Valvetrain Noise after Cam and Lifter Replacement

[wolfgang2001]

I'm not one to typically post on forums, unless I am in dire need of some help.

I've got a 2019 1500 5.7 non e-torque that I just completed replacing the cam and lifters, along with new pushrods, associated gaskets, hellcat oil pump, plugs and coil packs, and BD Diesel manifolds. I used all OEM parts with the exception of the exhaust manifolds and all the gaskets in which I used Mahle parts.

When replacing the old cam I took note that there was no severe wear on it, however two of the old lifters did have some play in it. I finished everything yesterday afternoon, primed the oil, started it. It is slow to start and this may be due to the battery being low as the truck has been sitting for 3 months, haven't checked voltage, and I am having a pretty loud valvetrain noise coming from the passenger side. From what I have read it could be a pushrod not properly seated, or it could be bad lifters. I took the truck on a test drive to see if it was possible just needing a break in, the noise was still there after about a 10 mile test drive so I parked it and haven't started it since. I am using Royal Purple 5W-30 full synthetic with no additional additives. There is a CEL, however I haven't ran the codes yet, this maybe pre-existing codes from before the re-build due to the previous misfiring. It should also be noted that the truck is running very smoothly and seems to not be misfiring.

Also another note is, that even with the Hellcat oil pump I am still averaging around 23-28 psi of oil pressure while idling, I'm not sure if this is normal or not, but during light footed driving (below 3000 RPM) it will get into the 60-70 range.

When putting everything back in I know for a fact the engine is in timing, however I can not recall to save my life if the engine was at TDC when I installed the pushrods, this is a concern of mine, however I am hoping that it is just a pushrod not properly seated. Does anyone have any suggestions that this could be otherwise and what my course of action should be from this point on. Should I pull the valve cover and check the rods? If so what am I primarily looking for? Also does anyone have any suggestions to put the engine at TDC without pulling the timing cover or heads. I am thinking pulling the a spark plug from cylinder #1 and sticking a long rod down in and rotating the crank until that rod is at the longest point.

Anything helps, because I am at a loss right now, spent a total of 5 days doing the work just for it to still have issues. I will try to get videos of the sound later this evening. But for right now I don't know what to do next.

 

[Burla]

Even when guys are TDC we see pushrods bent, i'm not sure we even know why. Did you spin the engine a couple times when together? Don't drive and check pushrods, happens so much here it is a large % even when done "right".

 

[wolfgang2001]

Even when guys are TDC we see pushrods bent, i'm not sure we even know why. Did you spin the engine a couple times when together? Don't drive and check pushrods, happens so much here it is a large % even when done "right".

That’s a shame, if this happens to be what happened I guess I can throw my old pushrods back end since they were all still in good shape. I didn’t end up spinning the engine by hand once I got everything together, but I did prime it for two start cycles.

 

[Burla]

That’s a shame, if this happens to be what happened I guess I can throw my old pushrods back end since they were all still in good shape. I didn’t end up spinning the engine by hand once I got everything together, but I did prime it for two start cycles.

Get some more opinions, I just report what we see here like 100's of times. You could try posting recording, is it the cadence of hemi tick? With pushrods bent, it continues to get worse if that is what it is.

 

[jws123]

Try to upload a vid of it running keep in mind brand new lifters will be noisy for a few heat cycles also did you soak the lifters in oil before install?

 

[wolfgang2001]

Try to upload a vid of it running keep in mind brand new lifters will be noisy for a few heat cycles also did you soak the lifters in oil before install?

I will definitely get a video in the morning. I soaked them in assembly lube, the dealer I I picked them up from told me they come pre-soaked. I figured they would be noisy at first but not as long as they have been.

 

[wolfgang2001]

Valve cover off trying, start cycle

 

[jws123]

didnt hear anything crazy in that vid once you get it back together get one at a cold and hot idle.

 

[wolfgang2001]

So something I noticed in two separate videos I took, no oil coming from the rocker arms, loosened all bolts, re torqued them to 185 in ibs tried, did a start cycle and now we have oil, getting everything back together now and seeing if this fixed it. Hopefully don’t have to do it on the driver side as well, seeing as the sound was only coming from the passenger side

 

[jws123]

I did notice no oil but you only had it running for like 20s

 

[wolfgang2001]

This is after loosening the passenger side rocker arms and re torqued to 185 in ibs. The sound is probably 10x quieter but is still not eliminated.

