2010 ram 4.7 knock ***video added***

[Kdusen]

Guys,
New member here searching for some help with my sons truck. 2010 ram 1500 4.7 auto 4x4. Truck just rolled 150k miles. Mostly used as a daily driver to and from work. A couple of weeks ago while pulling a small camper for a couple hours on the highway the truck started to make a loud knocking or clicking noise that is engine rpm dependent. It is at 1/2 engine rpm. It’s most noticeable at idle and becomes difficult to hear above 2000 rpm. It is loudest around the valve cover/intake area of the passenger side but is honestly hard to pinpoint It sounds like a collapsed lifter in an old v8. After searching, I learned the lifters were problematic in these trucks so I replaced all 16 lifters. The noise, however is unchanged. This truck has been maintained well with synthetic oil and showed no signs of sludge when I had the valve covers off. I’ve read about timing change tensioners, exhaust leaks, rod bearings, etc and just needing some direction. I’m very mechanically inclined and intending on doing any work myself. I’m working on getting some video. Thanks in advance.

 

[Mike Flea]

Every high mileage Chrysler product I've owned, with a 4.7, developes a valvetrain noise. I've had some mechanics ask if the vehicle overheated, because that can bring about that noise, & to the best of my knowledge, not during my ownership.

I started using high mileage, synthetic oils, and that quiets it down some. My '03 quadcab would rattle on start up, but quiet down after 5 mins, and it had 79,000 miles when purchased, 134,000 when traded. My '10, I bought with 77,000 miles, and it now has 97,000, it tics until the engine gets up to operating temp, which is about 192, it quiets down a lot since I started using the high mileage synthetic, but occasionally, when I'm standing next to the truck, the tic can still be heard, although nowhere near the sound it makes upon initial startup.

 

[Kdusen]

Hot or cold, this truck makes the same clicking/knocking noise. It’s there from startup and continues even as the engine is at operating temp. The noise came on suddenly also. It’s easily audible outside the cab, or with the windows down. My thinking is because it’s at 1/2 engine rpm, it’s likely valve train related. Can i eliminate a rod bearing or wrist pin noise?Since I’ve replaced all 16 lifters, would the timing chains and tensioners be a likely culprit? Is there a way to check these without a lot of work?

 

[Jeepwalker]

Hmmm... so am I hearing you right that your son's engine had that noise, THEN you replaced the lifters ...and now the (same) noise is still there? Same exact noise?

Sounds like you guys know what you're doing. When you replaced the lifters, did you happen to turn the engine over and look at the cam lobes? Or measure travel at the rocker? Have you re-inspected the rockers since you did the install? Just in case a rocker slipped off at start-up? Some of these engines have a tendency to kick off rockers, others don't seem to.

As for longevity of these engines, you read a lot of horror stories online, who knows what maintenance or abuse some of them took. I've known a few people who've had great service out of the 4.7's. My neighbor had one in a Dakota which had a lot of miles on it before it got wrecked. I have an 03 Overland Jeep G/C that has 238k miles on a 4.7HO. I've only ever run Citgo dino oil. We replaced the coolant years ago with yer standard old-school green ethynal glycol. I do all the service. Runs great, doesn't burn much oil, makes no abnormal noises. It moves that Jeep around with authority. So... they can last a long time.

I guess if it were my truck, I would go around with a stick to my ear on the lower part of the engine, to try to eliminate bottom-end noise. Then I think I'd remove the valve covers & re-inspect the rockers again ...just because I've had things fool me before. If all looks good there, I would put a dial indicator on each rocker and measure the travel, in case the knock is really due to a flat cam lobe. If that looks good, I might be inclined to remove the lifters and look at them and maybe put in a new set.

What kind of lifters are these? Do you need to replace the cam when you replace lifters? Sorry, I don't know what lifters the 4.7 uses.

