This sound has been plaguing my truck for quite awhile. I got a few ideas on what it might be but everytime I take the truck in for work at my fav dodge dealer there have been "Complications" where that issue gets set aside.
The sound itself is pretty random. It seems to do it after the engines been revving but has a tendancy to not even happen or it goes away sometimes when I let the truck idle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mR2yrBOtdQ
I took a video tonight when it was making the sound. Its the best quality I could get out of my blackberry.

It didn't seem to be AS bad tonight since I have just installed a new belt that bypassed my A/C. Since I never use the damn thing and its unplugged for some reason that I honestly don't care about.

Any help is appreciated.

 

It is really hard to hear the rattle in that video. Check the heat shields around the exhaust as well as the exhaust pipes make sure nothing is touching them.

 

I'll take a look at the pipes.
And like I said thats the best video I could get of it. I've actually been trying for over a week to get a clip of that sound lol.

 

I heard it faintly and it sounds it could be the automatic tensioner. When they go bad, they'll start to rattle. You can see it dance around while the engine is running at idle and really start to dance once you open the throttle.

 

Well
I think I know the general area of the problem now. I had one of the guys who works with me at the HD Shop come out and take a look. After feeling around for the source of the rattle its coming from the front end of the engine. Probably a bearing in the waterpump or even my fan clutch.

 

I had the same crazy rattle. I found it was the idler pulley. Almost sounded like valve slap or a knocking pushrods. An easy way to check is to pull the belt and give the idler pulley a spin, same with tensioner pulley. Just a thought. Hope that may help. (This was on 3.9)

 

I'll take a look at those pulleys in the morning thanks for the idea.

 

Well after hanging out at the Dodge dealer for an hour or so chatting with their service writers and techs.
Its been determined that my water pumps fried. Hence the rattle of the bearing and the leak that recently appeared lol.

Looks like I have another project.

 

The water pump is a super easy fix. Took me about an hr and a half to get the job done in the dead of winter with no garage. The hardest part will be getting your fan clutch off. Since the rod and pulley fell out of the actual water pump, it was easy for me, cuz all I had to do was take it to my mechanic and get him to seperate the fan clutch from the pulley using a vice and air chisel with a flat top. I do believe that I also had to take the alternator out and set it aside for added room, but I don't remember for sure as that was 2 and a half yrs ago. Short of that, all I had to do was remove the bolts, take the old water pump out, clean of the surfaces of left over gasket, and then install the new one!

 

Haha I can only hope it'll be that easy
With my AC removed theres alot more room to work now. And I have access to that one short hose that attaches to the top of it. Looks pretty old and crusty. Gonna be replaced obviously.

Sadly the water pump project was been postponed for a week.

My starter which has been on its last legs for awhile finally decided to give its death shriek at a gas station. Was a miracle I was able to get it home after work.
New starter=Instant start=Happy Rabid
Leaky Water Pump plus bad rattle=Sad Rabid
I am neutral right now lol


PS: THIS IS THE LAST BIG THING THE TRUCK NEEDS TO BE "FIXED"
I'm very excited lol