2018 5.7L tapping sound

[spudgunn88]

Hello and thanks in advance for the replies. I have a 2018 Ram 1500 with the 5.7L. I bought it used with 24,000 miles and it currently has 33,000(rounding). I never noticed a sound before but recently have with the truck when I'm driving at a steady speed, if I need to "juice" it a little more to pass or pick up speed for whatever reason I hear a slight tapping sound as it shifts between gears. It's clearly coming from the engine bay and googling this sound has been a headache. It doesn't sound like an exhaust leak, I had a 2014 that developed that issue and I know that sound (lol) and it doesn't seem to sound like the tick tick I've heard in videos. Is this sound possibly normal of an injector or something and I'm just now noticing it?

To answer any questions about oil that may come up, I currently have 5w20 Quaker State full syn with a Fram XG10060 filter, but noticed the sound as well with 5w20 Havoline full syn and a Walmart ST10060 filter. Air filter was replaced when purchased.

 

[Burla]

Since you mentioned it, you can try some things on lubrication just to see or verify this issue happens regardless. I wouldnt do them together, because if one works you wouldnt know which one. So on this current oil I would get some UCL, upper cylinder lube, and put it in some 91 gas. Redline's si-1 is both ucl and PEA cleaner, good to use before an oil change. If it were me, I'd run one bottle of each lucas ucl in the small bottle and one si-1 with that full tank of 91.

If that didnt work, I'd try changing my oil viscosity to a 5w30, 0w30 or a thin 0w40, one with a starting visc less then 13.5.

There are also things you can add to the transmision such as shudder fix. But I don't know enough about the 8 speed to consider this, it appears sometimes 8 speeds have issues with good fluids or perhaps additives. I would be more inclined to just change the fluid, but I don't know how effective a fluid change would be with these low miles.

It could also be normal, I'd bet dollars your dealer would say so. I would start writing down exactly when this happens, what gears only certain gears? Since it is happening under load can you at all duplicate this with bumping up warm idle past 3k rpm's?

 

[spudgunn88]

Since you mentioned it, you can try some things on lubrication just to see or verify this issue happens regardless. I wouldnt do them together, because if one works you wouldnt know which one. So on this current oil I would get some UCL, upper cylinder lube, and put it in some 91 gas. Redline's si-1 is both ucl and PEA cleaner, good to use before an oil change. If it were me, I'd run one bottle of each lucas ucl in the small bottle and one si-1 with that full tank of 91.

If that didnt work, I'd try changing my oil viscosity to a 5w30, 0w30 or a thin 0w40, one with a starting visc less then 13.5.

There are also things you can add to the transmision such as shudder fix. But I don't know enough about the 8 speed to consider this, it appears sometimes 8 speeds have issues with good fluids or perhaps additives. I would be more inclined to just change the fluid, but I don't know how effective a fluid change would be with these low miles.

It could also be normal, I'd bet dollars your dealer would say so. I would start writing down exactly when this happens, what gears only certain gears? Since it is happening under load can you at all duplicate this with bumping up warm idle past 3k rpm's?

It only does it if you juice it and let it pull through an rpm band right at the end of it, it will make the sound (between shifts) It's coming from the engine bay so Idk if it's the drop in rpm making an injector noise/one plug maybe not firing the same or if there's improper lube going on. There's no power loss at all. How do I know if the visc of a said oil if I try a different oil? Oh and I need mention if it's in park/N and you rivve the engine you can't get the sound, it has to be actually "working" to replicate the sound

I can try and see if my phone can pick up on the sound when it's daylight and post a video if that helps? It's not a very loud sound, it's almost like the sound of someone tapping the side of a plastic bottle real fast?

 

[ramffml]

Mine pings at 3000+ rpms under load, it's been drastically reduced after my last oil change.

Is that what you're hearing? Have you tried 2 consecutive tanks of 91 octane from a top tier station and/or one that is very busy (don't want to buy stale gas)? If you try this, make sure your first tank is pretty much 100% empty so you're not mixing 91 with half a tank of 87, you want as much 91 as possible so that's why the test should be done on at least 2+ tanks of 91.

