Cam/Lifter Swap Lessons Learned

[CunningStunt]

So, as many of you know I decided to pull the trigger on my 2014 Ram 1500 Bighorn 4x4 due to misfire code in cylinder 5 along with the lifter tick. Getting to the cam and lifters was the easy part. In some instances though, I was my own worst enemy (Thanks @Wildone for pointing this out) and shot myself in the foot along the way. I wanted to make a thread detailing issues I had along the way in the hopes that it would benefit other members that decide to tackle this job themselves.

Lesson#1: As daunting as the job may seem, it is not that difficult. I ran into a bunch of issues of which 75% were my own fault and if I write this post correctly, you should be able to avoid.

Lesson#2: Timing. It's important. Do not take shortcuts. I tried the zip tie method and actually ended up cocking the chain off of the rear tooth on the crank/oil pump sprocket. This made it sound like a diesel engine on my first startup. The oil pump housing was the only thing that kept the timing chain on the crank sprocket. It truly sounded like a tractor my first time putting back together. It drove ok...but was LOUD and sluggish. So, I ended up removing all the peripherals again (Fan/clutch, radiator, shutters, alternator, water pump, compressor, and then timing cover) and as many oil pan bolts as I could (I have 4wd), and prying the oil pan down enough to remove pickup tube bolt and removed the oil pump. I then set and verified timing (I replaced all timing set components but my chain and guide were damn near perfect @184k miles so this may not be necessary). Don't get me wrong, this is a huge pain in the Alpha Fife Fife, but it was worth it and shoulda been done in the first place.

Lesson#3: If you take your heads to a machine shop, make sure they tap the spark plug holes if they use that aluminum paint after cleaning. Mine were coated with that aluminum paint but they didn't tap the holes afterwards and I stripped 2 spark plug holes and had to send the heads back. I took extreme caution when installing them but the residual paint on the threads caused binding and started to strip the threads...

Lesson#4: THESE ARE INTERFERENCE ENGINES! When I was setting timing after timing components were all removed but the heads were on, I encountered resistance when trying to turn the crank to TDC using the crank sprocket timing mark (Supposed to be at approx. 5:45). Well, I wasn't thinking and kept putting weight on the crank trying to turn it until a minute later when I realized I may be hitting a valve since I was not moving the cam in phase with the crank (DUHH). So I turned the cam, then the crank moved and I went about my business setting timing.

Lesson#5: After getting everything back together, I cranked her and she wouldn't idle. She would run @ higher rpms but wouldn't stay running. So, I went to harbor freight (See Lesson#6) and bought a compression kit. I removed a spark plug from every cylinder and tested. Cylinder #3 had 0 compression. I instantly knew...I had bent a valve...So, off with the drivers side head and to the machine shop. They replaced the valve and tested and I picked it up same day.

Lesson#6: Harbor freight compression gages are hit and miss. I would sometimes get a reading and sometimes not...it was very confusing and frustrating. After I had the bent valve replaced, I got all kinds of engine codes and still couldn't idle, so I had started to go down the path of a bent valve on the passenger's side but decided to do another compression test with the HF kit. Well, all went well with the passenger's side, but the driver's side I had 0 compression on cylinder #5!!! I just had the heads reworked and fixed cylinder #3! So, I remove the driver's side head again (3rd time) and take to the machine shop to verify they are all seating correctly. The shop called me and said the vacuum test and water test were SAT and the valves were perfect...

Lesson#7: Do not rule out variables just because it "ran before you started the job". The U1424 code sent me on a hunt I never would have finished. What I ended up doing was removing the valve covers and rockers and reinstalling pushrods. Now this isn't 100% verified but the solution to all my problems appears to be one of 2 things. Either I put a pushrod in an oil gallery and/or My #3 fuel injector was bad (I found a bunch of fuel in the #3 cylinder intake port when removing the intake manifold to take the drivers head off). So, I removed rockers and rods again just for fun, and reinstalled and also put a new fuel injector in #3. She started right up!!! But overheated! Burp the radiator like any other car. Remove cap, crank engine, add fluid as room allows for at least 10 mins...I was 1.5 to 2 gallons low even though I filled and added till there was fluid coming out of the water pump bleed hole...

