Hahaha... you'll notice the change in feel from a flat tire, and if you keep driving on it (such as, to get back to your friends house) on it, and don't slow down, you'll start to smell it. Oh well, the car was a junker anyways!

Yes trucky, I would definitly get that looked at. Lion noises coming from the engine is not normal.

Anyways, hope that solved the problem Glk21C, and hopefully they'll find the answers to the other problems some of you all are having with your trucks. I certainly know I would not be happy with my new truck randomly stalling out, making abnormal engine noises, etc.

 

well its not a normal lion relly...it sounds more like a giant lion from space or something...and from the future.... when we find out theres a planet with giant animals on it...
who wants some of this weed?
j/k im just silly

 

I have a '03 Ram 1500 with a 4.7L, VIN N and it has been at the dealership for almost 4 months now. I purchased the truck used with 63,000 miles on it. The truck runs great but has a cold engine start up noise that was not there when I first got it. A few days later it started the lifter type noise. The noise is coming from the right side of the engine. Very prominent from the passenger fender well. If you walk around the truck it actually sounds like it is coming from under it, even with the hood open. If laying under the truck it sounds as if it is coming from just below the right head. Used a stethoscope and listened to it and everything is quiet except from the right head. Sounds like a loose rocker arm or a bad lifter. No where else in the engine do you hear anything with the scope. When laying under the truck listening and after the sound starts to soften it sounds like something is slapping around in the lower end instead of up by the right head, then the noise fades away. The sound use to only last for about 30-45 seconds and ocassionally up to 2 minutes. The sound is loud then softens and then goes away. Was worse in the mornings and slight noise if truck sat for 3-4 hours.

The truck had a fresh oil change with conventional oil when I first bought it. Thought it might have been cheap oil in it so I changed it and put in Mobil 1 synthetic 5w30 and the noise got worse. I had the lifters on the passenger side changed by an independent mechanic. The noise never went away and didn't change. Found out it was still under the Powertrain Warranty so I took it to the dealership that this independent mechanic had called for help. They replaced just the timing chain tensioners and the noise went away for a few days (charged me under the powertrain warranty for timing chain, guides and tensioners but did not replace the chains...this is another story in itself). When the noise came back I had the oil changed again with a different brand filter. It has now had 5 different brand filters on it all with anti-drainback valve including Mopars oil and filter. NO change.

After the dealership accepted blame for not putting the parts on they have been diligent up 'till now with trying to fix it. They then replaced the chains and guides plus changing the lifters in both heads (right head has had two sets of lifters/lash adjusters at this point). The noise changed to only in the morning but stayed the same lasting for about 30-45 seconds. It is loud for the first 20 seconds then softening and then finally going away.

They then replaced the injectors on the right side and cleaned the fuel rail but that didn't help either.

So the independent mechanic gave me a TSB from IdentiFix that showed a 2001 Dodge with a 4.7L VIN N making a lifter type noise that turned out to be a bad rod bearing. The excessive bearing clearance was allowing the piston to tap the bottom of the head. However the TSB did not state if it was only during cold engine start up. Having shown this to the dealership they decided to replace 4 pistons and rod bearings on the right side on the engine, re-used the rods and pins. At the same time they installed a new cam, new rocker arms and new head on the right side...re-using the old valves and springs. The noise never went away but the consistancy of it had changed the length of time shortened. Sometimes it would be quiet when I started it then 15 seconds later the noise would start and last 20-40 seconds.

So the dealership tried running 10w30 in it instead of 5w30. The 10w30 made the noise about four times as loud and make the noise every time I started it reguardless of how long it sat but the longer it sat the worse the noise was and the length of time would increase. I drove it for about 4 hours to go see my brother and got in it 4 hours later and it tapped for almost 3 minutes.

Dealership then changed the oil pump. No change in the symptoms from when they put the thicker oil in. Also the longer the distance that I drive the truck and then let it sit, the louder and longer it is. Now it even makes noise after only sitting for 30 minutes. But if I start it cold and don't let it warm up, just run it till the noise fades away then turn it off, the next time I start it it is virtually quiet.

Now the problem is worse and I can tell the Service Manager is getting "burnt-out" on it. I can't take it to another Service Department because now it has 70,600 miles on it (out of warranty). The dealership I have working on it is keeping an open ticket on it until the problem is fixed. I have alread paid the deductable and the problem is not fixed. Paid that when they first worked on it. I contacted the Daimler/Chrysler customer service department and filed a complaint about the engine noise and all they tell me is to continue working with the Service Department until it is resolved.