 

[Burla]

Both sides seam loud to me. Doesn't sound like the typical bent push rod sound, and I am not saying they aren't bent, maybe they already are, it just is more loud then that push rod tick.

 

[wolfgang2001]

Both sides seam loud to me. Doesn't sound like the typical bent push rod sound, and I am not saying they aren't bent, maybe they already are, it just is more loud then that push rod tick.

Yeah it is definitely louder in person, videos don’t really do justice on the audio. Checked all the push rods on the passenger side and none appeared to be bent. Loosening the rocker arms 10 in-ibs did initially decrease the noise significantly. However I just took it on approximately 5 mile test drive and kept the RPMs below 3k and now it’s back to where it was before loosening the arms.

With all that being said, should I attempt to place the old rods in since none of them appeared to be bent or damaged and see from there. Also just to make sure I’ve got this correct, the torque spec for the rocker arm bolts is 195 in-ibs. I took it to a shop this morning for a “diagnosis” and they told me it needs a new cam and lifters again take it they just came outside and listened to it and hooked up a code reader on it. Another thing I am having codes associated with the SRV and Intake runner sensor, see below the exact codes

P1004 - Short Runner Valve Control Performance
P2008 - Short Runner Valve (SRV) Control Circuit
P2017 - Intake Manifold Runner Position Sensor Circuit High

I also had a P2000 earlier this morning but it did not provide a code description and was successfully cleared. None of these codes were present prior to doing the rebuild.

 

[Burla]

If you installed push rods correctly, I don't think going back with stock would help. It might be a good idea to keep them in case you do find something bent later. Like I said maybe this post or before, we dont really know what to do. If we did, then this wouldn't be happening as much as it does and we could stop it before it happens. All I can offer is you aren't alone, many examples of this but w/o codes. Something in those codes could be the issue so your case may be different. Much of the time no bread crumbs to follow. Find what the issue is with that valve

 

[Burla]

A while back I thought it would be helpful to spin the engine by hand after put together, just to make sure there is no resistance in push rods. Unless your popeye you wont bend the push rods, and even he might have to use some spinach to get it don't. Maybe it will or wont help, but it is something someone could do. Usually those push rods get bent like in 2 seconds under power if they are going to get bent.

 

[wolfgang2001]

A while back I thought it would be helpful to spin the engine by hand after put together, just to make sure there is no resistance in push rods. Unless your popeye you wont bend the push rods, and even he might have to use some spinach to get it don't. Maybe it will or wont help, but it is something someone could do. Usually those push rods get bent like in 2 seconds under power if they are going to get bent.

I’m guessing next thing to do is take the valve cover back off and pull the rods once more and check everything again. I did find an older Star case that is referring to the rocker arms, not sure if it would apply to my situation but I may give it a try to just see. I’ll attach the Star case below.

 

[Burla]

I’m guessing next thing to do is take the valve cover back off and pull the rods once more and check everything again. I did find an older Star case that is referring to the rocker arms, not sure if it would apply to my situation but I may give it a try to just see. I’ll attach the Star case below.

Wow that was a good find. Got to chew on this, but you can see even fca knew about push rods leaving cup. I want to digest this entire paper, thanks for posting it.

So don't hand crank the engine per page 7. Have to leave time.

.

 

[Burla]

There is no way to get info on that star case? Was that after a repair or some dude just brought his truck in under warranty and this was a fix for a tick that just showed up.

 

[Wild one]

Wow that was a good find. Got to chew on this, but you can see even fca knew about push rods leaving cup. I want to digest this entire paper, thanks for posting it.

So don't hand crank the engine per page 7. Have to leave time.

.

I think you read that wrong Mike,it says to let the engine sit for 5 minutes to let the lifters bleed down,before cranking it.

 

[wolfgang2001]

There is no way to get info on that star case? Was that after a repair or some dude just brought his truck in under warranty and this was a fix for a tick that just showed up.

To my knowledge there’s nothing else regarding this specific star case. From the wording of it, it sounds like it was a warranty claim.