Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

Big Bubba

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Hello everyone,
I have a question about my wifes 2000 year, Dodge Durango, with 5.2 liter Magnum engine. Anyway, we replaced the motor with a remanufactured one from Marshall Engines in 2011, say in March 2011 and about two weeks ago we noticed a ticking/clicking kind of sound when you rev the engine or advance the throttle. It sounds like it is coming from the driver's side around the valve cover on the driver side. I did some research on the internet and said it could be the exhaust manifold bolts may be broken or the exhaust manifold cracked but I went and inspected both the exhaust manifold bolts and and the exhaust manifold and I do not see any cracks in the exhaust mainifold or broken exhaust manifold bolt heads. So I am really worried something is going on inisde that new to us remanufactured engine. Besides the ticking/clicking sound it is running really well and has plenty of pep or pickup power and it never hesitates when giving it gas or advancing the throttle it is just started to do that clicking/ticking sound. What do you think it is and I have been using Castrol Synthetic oil but it has been a little while ago since I have changed the oil in her. Maybe I need to change the oil? what do you think? Hopefully it is not bad news to me and my wife. The oil level is fine by the way and the oil doesn't look that idrty just a little brown but not black in color and I have plenty antifreeze in the overflow bottle. Let me know if I need to worry. I am pretty worried about this that the engine will blow up on me again, I hope not though.:eek:
 

foodfisher

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

Use the big screwdriver as a stethascope to pinpoint it.
 

Scott Danforth

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

^+1

you will need to identify what the tick is from

injector tick, lifter tick, wrist pin tick, etc.
 

Big Bubba

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

Another question concerning the tick/clicking sound is I have never changed out the spark plug wires in the old or this new remanufactured engine that is currently in it. The spark plug wires again have never been changed out. Maybe there worn out and maybe, a BIG!!!! maybe causing the ticking sound. What do you all think?
 

Scott Danforth

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

could be arcing from bad wires. if so, open the hood with the lights out and engine running. you should see the arcing.
 

Big Bubba

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

I looked at the wires and did not see any arching so I went ahead and changed my oil with Castrol 10W-30 superior protection oil 5 quarts and a Purolator pureone filter and see if the tick gets any better in time. I sure do hope so.
 

dtj

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

I have a ticking sound in my Dodge that turns out to be a mold seam on the drive belt that ticks every revolution over the belt tensioner, I keep intending to replace the belt but dont see any freying or damage so have put it off until other car repairs.
 

Big Bubba

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

Well I did some more troubleshooting in trying to figure out what the ticking could be. The noise is a little bit better after changing the oil and filter yesterday. Anyway, I did find that one of the exhaust manifold bolts beside or close to the #7 cylinder/spark plug on the driver side was very loose so I tightened it down and cranked the engine back up to see if the noise went away but it is still there. So what I did next was remove each spark plug and the noise remained the same until I removed #7 cylinder/spark plug then I noticed the noise basically went away so I put the plug wire back on #7 cylinder and the sound returned. What does that mean to me? Is my motor going to blow up on me. I hope not and what could be causing that sound if #7 cylinder on the driver side is the culprit? Boy, I hope my luck is not going to be bad luck. I sure hope not though especially after replacing that motor last year with a re manufactured one.
 

Big Bubba

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

After doing some research, maybe, maybe, I will get lucky and that the exhaust manifold gasket blew in the same vicinity of where #7 cylinder/spark plug is at. That is where the noise is at becuase I remove the spark plug wire for #7 cylinder that is on the side making the noise and the sound really diminishes ALOT!!! but you can still hear it barely when that spark plug wire is removed and the sound is stronger when the spark plug wire is reinstalled back onto the spark plug. What do you think? Go ahead and purchase a FelPro Exhaust manifold gasket for the driver side? Thoughts/suggestions......
 

Big Bubba

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

Yeap, boy I must be tired tonight. Anyway, the reason I am saying that I might get lucky in changing the Exhaust Manifold gasket is becuase the Exhaust manifold bolt right there with #7 spark plug was pretty loose and when I remove the spark plug wire from #7 cylinder/spark plug the sound basically diminishes Greatly and then returns back when the spark plug wire is replaced back on #7 spark plug/cylinder. Now, I hope I am making sense and am very clear. Thank you all for your help.
 

Scott Danforth

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

sounds like you need a new exhaust gasket. they are about $10 from the dealer.
 

Big Bubba

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

////////update it is fixed///////
Everyone, thank you for the help and the wonderful world of the internet that I was able to fix the ticking sound on my 2000 Dodge Durango. It was definitely the exhaust manifold gasket on the side making the ticking noise. I bought a new exhaust manifold gasket yesterday and replaced it, torqued it down and put everything back together and WALLA!!!!! the noise is not there when you accelerate the gas or throttle. I drove it around the block and she is quiet like it was when I first got the new reman motor installed last year. Very happy camper. Thank you.
 

babbot

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

Those exhaust bolts tend to loosen up. Make sure you properly torque and retorque after a couple hundred miles. Had the same issue on my Pontiac when I replaced my motor.
 

Big Bubba

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Re: Question on ticking sound on drivers side, 2000 Dodge Durango, 5.2 Liter engine

Babbot,
Yeap, I was so sick when my wife told me about the ticking sound when she accelerated and on top of that the clunking sound when she would go forward or reverse. So I thought at that time the Durango was going to let us down again like it did about a year ago on my wife. she was on her way home from work and the Durango broke down on her and yeap, a rod let go in the bottom end of the motor and the oil smelled burned smelling. But now she is comepletely fixed and running like brand new again. The clunking sound, at the time was, the transmission going out on me but I finally figured out after looking around the entire bottom of the vehicle and the front end that the clunking sound was comming from the right front steering wheel/tire and it was the upper control arm, camber adjust pivot bar that the two bolts that keep it tightened up came loose and allowed the right front, wheel/tire assembly camber to shift everytime the cehicle went forward or reverse, especially when it was in a turn to the left or right. The clicking noise, like I said, was the drivers side exhaust manifold gasket that had blown out on the #7 exhaust cylinder side. Boy, now I can breath a GREAT!!!!! BIG sigh of relief knowing everything is "A" O.K. again with the Dodge Durango. My wife was so upset with it she actually posted it on Craigs list to sell it but I was not wanting to sell it becuase we have put so much money into it. we replaced the entire Air Conditioner system which was not cheap, brand new front rotors and brakes shoes, 2-brand new tires due to the front end being out of alignment so bad that the front end ate the tires down to the steel belt, the biggest cost the new Remanufactured engine last March 2011. So that is why I was not in agreement to sell it quit yet and had a feeling it was not the engine or transmission going out. SOOOO HAPPY!!!!
 
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