 

[spudgunn88]

Mine pings at 3000+ rpms under load, it's been drastically reduced after my last oil change.

Is that what you're hearing? Have you tried 2 consecutive tanks of 91 octane from a top tier station and/or one that is very busy (don't want to buy stale gas)? If you try this, make sure your first tank is pretty much 100% empty so you're not mixing 91 with half a tank of 87, you want as much 91 as possible so that's why the test should be done on at least 2+ tanks of 91.

87, 89, 93 in my local area. I haven't tried a higher grade fuel at all. Most stations here are equally as busy as the next except for one but everyone knows to avoid that one lol. I am going to try and record the sound here in a bit. If it's not auditable in the video I can at least note where/how when I hear it

 

[NCRaineman]

Subbed for possible video. These trucks do run better on higher octane gas. My '19 Classic gets 89 or better, never regular.

 

[spudgunn88]

Subbed for possible video. These trucks do run better on higher octane gas. My '19 Classic gets 89 or better, never regular.

It's not auditable in the video. I tried a few times guess after hearing it fresh and trying to capture it it sounds like someone rubbing 2 quarters together for about 2 secs then goes away.

October 28, 2023

youtu.be

 

[Burla]

Well, truck sounds really good to me. Even with noise canceling headphones I am not picking it up. You can get used oil analysis that will pick up most issues. Might want to try all of those lubrication strategies, trust me they often do work.

 

[spudgunn88]

Well, truck sounds really good to me. Even with noise canceling headphones I am not picking it up. You can get used oil analysis that will pick up most issues. Might want to try all of those lubrication strategies, trust me they often do work.

It very well could just be a normal sound I never caught before. Sadly to ask a dealer to look it would be $180 for what may be nothing but me being paranoid. I picked up some red line that you mentioned. Going to use it soon oil change was just done 1200 miles ago, should I change it now and test it wait for next change time?

 

[ramffml]

It's not auditable in the video. I tried a few times guess after hearing it fresh and trying to capture it it sounds like someone rubbing 2 quarters together for about 2 secs then goes away.

October 28, 2023

youtu.be

Very tough to hear but that sounds like ping at the 6 second mark, very brief and very faint. Definitely try highest octane you can find for a few tanks, might not eliminate it but it could reduce it a lot like it does in mine.

The different oil is a good recommendation regardless of ping or not, but if it is ping you can pick it up on a OBDII logger like jscan or hptuners etc.

Edit: the "2 quarters together" is very close to how I describe it as marbles shaking in a glass. Dealer won't do a thing unless it shows a light or a rod through the block. If you read the manual it says (paraphrasing) "a small amount of ping is normal". It drives me nuts and I've been on a journey to get rid of it so please keep us posted if the gas helps. It's important to run more than one tank through despite the cost, the computer has multiple tables that adjust themselves, short term and long term which control engine timing parameters based on knock sensors etc.

 

[Burla]

It very well could just be a normal sound I never caught before. Sadly to ask a dealer to look it would be $180 for what may be nothing but me being paranoid. I picked up some red line that you mentioned. Going to use it soon oil change was just done 1200 miles ago, should I change it now and test it wait for next change time?

No I would do what I said in post one if it was me and I was worried. You change your oil after you run si-1 ucl/cleaner through it, you will smell it in the oil. Good luck with it

Order a uoa kit from blackstone labs, last time I checked they send you the kit for free. You pay when you send it in, have the kit ready for when you do change the oil. I'd do my own oil change as well, get eyes on it and cut open filter.

 

[spudgunn88]

No I would do what I said in post one if it was me and I was worried. You change your oil after you run si-1 ucl/cleaner through it, you will smell it in the oil. Good luck with it

Order a uoa kit from blackstone labs, last time I checked they send you the kit for free. You pay when you send it in, have the kit ready for when you do change the oil. I'd do my own oil change as well, get eyes on it and cut open filter.

What am I looking for in the filter? Metal I'm guessing or excessive grit?

 

[Burla]

Metal, same as in uoa, same as in the oil itself. Or anything not supposed to be there.

 

[spudgunn88]

Metal, same as in uoa, same as in the oil itself. Or anything not supposed to be there.

