Is this normal?

[Shtty6point4]

went for the exhaust manifold gasket replacement. It was only getting worse causing performance issues and the truck was having the hardest time wanting to accelerate or even power up a hill unless I mashed the pedal. Got a lot of carbon built up. Behind the manifold there’s a white residue built up inside is this normal? Also how can I clean manifold and the residue?

 

[Burla]

Thanks for posting, I will learn with some other guys on this one as I don't have a clue. Isn't the fail sage spray carb or brake cleaner on it? Have you ever pulled and checked the exhaust spark plugs and seen how they are doing? Gas burns dirty, so I would have to guess normal. One of those different? One no white residue or is that shade?

 

[Shtty6point4]

One of them is dark. Cyl 4.
The rest look like they are covered in frost. I’m about to pull some plugs and check I’ll post back.

Thanks for posting, I will learn with some other guys on this one as I don't have a clue. Isn't the fail sage spray carb or brake cleaner on it? Have you ever pulled and checked the exhaust spark plugs and seen how they are doing? Gas burns dirty, so I would have to guess normal. One of those different? One no white residue or is that shade?

 

[Burla]

Informative post here, the inquiring minds will want to know why the outlier. Looking at that cylinders e-port it not only looks different, the carbon seams more imo.

 

[Rlaf75]

What's the year of the truck and mileage on the engine?

 

[Burla]

A possible reason- just maybe that cylinder isnt burning as hot? Wouldn't be an air issue, but maybe spark isnt as hot, injector might be clogged not atomizing, ring not as good as others?

 

[White six four]

Are one of those cylinders the same as the closed gapped spark plug you had in your other thread? They're probably related if so

 

[Wild one]

By chance are you running an octane booster in the fuel,as the white ones look like what you'll sometimes get for residue with certain brands of fuel or octane boosters,and like has been posted #4 looks like it's burning oil,either valve guides/seals or weak rings.It might be worth while doing a compression check or better yet a leak down test if you have access to one

 

[Scottly]

Looks like the white ones have regular fuel additive deposits common in some of the commercially available gasolines today, or fuel additives you use. The black one looks almost like it's sucking all of the crankcase pressure on that downstroke. Just my observation.

 

[Shtty6point4]

Are one of those cylinders the same as the closed gapped spark plug you had in your other thread? They're probably related if so

Sorry for the late reply to everybody trying to help.

Truck is a 2016 Ram 2500 6.4 hemi Tradesman.

I just got done with family now truck time. Haha. Im about to starting pulling that sides spark plugs and I’ll upload pictures of all of that and see what y’all think. Give me time to get my tools set up and I’ll reach back!

Also, yes I do run additives maybe every 3rd or 5th tank of gas. I usually always fill up to the top. If I can I throw the additives in 30-40 miles before empty and run it to nothing if I can. Last thing I put in what a bottle of cataclean.

 

[Shtty6point4]

I run 89 octane every 3rd-5th tank
As well. If not 89, I run the standard 87

 

[Shtty6point4]

Aside from that, maybe I can get a quick answer on this here. After replacing my gasket on the exhaust mani. It definitely helped with the ticking from that area. Maybe a small leak at the flange but I can deal with that in a few. My question is when I first crank the truck, it’s dead quiet. Sounds absolutely perfect. No ticking at all. When the high idle reduces and gets under 1000 rpm the ticking starts and gradually gets louder until the idle is at its hangout area of 700 rpm give or take. Any reason why? No oil getting slung at the low rpm so lifters arnt getting wet like they were when high idle was helping sling it?

 

[Burla]

Aside from that, maybe I can get a quick answer on this here. After replacing my gasket on the exhaust mani. It definitely helped with the ticking from that area. Maybe a small leak at the flange but I can deal with that in a few. My question is when I first crank the truck, it’s dead quiet. Sounds absolutely perfect. No ticking at all. When the high idle reduces and gets under 1000 rpm the ticking starts and gradually gets louder until the idle is at its hangout area of 700 rpm give or take. Any reason why? No oil getting slung at the low rpm so lifters arnt getting wet like they were when high idle was helping sling it?

If you have warm idle tick, not just when the idle gets kicked down but after a trip at warm idel if it is ticking and it is lifter tick, you have a problem, this is the cam killer. sadly many people here including myself have had it. However, exclusively here as a forum we attempted to develop a lubrication strategy to address this. Search for the threads in my sig and read them. The redline strategy comes with a 80% success rate and biotech comes with a 50% success rate at killing that tick. You can read this, an engine builder and lubrication expert did a metalurgy test on a failed cam, it is enlightening to the why these fail and also goes hand in hand with our results. You can read the poll results in the redline oil thread they are public, meaning you can see the results are not some powder, but long term ram forum members over a decade. We have tested many of the field of additives and oils and avoiding dangerous strategies like chlorine. You might consider trying one of those strategies and get rid of that warm idle tick. read oil filter thread as well, look at high flow media that doesnt degrade.