Lesson#8: Don't give up. I still have a front main oil seal that's leaking that Imma pay someone to fix cus it's relatively cheap, but if you got 100k on your truck and you LOVE it, doing this will give you another 100k miles. This is my forever truck, and I plan on swapping my dads 2015 cam and lifters cus @ 104k miles, he got the lifter tick...God Bless!

 

[Wild one]

So, as many of you know I decided to pull the trigger on my 2014 Ram 1500 Bighorn 4x4 due to misfire code in cylinder 5 along with the lifter tick. Getting to the cam and lifters was the easy part. In some instances though, I was my own worst enemy (Thanks @Wildone for pointing this out) and shot myself in the foot along the way. I wanted to make a thread detailing issues I had along the way in the hopes that it would benefit other members that decide to tackle this job themselves.

Lesson#1: As daunting as the job may seem, it is not that difficult. I ran into a bunch of issues of which 75% were my own fault and if I write this post correctly, you should be able to avoid.

Lesson#2: Timing. It's important. Do not take shortcuts. I tried the zip tie method and actually ended up cocking the chain off of the rear tooth on the crank/oil pump sprocket. This made it sound like a diesel engine on my first startup. The oil pump housing was the only thing that kept the timing chain on the crank sprocket. It truly sounded like a tractor my first time putting back together. It drove ok...but was LOUD and sluggish. So, I ended up removing all the peripherals again (Fan/clutch, radiator, shutters, alternator, water pump, compressor, and then timing cover) and as many oil pan bolts as I could (I have 4wd), and prying the oil pan down enough to remove pickup tube bolt and removed the oil pump. I then set and verified timing (I replaced all timing set components but my chain and guide were damn near perfect @184k miles so this may not be necessary). Don't get me wrong, this is a huge pain in the Alpha Fife Fife, but it was worth it and shoulda been done in the first place.

Lesson#3: If you take your heads to a machine shop, make sure they tap the spark plug holes if they use that aluminum paint after cleaning. Mine were coated with that aluminum paint but they didn't tap the holes afterwards and I stripped 2 spark plug holes and had to send the heads back. I took extreme caution when installing them but the residual paint on the threads caused binding and started to strip the threads...

Lesson#4: THESE ARE INTERFERENCE ENGINES! When I was setting timing after timing components were all removed but the heads were on, I encountered resistance when trying to turn the crank to TDC using the crank sprocket timing mark (Supposed to be at approx. 5:45). Well, I wasn't thinking and kept putting weight on the crank trying to turn it until a minute later when I realized I may be hitting a valve since I was not moving the cam in phase with the crank (DUHH). So I turned the cam, then the crank moved and I went about my business setting timing.

Lesson#5: After getting everything back together, I cranked her and she wouldn't idle. She would run @ higher rpms but wouldn't stay running. So, I went to harbor freight (See Lesson#6) and bought a compression kit. I removed a spark plug from every cylinder and tested. Cylinder #3 had 0 compression. I instantly knew...I had bent a valve...So, off with the drivers side head and to the machine shop. They replaced the valve and tested and I picked it up same day.

Lesson#6: Harbor freight compression gages are hit and miss. I would sometimes get a reading and sometimes not...it was very confusing and frustrating. After I had the bent valve replaced, I got all kinds of engine codes and still couldn't idle, so I had started to go down the path of a bent valve on the passenger's side but decided to do another compression test with the HF kit. Well, all went well with the passenger's side, but the driver's side I had 0 compression on cylinder #5!!! I just had the heads reworked and fixed cylinder #3! So, I remove the driver's side head again (3rd time) and take to the machine shop to verify they are all seating correctly. The shop called me and said the vacuum test and water test were SAT and the valves were perfect...

