i have the same problem in my 03 ram, its odd that so many are doing the same thing, i was told it is the timming chain guide bars as well,, they tighten up when the oil pressure builds up then stops,, witch takes about 1-min. or so.. happens with alot of 4.7 dodge

 

Same issue here with a 2003 Durango. Thanks for the posts, I slacked on changing my oil for a while sadly - I fear it might be some carbon build up.

Curious - is the seafoam 100% safe on gaskets or what else can I use to try and 'clean up' the engine some prior to my next oil change - something I don't need to worry about destroying any gaskets, etc. ?

I wouldn't mind just pulling the heads and replacing the gaskets, getting the head machined and all that jazz, but with it being the only auto for my family and me right now, it might have to wait some.

Mostly I'm gathering if I keep up on the oil changes, I should be good, but I wouldn't mind doing a bit more.

And since we're on timing chains too - anyone do any 'routine' replacement on theirs? Should I bother? It's got about 120K miles on it. Runs good otherwise, I just baby it in the morning.

 

Well I'm back. 15,000 on the truck now and perfectly quiet. have been using Amsoil XL5W-20 since 5000 miles and have towed a 4000 lb travel trailer quite a bit last summer. Maybe now just loosening up so everything tensions properly right off the bat.
Thanks for all the reply posts.

ARG

 

Within the past 2 weeks my durango has started making a ticking noise. We changed the oil in it thinking that it would help but it is still there. The noise starts as soon as you start the vehicle and doesn't go away. It gets louder when you push on the gas and softens when you press the brake but the ticking noise never goes away. Does anybody have any ideas?

 

welcome to the site. Oil isnt normally going to resolve a mechanical issue unless it is really thick oil. It may be time for you to pull those valve covers and check your valve train assembly for wear and excess play

 

lifters suck.. or they are supposed to suck anyway.. they are 'sposed to 'pump up' by sucking oil in to themselves and charging the two chambers inside them... one chamber (the lower one just above the roller) is spring loaded.. that spring is only strong enough to push the lifter piston up when the engine is not running.. Once the engine starts laying some RPM's into it via the cam lobe, the lifter doesn't stand a chance to keep up without the hydrolic action of the oil being pushed out and pulled in.. so you get a 'tap-tap-tap' which is annoying.. and somewhat dangerous to an engine..

it's dangerous because the travel of the lifter rods is reduced the same amount of travel the lifter piston is being limited.. which means your valves aren't opening the distance they are 'sposed to.. which means your engine isn't breathing like it's 'sposed to.. the effected cylinder stops 'pulling it's own weight', and lugs on the engine, which tosses balance out the window.. It's not like it's going to kill the engine in short order, but you're losing performance and economy..

Oil is 'sposed to fill those lifters pretty quick. Oil is 'sposed to drain pretty slow out of them after the engine stops.

the issues a lot of fella's have are impurities in the oil floating around and being sucked into the lifters- or, sucked up to the lifter port and blocking (or slowing) their ingestion of oil.. or those same little chunks getting caught up in the check ***** inside the lifter and either leaving the port open or clogging it.. you get that nice little tic-tic-tic that increases tempo with RPM's until the lifter either fills or until you stop the engine..

Before you tear into the internal engine swapping out lifters (if that is in fact the problem), you can swap oils and filters.. swap to a much lighter conventional oil for a little bit (the detergent will theoretically suspend the chunks), and swap oil every 500-700 miles, for at least two rotations.. then put the rec'd weight back in it.. You're hoping to clear the clingy little chunks of crap out, and see if your lifter will recover..

by the way- someone suggested an exhaust leak.. exhaust leaks tsk-tsk-tsk more than tic-tic-tic.. but still can be hard to determine.. The absolute best way to find an exhaust leak in my opinion involves an entire can of seafoam in the vacuum line leading directly to the intake.. OOOoooh- all the pretty smoke--should come out of the end of your exhaust tips exclusively.. if it comes from somewhere else, you've located your leak..

swapping oil a couple of times can absolutely recover a lifter..

good luck!

 

Thanks for the tips. My husband is a mechanic and he took it in the shop and has his boss listen to it. They both say that it sounds like a lifter is sticking and with what you said about going to a lighter weight oil then maybe it will fix the ticking noise instead of having to replace all the lifters. I am not driving it that much right now because the noise scares me and annoys me when I am driving it. Does it hurt the lifter more if I drive it?

 

makes the spring weaker.. the longer you go with it like that, the less likely you can recover it with just trying to clear crap out of it w/ oil change(s)..

 

I just spoke to my husband and he says that he always uses 5w-20 for oil and always has. Is there anything else we can try or do you think just replacing the lifters is the next step?

 

One more question...(I have asked my husband yet and I am sure he will tell me) is there anyway you can tell which lifter it is or do you have to replace all of them?