Engine rattle sound

[Redcup]

As the title says I have a fancy new noise. I first noticed it yesterday. I hope this is just a bad gas sound and not a blown or soon to blow engine. Here is a video of the sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO_EUnaFTEk

 

[jws123]

Take your belt off and fire it up for a few seconds and see if the noise is gone it sounds belt driven to me at least from the vid.

 

[Redcup]

Take your belt off and fire it up for a few seconds and see if the noise is gone it sounds belt driven to me at least from the vid.

So if the sound does, hopefully, go away with the belt removed just start spinning pulleys to see if anything makes noise? I am leaning towards the water pump now. I crawled under the truck and the sound wasn't as pronounced as it was standing at the front of the grill. It sounds like it is centered too which would either be water pump or tensioner pulley right? I'll need the rain to stop before I can pop the belt off as I don't have garage. I've sunk more money into this truck than I have any other vehicle I have owned and it hasn't even been a year! Even the 1990 M3 I owned was cheaper and that I rebuilt the whole front end.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

Agreed on belt removal to check for play in the alt pulley, water pump assembly, idler and tensioner pulleys.

For poops & giggles, grab the crank pulley, too and give it a shake to make sure it's on there good and strong.

What's the current mileage?
Have the idler & tensioner pulleys ever been replaced? (if belt is old, change that out)

If it is the water pump, good time for a coolant flush & fill as well, if it's not been changed in a while of course.

 

[Zoe Saldana]

First thought is the water pump but that sounds more like marbles.

 

[Redcup]

Agreed on belt removal to check for play in the alt pulley, water pump assembly, idler and tensioner pulleys.

For poops & giggles, grab the crank pulley, too and give it a shake to make sure it's on there good and strong.

What's the current mileage?
Have the idler & tensioner pulleys ever been replaced? (if belt is old, change that out)

If it is the water pump, good time for a coolant flush & fill as well, if it's not been changed in a while of course.

It is safe to say it is all still original. Pretty sure the plugs have never been done either. Current mileage is 107k. I pulled the repair history when I got the truck in August and it was just general maintenance done at the dealer under warranty. When the owner had to replace the right half shaft that's when he traded it in and it became my problem.

 

[RamDiver]

As the title says I have a fancy new noise. I first noticed it yesterday. I hope this is just a bad gas sound and not a blown or soon to blow engine. Here is a video of the sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO_EUnaFTEk

The best tool to find noisy bearings is often a mechanic's stethoscope.

Touching the stethoscope rod onto any casting and working towards the bearing set will illuminate the issue quite clearly.

In a pinch, a wooden dowel or rod pressed to your ear, just be extra careful around moving parts.

If you're working in a noisy environment without a stethoscope, tape a large pop bottle with the bottom cut off onto the dowel; the neighbours will be able to hear the noise.

.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

It is safe to say it is all still original. Pretty sure the plugs have never been done either. Current mileage is 107k. I pulled the repair history when I got the truck in August and it was just general maintenance done at the dealer under warranty. When the owner had to replace the right half shaft that's when he traded it in and it became my problem.

While you're in there wrenching, and it being over 100K on her...maybe consider....

Check and tighten all the intake manifold bolts.

Look at the PCV valve and either give it a thorough cleaning or just replace it altogether.
Maybe a throttle body cleaning, too.

Definitely time for new spark plugs and maybe an air filter as well.

Also get your engine on a good oil and filter strategy, if you've not already started that.

 

[Redcup]

So I am looking at parts while I wait for the rain to stop. It seems that all the Mopar water pumps are on "major backorder" and I am unable to get one. Any suggestions on good aftermarket pumps?

 

[Ken226]

No, go OEM.

it looks to be in stock

53022192AK - Mopar Parts Giant

www.moparpartsgiant.com

2009-2024 Mopar Water Pump 68346912AC | My Mopar Parts

2009-2024 Mopar part # 68346912AC - Water Pump

www.mymoparparts.com

I generally wouldn't recommend Amazon for OEM parts, but i've bought from Amazon's "The Mopar Store" before with no problems.

Amazon.com

 

[Redcup]

No, go OEM.

it looks to be in stock

53022192AK - Mopar Parts Giant

www.moparpartsgiant.com

The dealer mentioned part number 68346912AC which is the replacement for the one you linked. I'll still reach out to the website to see if it is really in stock.

Ninja edit: The part number 68346912AC is the current replacement part. Both 68346911AC and 68346912AC are on back order. I have reached out to everyone that lists the parts as "in stock". I also reached out to Griffin Auto Group who supplies my area and got the same answer with no ETA.

Edit 2: Holy $&%* I found one over in Iowa. They said they would hold it for me to pickup tomorrow. $90 more than online but I can have it tomorrow.

 

[Ken226]

The dealer mentioned part number 68346912AC which is the replacement for the one you linked. I'll still reach out to the website to see if it is really in stock.

Ninja edit: The part number 68346912AC is the current replacement part. Both 68346911AC and 68346912AC are on back order. I have reached out to everyone that lists the parts as "in stock". I also reached out to Griffin Auto Group who supplies my area and got the same answer with no ETA.

There are lots of different part numbers that fit the same trucks. Basically for the 5.7 Hemi, there is a car water pump (Challenger, Charger, Durango, Grand Cherokee, Etc) and there is a truck (non EGR 1500s) water pump.

