Throwing Valve Bridge And Loose Rockers?

**Ferds** · 04-14-2023

This is a long story, so I'll start right in.

My wife and I started the truck up to eat breakfast before heading to the farm, and the truck sounded and ran great the day before.

Fire it up; it immediately sounds more rattley and knocky than normal.

Drove two blocks to the diner and shut it down.

Check oil after breakfast and oil is LOW, like maybe the tip of the dipstick has oil low.

Add around 3 quarts of oil, and now it's full, so I fire it back up.

It sounds better, but still ticking.

Drive around town, and the sound gets better, but still there.

I was driving down muddy roads to the farm with the truck warm and sounding a little better.

Suddenly truck makes an awful knocking noise.

Shut it down and pull it home.

Pull the valve cover, and it threw a valve bridge on the number 3 exhaust.

Put it back in and lashed the valves.

I had not lashed the valves ever.

The truck is 2015 with 130k miles.

Also, the truck always showed good oil pressure throughout this, but I know it's a dummy gauge.

So after I lashed the valves, I heard a ticking again in about 20 miles.

Pull the valve cover, and the same cylinder is out of adjustment.

It is always the number 3 exhaust.

I had run it with the cover off, the push rod is rotating, and oil is coming out of the rocker.

I pulled the number 1 and 3 exhaust rockers to check the parts.

I pushed on the valves with the handle of a hammer.

Both number 1 exhaust valves are smooth, and 1 of number 3 but one of the exhaust valves on three takes way more effort to pop loose, and you can hear it break away.

This happens every time I push it down.

So the question is, just a sticking valve?

Do I just pull the head and refresh it, or do you think the cam or lifter is shot now?

I appreciate any thoughts and input before I dig in!

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**Ferds** · 04-17-2023

Update: I removed some rockers and checked the springs.

One of the exhaust valves pushes noticeably harder than the other ones, and the top of the spring is sitting lower than the other springs.

This is on cylinder 3, which is the trouble cylinder.

I assume this would be a bent or stuck valve?

I am not sure what would cause that.

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**AK Bob** · 04-17-2023

Originally Posted by Ferds

Update: I removed some rockers and checked the springs.

One of the exhaust valves pushes noticeably harder than the other ones, and the top of the spring is sitting lower than the other springs.

This is on cylinder 3, which is the trouble cylinder.

I assume this would be a bent or stuck valve?

I am not sure what would cause that.

Thinking the lack of lubrication caused the valve to seize in the guide, and that resulted in a bent valve.

It will be interesting to see what you find when you pull the head.

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**Ferds** · 04-23-2023

Well, I got the head pulled today.

Not the best news and not the worst, I suppose.

It looks like I dropped a valve, and my piston came and slapped it.

I'll add some pictures.

I am sending the head off for a valve job and everything.

I plan to smooth the ridges on the piston and send it unless anyone can convince me I need to pull it.

I don't have the time or money to pull the engine.

20230423_104014.jpg

20230423_103705.jpg

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**AK Bob** · 04-23-2023

Originally Posted by Ferds

Well, I got the head pulled today.

Not the best news and not the worst, I suppose.

It looks like I dropped a valve, and my piston came and slapped it.

I'll add some pictures.

I am sending the head off for a valve job and everything.

I plan to smooth the ridges on the piston and send it unless anyone can convince me I need to pull it.

I don't have the time or money to pull the engine.

20230423_104014.jpg

20230423_103705.jpg

It looks like you may have got lucky, and the rebuilt head will get you back on the road.

Thanks for the update and photos; please keep us posted.

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**Ferds** · 05-30-2023

Update for anyone interested!

I got the truck back together over Memorial Day weekend.

Everything went pretty well.

One thing to note, I had to shave a small amount of material from each of my rocker-arm mounts to clear the ARP headstands.

I didn't find much information on this online, but I thought I would add it here if anyone has questions.

Here are some pictures from the build. I greased around all my pistons and greased all my cylinders before cleaning the head and then wiped away as much of the grease as possible.

This was to keep material from getting caught in the rings since I used scotch-brite pads to clean the deck.

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**watersupply189** · 05-30-2023

Originally Posted by Ferds

Update for anyone interested!

I got the truck back together over Memorial Day weekend.

Everything went pretty well.

One thing to note, I had to shave a small amount of material from each of my rocker-arm mounts to clear the ARP headstands.

I didn't find much information on this online, but I thought I would add it here if anyone has questions.

Here are some pictures from the build. I greased around all my pistons and greased all my cylinders before cleaning the head and then wiped away as much of the grease as possible.

This was to keep material from getting caught in the rings since I used scotch-brite pads to clean the deck.

Awesome job, and thanks for the update!

2016 Ram Laramie 3500, G56, 6.7, CC, 4x4

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**Ferds** · 06-19-2023

Here is a video of the first start if anyone is interested.

I had to crank it for a long time to get the air out of the system.

Please disregard the messy garage!

It was close to midnight when I moved everything to cram that truck in there to start working on it the night it let go.

https://youtube.com/shorts/ojPVpXVDe9U?feature=share

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**AK Bob** · 06-19-2023

Originally Posted by Ferds

Here is a video of the first start if anyone is interested.

I had to crank it for a long time to get the air out of the system.

Please disregard the messy garage!

It was close to midnight when I moved everything to cram that truck in there to start working on it the night it let go.

https://youtube.com/shorts/ojPVpXVDe9U?feature=share

Thanks for the update.

I was pleased to see you got everything back together and working.

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