Valve noise after latest oil change

LavaRand

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My 2014 Chrysler Town and Country minivan (110k mi) is making LOUD ticking from the valve train. It sounds like only one cylinder.

I changed the oil with regular Valvoline at the Valvoline quick-lube place about 3000 miles ago. Usually I follow the oil life monitor and it has me change it at about 7000.

The weird thing is that in some cases I start the car cold (it's about 30-40F here) and it's quiet. Then, after it warms up a bit, the ticking starts. That's really strange to me.

This type of engine has a known problem with rockers going bad, causing high valve clearance when they get worn too much. But if the rocker was bad, wouldn't it tick all the time?

I thought maybe one of the lifters was stuck and not "lifting". But if that were the case, why would it be quite upon startup and then get noisy? You would think it would be the opposite. Lots of engines are noisy when they start up but get quiet after they get oil pressure.

Is there anything I could do with the oil? Would it make sense to switch to a synthetic oil, or a thicker oil? It doesn't seem right to switch to a thicker oil in the middle of winter.
 
My 2014 Chrysler Town and Country minivan (110k mi) is making LOUD ticking from the valve train. It sounds like only one cylinder.

I changed the oil with regular Valvoline at the Valvoline quick-lube place about 3000 miles ago. Usually I follow the oil life monitor and it has me change it at about 7000.

The weird thing is that in some cases I start the car cold (it's about 30-40F here) and it's quiet. Then, after it warms up a bit, the ticking starts. That's really strange to me.

This type of engine has a known problem with rockers going bad, causing high valve clearance when they get worn too much. But if the rocker was bad, wouldn't it tick all the time?

I thought maybe one of the lifters was stuck and not "lifting". But if that were the case, why would it be quite upon startup and then get noisy? You would think it would be the opposite. Lots of engines are noisy when they start up but get quiet after they get oil pressure.


Is there anything I could do with the oil? Would it make sense to switch to a synthetic oil, or a thicker oil? It doesn't seem right to switch to a thicker oil in the middle of winter.
Probably on the cusp of being worn. Especially if it’s a known issue.
The lifter would be quieter cold because the oil is thicker and muffles the sound better, and more importantly because the engine expands when hot, increasing clearances, and noise What you are thinking is noise like piston clear, where, when cold, the smaller piston rocks in its bore, and as it warms, the piston expands in the cylinder and the noise goes away.
 
Lifters are gone that Town And Country it’s a 2014 so that’s Gen 1 or Gen 2 penestar engine . Contact your local dealer there might be TSB on them . FCA been using bad rocker arms in them for a few years known issue . Valvoline is not to blame here
 
Checked oil level and it's fine. Would it help anything to change the oil now? I know I'm on borrowed time but would new synthetic oil maybe help protect the camshafts better until I can get it fixed?

I suppose it could be an injector but dang. Is a noisy injector a problem? I never knew them to be so loud.

I'm fully prepared for it to be bad rockers, I know jeep guys and the pentastars are famous for random rocker failures, but I'm just thrown off by why it is only noisy when warm, and also wondering if that actually means its lifters and not rockers, or something else entirely like bad oil pressure. It shows oil pressure of 85PSI on startup but drops to 30psi when warm and idling.
 
In my experience on these 3.6s by the time they're making noise the camshaft with the affected lash adjuster is already done for. If you want any chance of not having to change cams in this thing you have to stop driving it right away. Also, I have seen these make less or no noise cold and have valvetrain problems. Good luck.
 
My 2014 Chrysler Town and Country minivan (110k mi) is making LOUD ticking from the valve train. It sounds like only one cylinder.

I changed the oil with regular Valvoline at the Valvoline quick-lube place about 3000 miles ago. Usually I follow the oil life monitor and it has me change it at about 7000.

The weird thing is that in some cases I start the car cold (it's about 30-40F here) and it's quiet. Then, after it warms up a bit, the ticking starts. That's really strange to me.

This type of engine has a known problem with rockers going bad, causing high valve clearance when they get worn too much. But if the rocker was bad, wouldn't it tick all the time?

I thought maybe one of the lifters was stuck and not "lifting". But if that were the case, why would it be quite upon startup and then get noisy? You would think it would be the opposite. Lots of engines are noisy when they start up but get quiet after they get oil pressure.

Is there anything I could do with the oil? Would it make sense to switch to a synthetic oil, or a thicker oil? It doesn't seem right to switch to a thicker oil in the middle of winter.
Loud is not good. The oil thins as it warms so more likely to tick when warm. Jmo
 
Ok I'm ordering parts.

Is there any need to replace the lifters...it's going to cost another $250-$300 to change all the lifters and I don't really see what can go wrong with them.

Also should I
Put in 24 new Mopar rockers for $15 each (that's $360 total)
Put in 24 new Aftermarket rockers on RockAuto for $6 each ($144)
Put in 24 new Mystery rockers on Amazon for as cheap as $3 each ($75)
Or should I just replace the bad ones with Mopar rockers (maybe only $15 if there's only one bad one?)

Is there anything else I should replace while I'm doing it, that's hard to get to (PCV valve, serpentine belt, idler, etc.?) while I'm doing it?
 
Ok I'm ordering parts.

Is there any need to replace the lifters...it's going to cost another $250-$300 to change all the lifters and I don't really see what can go wrong with them.

Also should I
Put in 24 new Mopar rockers for $15 each (that's $360 total)
Put in 24 new Aftermarket rockers on RockAuto for $6 each ($144)
Put in 24 new Mystery rockers on Amazon for as cheap as $3 each ($75)
Or should I just replace the bad ones with Mopar rockers (maybe only $15 if there's only one bad one?)

Is there anything else I should replace while I'm doing it, that's hard to get to (PCV valve, serpentine belt, idler, etc.?) while I'm doing it?


Crikey! Have you popped the valve covers yet?

Might as well overhaul the motor while you’re at it.
 
It's definitely a rocker.
PXL_20220126_172825863~4.jpg


I think that cam is still usable. I'm now having the decision crisis whether to just pop in 2 new rockers for $20 or spend another 10 hours and $300 to take out the cams and replace them all.
 
I think it was time for new plugs. Do these things have a torque spec or it it one of those "finger tight then another 1/8 turn" things?
PXL_20220126_225530049~2.jpg
 
I put the cams back in with only motor oil for lube. But then somebody told me you are supposed to use special assembly lube. I don't see why because the car normally starts up with just oil. Anyway, I'm waiting for my spark plugs and valve cover gaskets to get here from RockAuto. FedEx 2 day delay.

Only one roller was bad, the rest looked/felt tight. A couple of the cam lobes have some scoring or patchy spots on them, even where the rollers seemed good, but I'm not changing them.
 
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