I'll try to make this quick. I have a 03' Hemi Quad Cab 4x4. I started it up this morning everything was good. I drove about two miles and it started missing. As I went further it got worse. So I pulled over and the minute I stop it dies. The only way it will stay running is if I keep the throttle almost all the way open. I proceeded to limp it back home and it only got worse. I pulled on my street and I heard a top end knock, almost like it was back fireing in the intake.

I pulled the intake tube off and cloudy white/grey smoke came from the intake. I took a flashlight started looking around and found a 3/4 inch crack on top of the valve cover with oil around it. I pulled the codes and two had to do with emissions and one was Bank 1 running rich.

Does this sound like a bent valve or broken valve spring? Any help would be great.

Thanks

 

Hmmmmm I think that unfortunately, you will have to dig a little deeper and tear the motor down a bit more.
Good luck.
Al.

 

Yeah, that doesnt sound good. Ive read horror threads where the heads lose a valve and down to the piston it goes. I guess the piston could push it back up and crack the VC but thats all assumption. At least you werent far from home AND could get it back home where you can work on it. With that 03, how many miles do you have on it? Let us know what you find when you pull the VCs also.

 

85,356 and I have never had any other problems.

 

Only thing you can really do now is take a bit of it apart and see what happened and se how much you have to take apart.

 

Bump 1

 

Should have stopped, turned it off, and gotten it fixed or towed right there.

Problem could be any number of things, W/o digging deeper no one can really say. In a attempt answer to your question, Yes it could be a bent or broken valve or spring. Once that any of those occur you have zero compression in that cylinder and you would notice the engine driving like crap if at all. To top that off the whole time the ECU would attempt to compensate. However it is unlikely that the spring or valve would crack your valve cover. if The valve spring goes the usually valve drops into the piston and the spring itself just sort of falls apart.
I guess it's possible that the keepers came off somehow and the spring flew just right to hit the cover, But figure that as being unlikely, as there is stuff in the way and the Valve covers are aluminum which tends to dent on impact and not crack.

Anyway you go, I wish you the best of luck in getting it figured out.

 

Any updates on this?
Al.

 

Id like to know also.

 

Count me as another guy who is interested in hearing how this turned out.