i have a 97 ram 5.2 and when you first start it up theres no noise but after you warm it up it starts tapping and it almost gets quieter when you rev it up (but might be because the exhaust is loud) so i replaced the oil pump and lifters thinking either there wasnt enough oil pressure or the lifters werent building up but if they werent building up you would think they would tap all the time exspecially on start up so my question is i thought i read somewhere that the rocker arms are a cause of this so if anyone has any info on this can you please shed some light on this for me also what should oil pressure be at on idle after its warm thanks all

 

no one has any ideas on this subject?

 

normal oil pressure is around 30-40 at idle. minimum oil pressure is something pretty low like 10.

the warm tapping but no cold tapping probably has to do with the thinning of the oil when its warm.

so - your new oil pump had no effect ?

how many miles on the engine?
what oil are you running? try a heavier 20w50 oil.
try a pint of old fashioned stp. it works wonders.

when its tapping, can you tell where its coming from. valve train driver or passenger side, or from center of motor. a metal pipe about 2 or 3 feet long makes a good stethoscope.

if the sound is one side valve train, remove valve cover and operate engine to see where its coming from. might be a worn out push rod or rocker.

 

does it sound like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFZYAbcBr80

search 'plenum leak' if you haven't yet and go from there

 

it has 129000mi on it i tryed the heavier weight oil already and i have a stethoscope and i took the valve covers off and listened to each rocker and they all sounded the same oil pump did nothing niether did the lifters its deff top end soo my guess is the rocker arms i read the were and ause this noise thanks


and to max magnum the video wont load on my computer cause dial up (no high speed internet up in the mountain ) so 2morow il take a look at the vid online at work thanks though

 

Basically, it sounds like rattling a bunch of marbles around in a coffee can.

 

no its not that bad just a solid tap tap tap.... speeds up with the engine its not a rod or main bearing its not real loud just noticable

 

ok, check your pcv valve on the right valve cover, mine went bad and made that tapping sound. And it's like a 5 dollar part too so that would be good

 

i have a stethoscope that doesn't work worth a ****. i think a metal pipe works much better. check around the timing cover. be careful of the moving belt and parts !! if not on the top end, try around the bottom end. i have a tap in the lower end that i can't identify.

 

Bottom end noises scare the **** out of me, i dread the day of having to replace the crank or bearings.