 

[Shtty6point4]

Okay guys I got around to it and this is what I uncovered. Cylinder 4 is odd. Can I clean up what is causing this issue? I’m going to replace cyl 4 spark plugs with my used ones if I can find them, not that they will last long without looking like these…Any idea what’s happening?

 

[Wild one]

Okay guys I got around to it and this is what I uncovered. Cylinder 4 is odd. Can I clean up what is causing this issue? I’m going to replace cyl 4 spark plugs with my used ones if I can find them, not that they will last long without looking like these…Any idea what’s happening?

Do a compression test while you're at it,as #4 looks like it's got a few issues,that i don't think changing oil brands is gonna fix

 

[Burla]

It could be seal on spark plug tube? I would expect more oil on the plug but it is possible and a known issue. I always say look downstream and sometimes take flack for it, but if you find out this is the cause replace pcv as well. Pop that plug again and stick you finger down there, is there oil all over the finger? compare it to the next cylinder as well.

Man the other plugs look so good, seams like a small thing here. Valve seal other likely cause.

Look into redline si-1, we have 3 boroscoped engines here that show it disolves carbon slowly if that is the issue with the valve seat. Maybe prevent it in the future? Unless there is some other reason that failed if that was the cause.

 

[Spsully]

Ok.... couple thoughts but no real train to carry them together.

Newer motors across all makes are seeing a considerable increase in carbon build up. Thinner ringlands and rings to get better efficiency and better fuel economy are likely the cause. They are also getting thinner oil. So it all adds up increased blow by and carbon build up. It is almost required now to do some sort of carbon cleaning i.e. Seafoam, BG cleaning.

This is a running 5.7 with 80k on it


Since you are already in that far, I would 100% say a compression test is a good idea. Also a leak down test would be wise. If for no other reason than having that peace of mind.

I never saw too many 6.4s come in with typical hemi issues compared to the 5.7, but there are so many more 5.7s out there that the numbers would be skewed even if every single motor came into the shop.

 

[Shtty6point4]

It could be seal on spark plug tube? I would expect more oil on the plug but it is possible and a known issue. I always say look downstream and sometimes take flack for it, but if you find out this is the cause replace pcv as well. Pop that plug again and stick you finger down there, is there oil all over the finger? compare it to the next cylinder as well.

Man the other plugs look so good, seams like a small thing here. Valve seal other likely cause.

Look into redline si-1, we have 3 boroscoped engines here that show it disolves carbon slowly if that is the issue with the valve seat. Maybe prevent it in the future? Unless there is some other reason that failed if that was the cause.

Not seeing any oil on my finger that would suggest a leak into the tube or anything. There was no sitting oil or anything in the tube before spark plugged removed. I can see a considerable amount of carbon gunk just down on top of the crown. I’d like to remove it and maybe pour some sea foam down in there to help dissolve it while the motor is running or something. Trying to find the best way to remove as much loose carbon as I can. I poured maybe 3-4oz of B12 in last night to help loosen some up and considered maybe taping a clear hose to my shop vac and sticking it down in the tube and see if I can extract anything. Or a pump of some sort. Last resort would be my long handles air compressor gun and just let 100psi blast in and see what comes out and makes a mess. Not sure on what to do but I do need to get to work tomorrow so the truck needs to run by the morning haha. Any suggestions on removal of the build up and what I can put in? The owners of the truck before me did NO maintenance to the truck at all. Since I’ve had it I’ve tried to restore it and help the health best I can by cleaning up intake and fuel system with adt. And what not. Could using additives and decluttering the system at such high miles after it not being taken care of cause an abundance of build up all at once?

 

[Burla]

It is one cylinder is the issue, I think is valve related with what you said. If somehow the pcv was dumping in one cylinder over others, maybe a catch can will fix it, but this doesnt sound very plausible, but catch can can only help here.

 

[Burla]

6 Symptoms Of Bad Valve Seals & Replacement Cost

Find out the symptoms of bad valve seals and the average replacement cost to keep your engine running smoothly.

mechanicbase.com

Or valve seat, or something there is letting oil through. Maybe just thinking, does anyone think this could happen of that injector is clogged? Causing poor atomization not allowing pcv burn off.