Okay anything out of the normal. Gotcha, any oil that you recommend? Pricing redline that is quite expensive.

 

[Burla]

HP oils are full of additives that fight metal to metal contact, and yes they cost more. Lubegard biotech 15 ounces is poor mans redline because it adds similar additive package at a cheap price. Get whatever syn oil you can on sale in those weights and add some biotech.

 

[spudgunn88]

HP oils are full of additives that fight metal to metal contact, and yes they cost more. Lubegard biotech 15 ounces is poor mans redline because it adds similar additive package at a cheap price. Get whatever syn oil you can on sale in those weights and add some biotech.

Usually I get mine from wallyworld as I live in the middle of no where lol. Usually grab quaker state, pen, valvoline, havoline. I have used supertech (not on this truck) before as well not sure of your opinion of any of those? Supertech is pretty cheap for a full syn and dex gen 2 approved as well but the others aren't much more not sure if they're better/same/worse

 

[Dusty]

Hello and thanks in advance for the replies. I have a 2018 Ram 1500 with the 5.7L. I bought it used with 24,000 miles and it currently has 33,000(rounding). I never noticed a sound before but recently have with the truck when I'm driving at a steady speed, if I need to "juice" it a little more to pass or pick up speed for whatever reason I hear a slight tapping sound as it shifts between gears. It's clearly coming from the engine bay and googling this sound has been a headache. It doesn't sound like an exhaust leak, I had a 2014 that developed that issue and I know that sound (lol) and it doesn't seem to sound like the tick tick I've heard in videos. Is this sound possibly normal of an injector or something and I'm just now noticing it?

To answer any questions about oil that may come up, I currently have 5w20 Quaker State full syn with a Fram XG10060 filter, but noticed the sound as well with 5w20 Havoline full syn and a Walmart ST10060 filter. Air filter was replaced when purchased.

This would be a good case to use microphones.

Based on description only and off the top of my head, I can think of two issues that match:

1. Bad torque converter caused by loose vanes, or cracked/broken flex plate.

2. Timing chain slap caused by chain/guide wear or broken guides.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 100887 miles.

 

[spudgunn88]

Mine pings at 3000+ rpms under load, it's been drastically reduced after my last oil change.

Is that what you're hearing? Have you tried 2 consecutive tanks of 91 octane from a top tier station and/or one that is very busy (don't want to buy stale gas)? If you try this, make sure your first tank is pretty much 100% empty so you're not mixing 91 with half a tank of 87, you want as much 91 as possible so that's why the test should be done on at least 2+ tanks of 91.

Doing some noted, yes around 3k to 3.5k is when I hear it. It's very brief, you said an oil change fixed it for you?

 

[Dave Haddon]

Just to back up the above ..I have a 21 Classic and every oil change its PUP and a bottle of Lubeguard and Wik filter...just pro active..65K on the speedo..

 

[ramffml]

Doing some noted, yes around 3k to 3.5k is when I hear it. It's very brief, you said an oil change fixed it for you?

I'm not confident yet in saying if/what has been fixed. I will say that in the few years I've been running my truck, 91 octane consistently has the least amount of ping over 87, but it doesn't remove it completely.

Recently I ended up buying different gas and also did an oil change to 5w-20 (down from 5w-30). It's HPL oil in there now, it was before as well but it's a different formula too; so went from HPL euro no vii 5w-30 down to HPL regular 5w-20. That weekend I did the oil change might have also coincided with a change from summer gas to winter gas.

After that point I towed the next day and the pinging was the least I've ever heard that I can remember. It was almost non existant, just a tiny hint once or twice.

Since then I've been driving very conservatively, keeping rpms low because my diff is making noises and I don't want to stress that out until I can swap the diff oil (hopefully this weekend).

So who knows, too many variables changed at once, might have been a fluke with the gas but at this point I do suspect the oil was the reason because I've gone through several gas changes (winter/summer) and also different gas stations and octanes etc, trying to see what works and nothing has until the weekend I happened to run the 5w-20. I just don't want to make that claim yet though without more time and testing on different gas etc, I've been wrong before