miles on my truck since I bought it and haven't even used a half of gallon of Opti Lube yet. Of all the fuel additives, it showed the best lubrication of all products tested.

http://opti-lube.com/
2000 F250, 7.3 PSD, 6 speed manual, CC, SB
2013 Northstar TC800

Perrysburg_Dodg
Explorer
Explorer
TxTiger wrote:
Mine seems less noisey when I use OptiLube in the diesel. About 1 to 2 ozs per 20 gallons. There are some tuners/chips that have a "drive through" position that is suppose to quite it when you're in line.


How do you like the Option Lube.
2015 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab SWB 4X4 Ecodiesel GDE Tune.

reddwar
Explorer
Explorer
I believe it is Case IH that has the 5.9 in some of there tractors not John Deere. I grew up on a farm & I like the sound.

I only know of one way to have a quieter 5.9 or 7.3 - Bose sound canceling headphones. When Dick Rutan & Jeana Yeager flew the Voyager aircraft non-stop around the world it was so loud they ask for help from Dr. Bose. He came up with the sound canceling headphones, now days a lot of small aircraft pilots wear them.

red

cekkk
Explorer
Explorer
My '85 6.9 is quieter than my 7.3. I've got to really crank up the radioto hear sports news or talk radio. But I wouldn't trade it for the world.
'11 Eagle 320RLDS '02 Ford F350 DRW 7.3 PSD
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch and do nothing" - Albert Einstein."

Lon-Str
Explorer
Explorer
After forty years of racecars and shotguns, my old 7.3 sounds like a Toyota.

TxTiger
Explorer
Explorer
Mine seems less noisey when I use OptiLube in the diesel. About 1 to 2 ozs per 20 gallons. There are some tuners/chips that have a "drive through" position that is suppose to quite it when you're in line.
2000 F250, 7.3 PSD, 6 speed manual, CC, SB
2013 Northstar TC800

Paul_Clancy
Explorer
Explorer
Agree the older diesels are very loud. Really can't get them quiet. Buy 2007 and newer for less noise

REDF350
Explorer
Explorer
I love the old diesel sound. I think the new ones are too quiet.
2003 Coachmen Catalina 300 TBS
2006 Ford F350, 6.8L, V10, 4.10
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