Lesson#7: Do not rule out variables just because it "ran before you started the job". The U1424 code sent me on a hunt I never would have finished. What I ended up doing was removing the valve covers and rockers and reinstalling pushrods. Now this isn't 100% verified but the solution to all my problems appears to be one of 2 things. Either I put a pushrod in an oil gallery and/or My #3 fuel injector was bad (I found a bunch of fuel in the #3 cylinder intake port when removing the intake manifold to take the drivers head off). So, I removed rockers and rods again just for fun, and reinstalled and also put a new fuel injector in #3. She started right up!!! But overheated! Burp the radiator like any other car. Remove cap, crank engine, add fluid as room allows for at least 10 mins...I was 1.5 to 2 gallons low even though I filled and added till there was fluid coming out of the water pump bleed hole...

Lesson#8: Don't give up. I still have a front main oil seal that's leaking that Imma pay someone to fix cus it's relatively cheap, but if you got 100k on your truck and you LOVE it, doing this will give you another 100k miles. This is my forever truck, and I plan on swapping my dads 2015 cam and lifters cus @ 104k miles, he got the lifter tick...God Bless!

Well you should be able to do your Dads truck in your sleep,just razzing ya lad,lol.I'm glad you finally got it all sorted out and running again.One thing i learned along time ago,is slow down, as soon as you get in a hurry,thinking you got this,is when you'll have issues. Don't worry most of us have done the same thing at one point in time,just accept it as a lesson from the school of hard knocks,the teachers are a bitchh,but they usually make you learn things.

 

[James OBrien]

Awesome to share your experience here and congrats on successfully doing this job!

 

[Daw14]

It’s good to hear you’ve got it back together and running well. Thanks for sharing your experience,hopefully this will help others .

 

[EdGs]

Still scares the f*ck out of me.

I hope I never have to go through this, but sonner or later I might have to. I've been blessed with my truck, 151k miles so far, so I hope it is later. MUCH later.

At least I know where I can get the help and support I will need if life heads in that direction.

 

[DILLIGAF]

Still scares the f*ck out of me.

The MMX Youtube video explains it all in detail.

Just follow it.

99% of the issues on here are guys that are to lazy to drop the oil pan and they dont use a cam degree tool.

 

[ctwalton15]

I do appreciate you making this thread and being honest about what occurred with your situation I know it's definitely going to help me. I've got my heads pulled off and taken to the machine shop and i'll have them back in a few weeks. I know some more things to be aware of because of this thread and again thank you for that.

I am replacing the oil pump, not excited to but figured I may as well, I do have some time to kill while the heads are at the shop so I can most likely get it changed before or at least lower the differential by the time I get the heads back. I do want to remove the pan when changing the pump cause I'd like to put a new gasket on the pan Can't remember if I need one or not but I would like to for I suppose "ease of mind". Hopefully I don't have any huge issues just need to take my time and make sure its done right.

 

[gofishn]

That right there, is why I like this Forum so darn much!
Not that he shared an experience, and Solution!, that will help countless unknown others, for years to come but the willingness to own up and give the rest of us laughs as we see ourselves or, far more likely, remember ourselves doing the same or worse.

 

[James OBrien]

Just noticed some folks replied here, thanks! Replace your oil pump, I put on a high volume Melling and it's awesome... Been running it for at least 20k miles now on my rebuild, 50-55 at idle and 70-75 running. Some say it's too high, works fine for me.

 

[Wild one]

Just noticed some folks replied here, thanks! Replace your oil pump, I put on a high volume Melling and it's awesome... Been running it for at least 20k miles now on my rebuild, 50-55 at idle and 70-75 running. Some say it's too high, works fine for me.

What pressure are you seeing at 6000 rpm James.i'm curious on where the Melling pump tops out at,as i almost wonder if the Hellcat pump is over kill