Hello all,

I have owned a 03 Ram 1500 with the Hemi for about a year. It has a little over 110K miles on it.

Today it deleveloped a loud tick in the engine (yikes!!)

I have not had a chance to diagnose the noise yet, except to determine that nothing on the outside of the engine is rubbing or hitting any foriegn object.

What can go bad in this engine and make the ticking sound that increases in frequency with the engines RPM's other than a rod bearing?

Thanks for any help!

 

From what I've read in this forum, it is common for 03 and early 04 hemis to have issues with valve springs breaking. I just swapped an 03 hemi into my truck so I've been paranoid about it. When it warms up around here, I'm going to change the valve springs to the 6.1 version.

Might want to narrow it down to a side and pull the valve cover and take a look. If you do a search you'll find plenty of threads about the 03 valve springs issue and the prevention by changing the springs.

Hopefully it is something that simple and not a broken rod or anything like that.

 

I hope it is on the top half of the engine.

Does anyone know firsthand what type of sound a broken valve spring would make?

 

I don't know what they sound like, but it won't take long to pull off the valve covers to check (It's an easy visual check)
Remember to number your plug wires one way or another
Broken springs can = dropped valves and wrecked motors

 

Make SURE you scrutinise those springs very carefully!
I have read several people have done a "visual check" and still found damaged springs.
Al.

 

Thanks for the suggestions...I will get the valve covers off later today.

 

the "tick" in which you speak of is a comination of worn rocker arms and worn pushrods. I have a 2003 4x4 quad cab with 86500 miles. Last year I ordered the newer version of 5.7 Hemi valve springs and all new pushrods. The updated version has the steel collar around the bottom of the spring. I changed all pushrods and valve springs. While I was at it I noticed how badly worn the rocker arms and pushrods were. I didnt buy the rocker arms, I just bought the pushrods, and it was sunday and no dealers were open to buy rocker arms and I had to have my truck done that day so I just changed the valve springs and pushrods. From the moment I fired that baby up she didnt tick again for about 4 or 5 months. Shes been ticking again for awhile now. But Im pretty confident that being since I only changed my pushrods that they are wore out again. Had I been able to change both rocker arms and pushrods i think i would still be "tick" free! Hope this helps!!!

 

Update:
Removed the valve covers and no broken springs .

Next hope is a collapsed lifter (not holding much hope for this though).
Is this a possibility?

Looking more like a rod / piston issue.

 

ticks are usually caused my broken springs. You have a broken spring and you have a badly running or not running engine.

However, most guys fins their ticks to be caused by broken exhaust manifold bolts. Check those bolts (17 total combined from both sides) for any that are broken or loose and report back