The car water pumps are interchangeable and the truck water pumps are interchangeable. If you are limiting yourself to a specific part number, you may be waiting for a really long time. Mopar is weird with part numbers, pretty much every single iteration gets a different part#, depending on which plant it was made in, which date, etc.



If you need convincing, lets take this Napa aftermarket water pump. Part# TFW 43559, which it says is guaranteed to fit my 2013.







Napa lists the same part# as fitting your 2018.



The same Napa water pump fits both trucks. If you look at Oreilly's, Advanced, Auto Zone, etc. You find the same. you can logically infer that the same Mopar pump fits both trucks too.


I made this assumption and took the associated risk when I replaced the water pump in my 2013 back in January. I used a pump that some websites said "doesn't fit" and that Rock Auto said "fits". Same with our Durango. I just ordered the Durango OEM Mopar pump that RockAuto listed, even though MoparPartsGiant showed it as being for a Challenger and "doesn't fit" the Durango.



They both fit.

 

[Ken226]

If I listened to the "dealer" as to what fits, I wouldn't have a truck any more. Here is my post from last year on the part that was "Discontinued".

Anyone know where to find a rack and pinion?

Update Removed rack and pinion from truck, was able to do it without removing wheels came out pretty easy. removed cover inspected belt - perfect condition no signs of wear and truck has 140k miles on it now Removed board cover plate - required special 5 point security bit not a torx -...

www.ramforum.com

The rack & pinion fit fine and has been working since the date of that post.

 

[Ken226]

Edit 2: Holy $&%* I found one over in Iowa. They said they would hold it for me to pickup tomorrow. $90 more than online but I can have it tomorrow.

Nice. Sometimes it's worth a little more to not have to worry.

 

[Redcup]

I'll report back what I ultimately find out and what is done.

 

[Redcup]

While you're in there wrenching, and it being over 100K on her...maybe consider....

Check and tighten all the intake manifold bolts.

Look at the PCV valve and either give it a thorough cleaning or just replace it altogether.
Maybe a throttle body cleaning, too.

Definitely time for new spark plugs and maybe an air filter as well.

Also get your engine on a good oil and filter strategy, if you've not already started that.

That's the plan. The tune up will have to wait a bit longer as this repair will be eating those funds. Starting with the next oil change I'll be running redline 5w30 and the RP filter.

 

[StoneDude76]

I had a similar noise. For me it was the engine cover. Never could figure out what it was rattling off of. Try removing it. If your lucky that will be it.

 

[Redcup]

It ended up being the pump. Popped the belt off and ran the truck for 10 seconds and the sound was gone. Reached down and I could wobble the water pump pulley back and forth about an quarter inch. Guessing that isn't normal... Got the pump, thermostat, tensioner, idler, and belt all replaced in about 4 hours with help. Took me longer to figure the stupid shroud out than removing the water pump. Only thing I have noticed is that it runs hotter than before. I got a 203 thermostat from napa. On the highway before I did the pump, driving 70 would get me around 203-205. Now I get up to 225 and it just sits there. I have been burping the system and haven't had to add any coolant since Sunday. Could there still be air trapped? If it sits and idles it is around 199. It hasn't gone above 225 though as the fan kicks in and drops it to 202-203.

 

[Zoe Saldana]

Did you run the heater for awhile? If not, try that.

It ended up being the pump. Popped the belt off and ran the truck for 10 seconds and the sound was gone. Reached down and I could wobble the water pump pulley back and forth about an quarter inch. Guessing that isn't normal... Got the pump, thermostat, tensioner, idler, and belt all replaced in about 4 hours with help. Took me longer to figure the stupid shroud out than removing the water pump. Only thing I have noticed is that it runs hotter than before. I got a 203 thermostat from napa. On the highway before I did the pump, driving 70 would get me around 203-205. Now I get up to 225 and it just sits there. I have been burping the system and haven't had to add any coolant since Sunday. Could there still be air trapped? If it sits and idles it is around 199. It hasn't gone above 225 though as the fan kicks in and drops it to 202-203.

 

[Ken226]

Reached down and I could wobble the water pump pulley back and forth about an quarter inch. Guessing that isn't normal...

Nope. Not normal.

Got the pump, thermostat, tensioner, idler, and belt all replaced in about 4 hours with help. Took me longer to figure the stupid shroud out than removing the water pump. Only thing I have noticed is that it runs hotter than before. I got a 203 thermostat from napa.

You can test the thermostat in a pot of boiling water on the kitchen stove. Use a thermometer and see what temp the water is at when the thermostat opens. Personally, I would never install a thermostat that I didn't test first.

Parts store thermostats are junk now days. I have a 192* Calorstat in my truck currently, from RockAuto. Its been in for about 4-5 months and so far, so good. Typically, I would only use OEM, but I wanted to try the Calorstat since they're new to the US market.

On the highway before I did the pump, driving 70 would get me around 203-205. Now I get up to 225 and it just sits there. I have been burping the system and haven't had to add any coolant since Sunday. Could there still be air trapped? If it sits and idles it is around 199. It hasn't gone above 225 though as the fan kicks in and drops it to 202-203.

Did you remove the plug in the top / front of the water pump when you filled the radiator? My normal procedure on the Hemi is to remove that plug, fill radiator until coolant drools out of the hole, then put the plug back in.

Then I put the radiator cap on, start the engine and while its idling sqeeze the upper radiator hose over and over. Usually with a few pumps of the upper hose, the hose will suddenly collapse. Then I remove the radiator cap and top it off.