Ugh, more noises

[Friedchicken]

2011 1500 with 4.7, I'm getting a rattle when I first start it and put it in reverse or drive. Rattle sounds like exhaust or heat sheild but not 100%. Park and neutral is fine. I got under it with my homemade stethoscope, the only thing making a rattle with the noise is the cat converters. But if my cats were bad, wouldnt that set off a CEL for the o2 sensors? I put a laser thermometer in front and behind the cats, hotter after but only by like 50°. Hotter after means working right. Idk?? Maybe it's not the cats??

 

[Friedchicken]

Heres a video

 

[ThunderMug95]

That has to an exhaust component...crawl up under it and hit it with a mallet and see if you can reproduce or feel it jostling around in the housing, obviously when its not running...Sounds really loud, id be more prone to say a heat shield, but you have to eyeball that.

 

[Friedchicken]

That has to an exhaust component...crawl up under it and hit it with a mallet and see if you can reproduce or feel it jostling around in the housing, obviously when its not running...Sounds really loud, id be more prone to say a heat shield, but you have to eyeball that.

I was thinking maybe take out the o2 sensor that goes right into the cat, see if its louder...is that ok to do? It's weird the rattle goes away when it's hot. Idk

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

In D or R, engine torques one way or the other, causing contact or misalignment of parts maybe.
In P and N, no torquage = no noise.
Noises stop after it warms up likely due to expansion of parts.

 

[JohnnyMac]

My old 2000 Dodge used to get rocks up into the heat shields and it would rattle like that. I had to take them off to remove the rocks. Like @RoadRamblerNJ suggests, it would change depending on whether I was in gear or not and go away after everything heated up. That being said, could still be the cats. How many miles on the truck. Like you mentioned also, I would think bad cats would either throw a code or cause you to lose power/mpgs. A rubber mallet and a creeper are probably your best friends at this point.

 

[Friedchicken]

My old 2000 Dodge used to get rocks up into the heat shields and it would rattle like that. I had to take them off to remove the rocks. Like @RoadRamblerNJ suggests, it would change depending on whether I was in gear or not and go away after everything heated up. That being said, could still be the cats. How many miles on the truck. Like you mentioned also, I would think bad cats would either throw a code or cause you to lose power/mpgs. A rubber mallet and a creeper are probably your best friends at this point.

Definently have power issues up hills. But maybe that's the 4.7 and 5 speed auto tranny? 156k on truck. I'll check the heat sheilds

 

[Friedchicken]

In D or R, engine torques one way or the other, causing contact or misalignment of parts maybe.
In P and N, no torquage = no noise.
Noises stop after it warms up likely due to expansion of parts.

Do u mean engine/tranny not aligning with eachother? Any certain parts u have in mind that I should check?

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

Do u mean engine/tranny not aligning with eachother? Any certain parts u have in mind that I should check?

Nope, just any parts. Like several others said, git yer butt under the truck and bring a big banger with you. Make like Spanky when he was bug huntin'.

 

[ThunderMug95]

Father had a ‘96 W/T Ram with the 3.9...reverse out of the driveway, drop it in drive and the next 100yds sounded just like that. We just replaced everything but the headers. It was replacement time anyways...Noise disappeared.

 

[averageguy]

Nope, just any parts. Like several others said, git yer butt under the truck and bring a big banger with you. Make like Spanky when he was bug huntin'.

I don't know how many on here will get the Spanky reference but it made me smile.
The pay off is about 2 minutes 25 seconds.

 

[averageguy]

Friedchicken, you are making way too much out of this. Its not that the converters are bad, the motor isn't crooked, it is a loose heat shield or the exhaust is touching something possibly due to a hanger breaking or rusting off. I have also heard this noise when an exhaust pipe is loose and rattling around inside the larger pipe it is in. If it seems to be around the cats check those heat shields first. Or, find a shop that does free exhaust inspections.

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

I don't know how many on here will get the Spanky reference but it made me smile.
The pay off is about 2 minutes 25 seconds.

Watched the whole thing.
Thank you!
Every kid should see these.

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

Friedchicken, you are making way too much out of this. Its not that the converters are bad, the motor isn't crooked, it is a loose heat shield or the exhaust is touching something possibly due to a hanger breaking or rusting off. I have also heard this noise when an exhaust pipe is loose and rattling around inside the larger pipe it is in. If it seems to be around the cats check those heat shields first. Or, find a shop that does free exhaust inspections.

That crooked motor line got me thinking(uh-oh)
Could be a busted motor mount.
That wouldn't go away as it warmed up tho.

 

[RoadRamblerNJ]

Hey OP,
I had a rattle like that in my Harley. Turned out chipmunks nested in the muffler over the winter and brought a sh!tload of acorns in. They rattled like crazy.

You need to get under the truck and have someone smart that you trust in the drivers seat (NOT your wife). Let them power brake in D and R and see if you cant pinpoint the source of the noise. Noises travel a long way through metal and can sound like the back even tho it emminates in the front. Good luck.

 

[JohnnyMac]

(NOT your wife)

Hah! Especially if you have a good sized life insurance policy.....

 

[Friedchicken]

Finally found it! After looking at heat shields, checking bolts. Even having my my wife hold the brakes in reverse and being under it. I was going nuts and it was getting worse. I was just about to say f it and take it to the shop. I found a brand new SLT front chrome bumper to swap out my black on on my ST. Instead of 3 or 4 main bolts holding the bumper brackets onto the frame, there was only one nut on each side, one was barely hand tight. Swapped the bumpers and noise gone hahaha

 

[Ctrain1191]

Heres a video

I have that same noise. Just doesn’t last as long. Maybe like 5 seconds. When I’m about to come to a stop or when I go a little in reverse. I have a 2017 Ram 1500 v6 barely over 27,000 miles.