Tick, Tick on Cold startup

[ramjohn]

I have 2015 Ram 1500 5.7L that I just bought from a good friend so I know the history of it which is excellent. It only has 28,000 miles. Using Pennzoil Platnum full synthetic 5-20w oil with Ram factory filter.

This ticking tells me the engine is momentarily starved for oil. The ticking only lasts 3-4 seconds but I still don't like it and feel there is abnormal wear going on when this occurs. This does not occur every time I start the truck but 30-50% of the time.

First, anyone else experience this?

Suggestions???

Thanks
John

 

[69GWC]

Redline 5w30 oil.
That is so long it has no broken manifold bolts which at that mileage I would not think that would be it.

These 5.7 Hemis are kinda picky on the oil you run in them.

 

[Gary2]

Been using Pennzoil Platinum 5-20 for a few years with MOPAR filter, no tics here. I had read a few places back then that Pennzoil is what is in the MOPAR oil cans . May or may not be but its been fine as far as I can tell for roughly 20,000 miles

 

[huntergreen]

Mine runs fine on pup also. Now if I had a tick, I would follow the advice above and use 5-30 redline oil. Visit the syn oil thread and read the results for yourself.

 

[grizzstang]

First check for broken exhaust manifold bolts. If they are ok and you want to stick with Pennzoil, I would try PUP 5W30. Many have reported extra engine noise with the PP in the Hemi. Pennzoil Gold 5W30 semi synthetic would also be a better choice than the PP. Avoid starting and shutting off before the motor is fully warm, the Hemi does not like that. If the cold start tick continues I would take 69GWC's advice and pick up some Redline 5W30.

 

[Ken226]

As grizzstang stated. Check the manifold studs.

I've owned several Hemi powered trucks and Durango's.

I've also had Hemi powered Rams and Durango's assigned long term by my employer.

Every single one of them, start ticking as you describe. Every one have the same symptoms.

It starts as a tick that goes away as the engine warms up. Over time, it will take longer and longer for the tick to go away.

Ever single time, on every vehicle, that tick was broken exhaust manifold studs. I've become expert at replacing them.

I pull the manifold off from inside the wheel well, drill and ez-out the ones that are loose, and Tig weld a screw to , then remove with a socket, the tight ones.

 

[Thelegendl23]

I have 2015 Ram 1500 5.7L that I just bought from a good friend so I know the history of it which is excellent. It only has 28,000 miles. Using Pennzoil Platnum full synthetic 5-20w oil with Ram factory filter.

This ticking tells me the engine is momentarily starved for oil. The ticking only lasts 3-4 seconds but I still don't like it and feel there is abnormal wear going on when this occurs. This does not occur every time I start the truck but 30-50% of the time.

First, anyone else experience this?

Suggestions???

Thanks
John

The manifold bolts are broken.

 

[b-rock]

So I have a 2017 that I bought brand new in February. It currently has 8k miles on it and I occasionally hear the tick at first start for just a couple of seconds.

Y'all are saying manifold bolts?

2017 RAM 1500 CC, LoneStar, Black Pearl

 

[69GWC]

Thats the first thing to check, but I would not think at that low of mileage they would be broke already BUT anything is possible so its worth checking to rule it out or not.

 

[Thelegendl23]

So I have a 2017 that I bought brand new in February. It currently has 8k miles on it and I occasionally hear the tick at first start for just a couple of seconds.

Y'all are saying manifold bolts?

2017 RAM 1500 CC, LoneStar, Black Pearl

Heard of a few with less miles actually. If it is the bolts it'll get worse as more break in time.

 

[Ramm5.7]

So I have a 2017 that I bought brand new in February. It currently has 8k miles on it and I occasionally hear the tick at first start for just a couple of seconds.

Y'all are saying manifold bolts?
2017 RAM 1500 CC, LoneStar, Black Pearl

Mine had 10k at purchase, at 12.5 it developed the dreaded tick. Took it to dealer and 3 drivers side manifold bolts got replaced. Now at 32k and knock on wood no more ticking.
Use pup 5-20 oil and wix filter

 

[CanadianNick]

It’s not manifold bolts that are broken if it’s ticking only for a couple seconds.
If it was the bolts it would be ticking a lot longer, basically till the engine warms up and metal expands

 

[gregs2018ram]

Mine ticks for about two seconds....More noticeably in the morning. Seems to do it consistently when I turn around in the drive way (started but didn't let it run very long).

So, is the engine being starved of oil? running pup 5w-20, and a mobil 1 extended filter.

