knocking sound

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Kap1

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Hi All,

Just an FYI post - my 2013 v8 has 120k miles on it, now, used RL 5-30 and RP filter for about last 50k miles, and RL 5-20oil since got truck new.

Just got a slight knocking sound from engine last week. Took it to my mechanic to listen to, and he says that it sounds like one of the lifters is seizing up, in its early stages. NO CEL yet, truck runs just fine, mechanic told me to drive another 1k miles to see if cel comes up as doing cam and all lifters is $6-7k job and is a big leap based on knocking sound on its own.

Debating if should throw $7k at cam/lifters, or get a used or new truck... doesn't seem make sense to spend $7k and then wait when something else breaks - transmission has been feeling a bit questionable lately...
 

Burla

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Hey kap long time. Is this your original ram or a newer one?
 

Burn2k12Ram

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All depends how much you like the truck. Whos to say that if you do get I assume another used truck probably with high miles that it is not going to have big issues in the near future as well. Just something to think about. Also would an oil sample show if you have internal issue? How far along does it have to be to start wearing into the cam as that will no doubt show up on an oil sample.
 

Rod Knock

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Hey kap long time. Is this your original ram or a newer one?

Just an FYI post - my 2013 v8 has 120k miles on it, now, used RL 5-30 and RP filter for about last 50k miles, and RL 5-20oil since got truck new.

Hey @Burla, @Kap1 volunteered that information before you even asked the question. I bet you can't wrap your head around the fact that no oil on the face of the earth will cure bad/improperly hardened lifters, especially where the pin in one or more lifters fails and causes those lifters to seize. More proof that the "lubrication strategy" and the recommendation of using Red Line to cure manufacturing problems is meaningless.


Debating if should throw $7k at cam/lifters, or get a used or new truck... doesn't seem make sense to spend $7k and then wait when something else breaks - transmission has been feeling a bit questionable lately...

@Kap1, if you can do your own work, buy a PPE aluminum pan, do 3 drains and fills with your favorite ATF: Valvoline Max Life, AMSOIL ATL, Red Line D6, High Performance Lubricants Gren ATF CC, etc.

The same goes for the cam and lifters, plus you should change out the pushrods. Ideally, I would swap out the heads completely with new or reman heads and put in new pushrods, cam, lifters, MDS solenoids, and all OEM parts. The life expectancy for HEMI lifters was about 100K miles, I think later on, they pushed it to 150K, but that's just from unofficial sources.

Shop for all the parts, like new heads, gaskets, pushrods, cam, and lifters. Alternatively, you can do an MDS delete, but make sure you also delete MDS from the ECM.
 
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Kap1

Kap1

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Hey kap long time. Is this your original ram or a newer one?
Hi Burla,

It's my original truck that i bought new in 2013.

I had lots of stuff wrong with my truck before... dealer did replace one of the lifters already back at around 50k miles. Had new head replaced, exhaust bolts replaced 2 x under warranty, and one more time about 20k miles ago. So one can argue that my truck is a Lemon too...

I still like Redline oil, and will use it again without doubt, it did definitely make truck run much quieter. All i know is that it delayed the lifter issue significantly that i'm now at 120k miles.

I'm leaning towards doing the repair - new cap and lifters. I just don't "love" any of the new trucks, and not really excited about upgrading to any of the new trucks.
 

Burla

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That tick can be lifter tick but it is also possible it is a broken valve spring. I would want to try some strategies to see if we can change cadence or anything, that would rule out spring.

You seam to really like your ram, when it comes time, maybe send this engine to the boneyard and get a rebuild.
 
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Kap1

Kap1

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I just changed oil this week... as last oil change was 3.5k miles ago and oil was pretty dark already. New oil change didn't help with this knocking unfortunately.

How can we figure out if it's the lifter that's the problem, or something else? I think my mechanic wasn't too eager to offer check the lifters. He was more inclined to have me wait and see if CEL will come up and tell him what exactly is wrong.
 

Burn2k12Ram

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I just changed oil this week... as last oil change was 3.5k miles ago and oil was pretty dark already. New oil change didn't help with this knocking unfortunately.