I did take it to another dealership and they charged me to tell me that I have a "sludged-up" engine and carbon on my valves and pistons....This is not true because I have seen the inside of the engine, the independent mechanic, the dealership I am working with and a mechanic friend who works for GM have all told be that the other Dodge Service Department mis-diagnosed the problem....they tried to charge me $250.00 to "flush the engine" and if that didn't fix it then they wanted to charge me $110.00 an hour to find the problem because it would not be covered under the Powertrain Warranty because the engine was "sludged-up" from poor maintanance. I told them they were wrong and at this point the Service Rep said "You owe us $48.00 and you can take your truck back to ******* Service Department and let them figure out what the problem is" Found out later all they did was removed my oil fill cap and looked at it but claimed they used a vidio device to look inside the engine including the combustion chamber....hard to do that if you don't remove a spark plug.....still had road dust on all eight of the coils and if this was done at least one would of had some sort of smudge marks on it. I left and took it to my mechanic friend and we took the valve cover off on the right side and saw that it still had the old chain and guide on it. When we looked down inside further, we saw a nice shiny new secondary tensioner pushing against and old tensioner arm. Put the valve cover back on and took it back up the the dealership and chewed butt and almost got escorted off by the police. The Service Manager didn't beleive me that his Tech didn't put the parts on. I had taken pictures and he didn't even want see them. I told him I wasn't leaving till they made it right and I stood my ground and many parts later I am here.


*****As of today the Service Manager is going to try and get autorization from the Regional Manager when they meet on Friday. The SM was going to install new valve springs since they did not do this when they installed the new head and other valve trane components. He was also debating on removing the oil pan and checking the clearances on the thrust bearing for the crankshaft. After I told him about this forum and a few other forums and there was some owners experiencing similar problems this is when he thought it best to try and get authorization for a new short block. I told him that TWO out of all of these owners (I have actually found), one got a complete engine replacement for the cure and a short block was another cure for this ailment for another owner. I found a forum where one owner has had almost the same amount of parts changed with no hope******

So far the parts replaced are timing chain, guides, tensioner arms and oil tensioners, lifter/lash adjusters in both heads (twice on the right head), camshaft on the right, rocker arms on the right, new head on the right (reinstalled old valves and springs on new head), 4 new pistons and bearings (reused old connecting rods and wrist pins) and a new oil pump and don't forget the four new injectors on the right. Running 10w30 vs. 5w30 oil made the problem worse. Different oil filters made no change.

 

dang.......

 

... I'm happy I bought an old truck...
Best of luck h2o_man1. Hopefully if they get clearance for a new block that will solve the problem. "The dealership I have working on it is keeping an open ticket on it until the problem is fixed," you can at least be happy about that, I guess.
Keep us updated on what happens.

 

You have more patients and time than anyone I know. The 4.7 has some major issues. Even Jeeps as well as Rams and Daks have too many bad 4.7s with internal noises. My truck is being replaced because of this noise and other issues. The sad thing is the all go arounds and crap being pulled by the dealers that makes the experience even worse. It’s a roll of the dice on who gets a bad 4.7 and the odds are not good. The lash adjusters seem to be the main problem with the start up noise. Knowing that you would assume that Dodge will make hard and fast changes to correct this at the engine plant but that’s almost comical to say will happen. Good luck though with this and don't ever let them run you down in getting it right.

 

I'm sory to report the noise has not gone away. Seemed like it had, but no. Getting my ducks in a row for my next course of action.

 

Yep I hate to say it but I had a bad feeling that it wouldn’t be end to the situation. It just seems to be a serious problem and yet DCX won't admit the problem exists. There needs to be a government call back on the 4.7 clacking problems. Yes I have been a **** on the forums complaining about the Dak and my problems with mine but lets face it things just aren’t right in the Dodge camp and it is really dragging loyal owners down. If only DCX would only drop the crap and own up to the situation with the 4.7s and brakes, vibrations and leaks etc. Just come clean and help the very people who have supported them by purchasing their products. You are owed every consideration by DCX and your dealer. You have been another one who has been really patient and devoted more than enough personal time to the problem. However, I hate to say it but you may be in this for the long haul because they will try to side step and dance around in hopes to ware you out.

 

Can't be all that bad Gray you're getting another one,I guess some people like playing the victim.

 

Ya is it that bad. How many posts on reacurring problems do you need to realize this. Its way past just my truck. Read this and other forums. Its not a problem until its your problem.