HELP! Need to fix mom's Ram and it's a list of symptoms
 

I'm going to bullet point the symptoms and what hubby has already done.

This is my disabled mom's truck and is her main course of getting around. We have got to get this fixed. (Truck info: 2001 Ram 1500 2wd...no pinstripe ;))

1) She was driving down the hwy (65mph) and suddenly heard a loud knocking sound and then her oil pressure bottomed out. Towed truck to our house.

2) Hubby replaced the oil pump, gasket, etc.

3) Loud knock gets very loud when accelerate.

4) Oil pressure does not bottom out, but it does not increase with acceleration (have not replaced sending unit yet).

5) Did I mention the loud knock?

I am wondering if there is a way to know for sure (or at least better odds) if it's the flexplate, wrist pin, push rod, bearings...see the trend I'm going here?

HELP! Please!!!! In the meantime, guess I'm :icon_cankick:.

ya' gonna have to do a compression test on that thing.. it doesn't sound good.

Could you get a video of the noise?

Also add that there is no check engine light, etc. The truck was purchased used and was not properly maintained. Why do people not properly maintain their vehicles? It's cheaper than a new vehicle or the repair jobs!

Hubby is not happy. Lack of maintenance is a pet peeve of his. ;)

Ask and ye shall receive. I apologize for the wind noise. Knocking best heard after he rev'd up a little bit and then backed off acceleration.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL9CpsRFgv8

Have you been able to tell which side of the block it's coming from? Sounds like a rod bearing to me. I had one go out in a chevy and it sounded just like that. If it was me I'd drop the oil pan again and have a look at the bearings.

Rod knock. Yep. Need to drop the pan, and see what your rods and mains look like. Might wanna mic out the journals to see if the crank is still good.

Stop Driving it.

Spun bearing(s).

Find a good used motor - you'll likely spend more in machining costs than just buying another motor.

you can probably get a good engine from a junkyard and the junkyard will install it for about 750 total (engine and labor). That is the cheapest way to go.

I concur with everyone else.

Rod knock... bad news. Whatever you do, don't so much as drive it around a cul-de-sac. A JY long block can be had for around $400 (round here anyway). If you have the means to install it yourself, that's definitely the best and cheapest way to go.