 

[Burla]

It isn't every ram, but the work of the many guys on this forum have really proven single oil will likely relieve it. The formula of Redline 5w30 addresses low viscosity concerns and is the heaviest with anti wear and extreme pressure additives. The ester/pao base is also branched chain lubrication and it polar and dense when compared to the group 3 oils. The guys that recommend it is because they have seen 6 years of it working at a very high rate on this specific thing on this specific forum. It isn't 100%, but it is close, and sometimes it takes a while for the tick to go away, myself was several 100 miles and just recently it took one guy 1700 miles until redline killed his tick. There is a reason for this, sometimes it takes time and pressure for the additives to work. That is the science behind them. Sometimes just the extra benefits of redline kill the tick right away, the other times it takes up to 1700 miles, and occasionally it doesn't work. Redline 5w30 is vastly different from top to bottom then any oil your gonna get off the walmart shelf. Nothing wrong with those oils by the way, it just turns out the formula of redline is a tick killer. Nick from Gotexhaust is not only a vendor here but also the guy that sells it the cheapest around, pm him. If you want to learn more pose the question in the syn thread.

Always rule out mani bolts first.

 

[Burla]

What oil manufacturers use to protect against dry starts is moly. The redline formula has more then any oil off the shelf by a lot.

 

[Thelegendl23]

It’s not manifold bolts that are broken if it’s ticking only for a couple seconds.
If it was the bolts it would be ticking a lot longer, basically till the engine warms up and metal expands

That's not 100% true, the dealer will tell OP for sure and you're in warranty I imagine. My vote still header bolts. In say somewhere like Arizona when its 110 how long you think it really takes for an engine to warm up just enough for some expansion? Not long.

 

[CanadianNick]

That's not 100% true, the dealer will tell OP for sure and you're in warranty I imagine. My vote still header bolts. In say somewhere like Arizona when its 110 how long you think it really takes for an engine to warm up just enough for some expansion? Not long.

You’re right, not long but definitely more than a few seconds. A manifold leak will not go away in a few seconds period.

 

[tidefan1967]

If its Hemi tick its a GOD awful clatter than lasts 3 seconds at the most and quiets down almost immediately and probably only happens intermittently at best. I have yet to hear a manifold exhaust leak on a Hemi but am very, very familiar with it going back to replacing the exh. manifold gasket on a 72 Nova more than 30 years not to mention a few donut gaskets and I've never seen an exhaust leak go away in less than 30 seconds.
The most horrible sound I ever heard was when I bought my first Ram back in April 2015 when the salesman cranked it up for my test drive and let me tell you it was the mother of all drivetrain noises. He said that they all do that occasionally but I wanted to ditch that G-D Silverado so bad I was willing to do almost anything. I figured it had been sitting for months and the top end was as dry as an 80 year old womans private parts.
I will say that the longer I use Pennzoil Ultra 5W20 the less I am impressed with it and I've been using it and smaller Napa Gold filter since 6K on this new truck(I still get some tick every once in awhile). Used it for roughly 25K on the previously mentioned and it didn't make it but to 32K before a lifter ate the cam(mentioned before in another earlier post) After wading through all the BS I would at least move up to 5W30 (preferably Redline 5W30 if you can afford it)(pay me now or pay me later or so I keep reminding myself) and I wouldn't even waste my time with regular Pennzoil platinum 5W20 because I used it in the wife's Explorer for 6K and my previous Ram for one very short 3K interval and it ticked as much or hell maybe more than it did on PYB 5W20. And last but not least the worst Hemi tick in the world is still not enough to get me behind the wheel of another Silverado ever again. You know its bad when a 2003 F350 Longbed crew cab rides better than an almost new POS 2015 Chevy Silverado Ext. cab.

 

[grizzstang]

Mine had 10k at purchase, at 12.5 it developed the dreaded tick. Took it to dealer and 3 drivers side manifold bolts got replaced. Now at 32k and knock on wood no more ticking.
Use pup 5-20 oil and wix filter

Wow! New bolts at 12,500 miles. I just rolled 10,000 so I guess I should start checking them. I have to say on a 1 year old truck that is ********.

 

[Beagler]

I purchased my truck Dec.2017. Never heard the tick at all until now since I changed the oil. I went with 5-20 Pennzoil Platinum. At 14,000 miles now I will be going to a 5-30 in something other than Pennzoil. It clicks at startup for like 2-3 seconds and gone. Only heard it maybe 3 times since I changed the oil.