How can we figure out if it's the lifter that's the problem, or something else? I think my mechanic wasn't too eager to offer check the lifters. He was more inclined to have me wait and see if CEL will come up and tell him what exactly is wrong.
An oil Analysis is able to check for 20 different metals and elements that may be in your oil. And really narrows down what specifically may be failing in your motor. So that will tell you or not if that is the problem. https://www.blackstone-labs.com/
 
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Kap1

Kap1

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An oil Analysis is able to check for 20 different metals and elements that may be in your oil. And really narrows down what specifically may be failing in your motor. So that will tell you or not if that is the problem. https://www.blackstone-labs.com/
I thought about it, but didn't do it during the oil change... I've done it couple times many years ago...

If i make it another 3k miles, maybe i'll do it next time.
 

Burla

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Hi All,

Just an FYI post - my 2013 v8 has 120k miles on it, now, used RL 5-30 and RP filter for about last 50k miles, and RL 5-20oil since got truck new.
That is not the histology I remember? Correct me if I am wrong, but you actually already had a CEL light before even trying redline? Your case was like the most complicated case we ever heard here. Just for accurate info, can you tell the histology on your oil use and the damage the dealer already fixed? I am pretty blown away that you made it to this mileage and counting from where you began. Do you have access to your original thread?

how many miles on new oil? rp 20-820? you are in nor cal?
 
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Kap1

Kap1

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That is not the histology I remember? Correct me if I am wrong, but you actually already had a CEL light before even trying redline? Your case was like the most complicated case we ever heard here. Just for accurate info, can you tell the histology on your oil use and the damage the dealer already fixed? I am pretty blown away that you made it to this mileage and counting from where you began. Do you have access to your original thread?

how many miles on new oil? rp 20-820? you are in nor cal?

I had lots of stuff happening to my truck, a very long saga...

From what i can recall...
manifold leaks at around 30k
rocker arm assembley replacemnt
another manifold leak around 50k, one head is replaced
liferter is bad and replaced around 60k i think?
manifold leak and bolts on one side replaced around 100k
oil change shop lied and didn't change oil on truck, so i had low pressure cel around 115k, very dark oil, got fixed with oil change, and 3k later i got this knocking sound now.
and lots of CEL's all around throughout the truck life, etc...

i just changed oil about 100 miles ago maybe, yes i've switched to the larger 20-820RP filter for the past year or so.
 

Burla

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I had lots of stuff happening to my truck, a very long saga...

From what i can recall...
manifold leaks at around 30k
rocker arm assembley replacemnt
another manifold leak around 50k, one head is replaced
liferter is bad and replaced around 60k i think?
manifold leak and bolts on one side replaced around 100k
oil change shop lied and didn't change oil on truck, so i had low pressure cel around 115k, very dark oil, got fixed with oil change, and 3k later i got this knocking sound now.
and lots of CEL's all around throughout the truck life, etc...

i just changed oil about 100 miles ago maybe, yes i've switched to the larger 20-820RP filter for the past year or so.
do you have that original thread, if memory serves me these issues started on a different oil, then we moved you to redline? Are you first owner?
 
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Kap1

Kap1

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do you have that original thread, if memory serves me these issues started on a different oil, then we moved you to redline? Are you first owner?

Sorry, i can't recall. I had so many threads... it should be in my history.

I'm original owner, used RL 5-20 and RP filter from 2k miles, after doing 1 oil change with conventional oil at 1k miles. I then switches to RL 5-30 at around 75k miles i think.
 

Burla

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I was able to look that up, your first repair internally was a lifter and rocker arms, and the truck ticked always. I remember your case wasnt your generic vanilla case, with the rocker arms being replaced. I would give the oil a little longer before doing anything, if it were me. Maybe those rocker arms were out of spec day one? That is why I was thinking new engine instead of rebuild, but not until you get a mis fire code.
 

Burla

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A symptom of a bad valve spring is ticking from the rocker arm. I do believe this was the main issue and no oil is gonna help that. If that sound does go away 750 miles after oil change, that would not be the case, but if it sounds like that maybe access valve springs and see which one is broken. Try and isolate the side of the engine, with stethoscope or something.
 

Burla

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It is not a hard job except for all the stuff that runs over valve cover, it's not like removing heads.
 
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