Dodge Ram 1500 Ticking Noise (Beginners Guide)
Dodge Ram 1500 is well known for its exceptional performance as it offers the best driving experience to car owners and off-road adventurers.
So, it becomes a huge dilemma when the engine of the Ram 1500 begins to produce a ticking noise. What could be the reason for this?
The ticking noise could be due to a lack of proper lubrication of metallic parts of the engine. Other causes include low engine oil, engine debris, and low-quality oil usage.
Reasons for Dodge Ram 1500 Ticking Noise
The ticking noise from your Dodge Ram 1500 is normal as your vehicle contains an engine of 5.7L HEMI V8 with eTorque.
The ticking noise is known as the HEMI tick, which arises in your engine.
However, when the noise becomes too much, it’s a red flag indicating a problem in the engine.
So now, what could be the reasons for the constant ticking noise? Let’s find out below.
#1. Low Amount of Engine Oil
When the amount of oil in your engine is very low, the valvetrain components begin to produce a ticking noise.
This noise is a result of insufficient lubrication of the components. A low amount of engine oil can arise when there’s a leak in your engine.
The easiest way to detect low engine oil is when your engine overheats too much.
#2. Debris Accumulation in the Engine
When dirt builds up in your engine, it makes the engine oil dirty and hinders its functionality.
This hindrance leads to the ticking noise you might hear when your vehicle is in motion.
Unfortunately, debris usually finds its way into your engine when you don’t change the engine oil and perform proper maintenance.
#3. Usage of low-quality Oil
Using engine oil of very low quality can adversely affect the well-being of your vehicle and cause a ticking noise.
Every vehicle has a specific engine oil that is suitable for the engine. So, you must thoroughly review your owner’s manual to purchase the right oil for your engine.
#4. Loose Valve Train
When you don’t adjust the valve train, it will begin to generate a ticking sound.
Unfortunately, many car owners often forget to adjust the valve train before accelerating their vehicles.
Hence, if your vehicle begins to make a ticking noise, you might want to check out the valve train.
Dodge Ram 1500 Ticking Noise when Cold
You need to check your engine when your Dodge Ram 1500 keeps producing a ticking noise on cold starts.
Though the noise is harmless, it’s best to check your engine as there could be a problem somewhere.
So now, let’s go through some of the causes of the ticking noise on cold starts.
#1. Internal Leaks
The leaks may be internal when you don’t notice any external engine oil leaks.
There are several sources of internal engine oil leaks, and these sources include valve guide seals, piston rings, gaskets, o-rings, and exhaust manifolds.
For instance, when the exhaust manifold leaks, your engine begins to generate a ticking sound on cold starts.
These leaks arise when your exhaust manifold is worn out.
#2. Lack of Lubrication
If the engine oil does not lubricate the metallic components of your engine, it will produce a ticking noise on cold starts.
This situation happens when there’s a low level of engine oil; hence, when the metallic components clash, they produce a harsh ticking noise.
#3. Failure to Warm-up
Your engine produces a ticking noise on cold starts when you don’t warm up your engine before you take off.
Failure to warm up your vehicle in the morning will make the engine oil thick and unable to circulate properly.
Plus, your vehicle might stop in the middle of the road when you take off.
#4. Broken Manifold Bolts
If your engine keeps generating the ticking noise, you might want to check your manifold bolts. If the bolts are in bad condition or completely broken, you need to replace them.
Driving with bad manifold bolts is not advisable as your vehicle will continue to produce ticking noise, and it might lead to other problems that might threaten your engine’s lifespan.
Dodge Ram 1500 Ticking Noise when Decelerating
The ticking noise is quite common and normal in Dodge Ram 1500, especially when accelerating and idling.
The noise is often light and indicates the proper functioning of your engine.
However, if the noise becomes too loud upon deceleration, idling, and acceleration, there’s a problem.
The following are some problems responsible for the ticking noise when decelerating.
#1. Worn-out Brake Rotors
When the brake rotors wear out, you will hear a ticking noise when you are decelerating or hitting the brakes.
Brake rotors eventually wear out with time, and when this happens, it lessens your vehicle’s braking.
The best way to detect that the brake rotors are worn out is to check the surface of the rotors.
If you notice fine lines moving horizontally, your brake rotors are worn out.
The reason is that brake rotors usually have a smooth surface, so any foreign line is bad news for your braking system.
#2. Loose Engine Belt
When the engine belt is loose, the ticking noise may arise when decelerating.
This occurs when the tensioner pulley is bad, or the pulley is not tight. Plus, the engine belt becomes loose when the crankshaft pulley wears out.
#3. Failing Transmission
A bad or failing transmission may also be responsible for ticking noise upon deceleration.
A failing transmission is the worst problem you can encounter as the transmission keeps your vehicle running.
So when it begins to malfunction, you’ll experience many problems.
The transmission might fail when there’s a lack of transmission fluid. Or the gears themselves begin to fail.
When one of the lower gears suffers severe damage, the ticking noise worsens when decelerating.
How do I fix the Dodge Ram 1500 Ticking Noise?
Fixing the ticking noise in your Dodge Ram 1500 is easy as you have to identify the problems before proceeding to fix them.
So without further ado, I’ll highlight some ways you can fix the ticking noise.
#1. Always Warm-up Your Vehicle
Warming up your vehicle every morning before you take off is of paramount importance as it ensures proper circulation of engine oil to all your engine components.
This predicament also prevents lack of lubrication and premature rusting of the metallic components and keeps your engine running smoothly.
#2. Remember to Check the Engine Oil Level
You can use a dipstick to check the level of engine oil.
If the engine oil is low, you must refill it immediately to prevent overheating and ticking noise. Plus, it increases the lifespan of your engine.
#3. Avoid Low-quality Oil
Using low-quality oil could be disastrous for your engine as it could shorten its lifespan and lead to constant ticking noise and other problems.
Hence, you must only use high-quality oil suitable for your engine as it prolongs your engine life and ensures it’s in good condition.
If you are perplexed about the right oil, you can call your dealership to retrieve the information. Plus, you can check your owner’s manual for the right oil to use.
#4. Change the Engine Oil Regularly
Changing the engine oil regularly is critical as it keeps your engine healthy. The oil will become dark and dirty if you fail to change it regularly.
And this will hinder your engine’s performance. So you need to schedule an oil change appointment with your dealership to keep your vehicle running.
#5. Fix Leaks and Replace Worn-out Components
Always fix any leaks in the exhaust manifold and replace worn-out components such as the brake rotors for a healthy engine.
Summary
Although the ticking noise in Dodge Ram 1500 is harmless and normal, it could also be a sign of other problems such as lack of lubrication.
So, you need to check your engine properly to determine the problems and fix them immediately.