 

[Kdusen]

They are really not lifters, although most people refer to them as such. The 4.7 is a sohc design, so they are really just hydraulic lash adjusters. I replaced all with melling brand lifters that were identical to the factory parts. In order to replace all the lifters I did turn the engine over by hand, and everything moved freely. Cams, rockers, valves, and valve springs all appeared in good condition. My next step may be to remove the exhaust manifold heat shields and inspect for a leaking manifold or gasket.

 

[Jeepwalker]

Did you probe around the engine with a wood stick (next to your ear) ? Try to isolate the noise?

Maybe if the sound remianed the same it could be a pesky exh leak. Let us know..

 

[wgreggking]

Had a cracked exhaust manifold on my 02 Dakota 4.7 right rear, at about 190K, was slightly louder at cold start,was much louder than a bad exhaust gasket. Fixed it and sold it at 235 K needed head work, was a great engine.

 

[jws123]

See if you can upload a vid of the noise? I have worked on tons of 4.7s i know them inside out and what noises they make.

 

[Kdusen]

I’m going to try to get a good video tomorrow. It’s been so windy the last few days here that the audio is really poor.

 

[Kdusen]

2010 ram 4.7 engine tapping

youtube.com

Here is one video. Not the greatest quality but you get the idea.

 

[Kdusen]

2010 ram 4.7 tapping 2

youtu.be

Another video starting underneath truck.

 

[Mike Flea]

That's a heck of a knock, none of mine have been that loud

 

[jws123]

Its a hard tap for sure.. The second vid sounds more like timing chain/lifter noise I would pull valve covers and possibly front timing cover check the plastic guides they do break. Another thing I do sometimes is I will with valve covers off remove the little rocker arms one by one to rule out the lash adjusters/lifters even if they are new fire it up for a sec see if the tap is gone. Also your fuel pump is loud as hell in the background sounds like mine before it died.

 

[Jeepwalker]

Sounds a lot like a lifter tick to me. I agree, loosen the rockers one by one to see if you can make it go away/reduce. Maybe one of the new ones you put in is faulty.

 

[Knightrider]

What was it??

 

[Kdusen]

I’ll update after I remove each individual rocker as suggested and see if the noise can be isolated.

 

[Dusty]

Guys,
New member here searching for some help with my sons truck. 2010 ram 1500 4.7 auto 4x4. Truck just rolled 150k miles. Mostly used as a daily driver to and from work. A couple of weeks ago while pulling a small camper for a couple hours on the highway the truck started to make a loud knocking or clicking noise that is engine rpm dependent. It is at 1/2 engine rpm. It’s most noticeable at idle and becomes difficult to hear above 2000 rpm. It is loudest around the valve cover/intake area of the passenger side but is honestly hard to pinpoint It sounds like a collapsed lifter in an old v8. After searching, I learned the lifters were problematic in these trucks so I replaced all 16 lifters. The noise, however is unchanged. This truck has been maintained well with synthetic oil and showed no signs of sludge when I had the valve covers off. I’ve read about timing change tensioners, exhaust leaks, rod bearings, etc and just needing some direction. I’m very mechanically inclined and intending on doing any work myself. I’m working on getting some video. Thanks in advance.

I have never had a tech. tell me the 4.7s had lifter problems.

What was common on high mileage 4.7s was timing chain slap and timing chain guides wearing to the metal.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 067939 miles.

 

[fulltimerart]

Harbor Freight ha a cheap stethescope that is a lot easier to use than a stick, imho. Art

 

[Kdusen]

I have never had a tech. tell me the 4.7s had lifter problems.

What was common on high mileage 4.7s was timing chain slap and timing chain guides wearing to the metal.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 067939 miles.

Is there an easy way to check these or does it require complete disassembly of the front timing cover?

 

[Dusty]

Is there an easy way to check these or does it require complete disassembly of the front timing cover?

Hmmm, there may be a code stored if the chain is real bad. If you remove the valve covers, you could slowly rotate the crankshaft in BOTH directions and observe for cam sprocket movement.

Remember, this engine has three chains, one for each camshaft (2) and one for crank-to-drive sprocket. They should all move together.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 067978 miles.