2000 Dodge Caravan 3.3 upper eng noise clanking rear head d

JLHERRM

MEMBER
2000 DODGE CARAVAN
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
80,000 MILES

Loud clanking sound from rear head. Rocker covers off, no visible damage. Rockers show very little oil and sludge is heavy inside both v/Covers. I have not checked for broken rocker tower yet. I will remove rocker shaft tonight to check. Noted that intake has carbon built up and have thought possible chunk of carbon has fell into cly from intakes valve and lodged on piston/head.

5 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,179 POSTS

The most common problem is the rocker tower. I have seen many crack causing the noise. As far as the carbon, if it got into the cylender, it's gone and shouldn't have hurt anything. The sludge is a concern. Is it blocking the oil returns?

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Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 AT 10:37 AM

JLHERRM

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3 POSTS

I watched rockers while engine is cranked and pryed on rockers and see no sign of a break. All rockers are moving smoothly, but I do not get oil pumping up to the top end. No oil is pooled anywhere except on one rocker and a very small amount. How is the oil delevered to the rocker shaft and the push rod ends? Is it through one of the towers then out the shaft. Havent been able to find oil galley map.

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Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 AT 4:53 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,179 POSTS

Through the pushrods. Did you have good oil pressure?

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Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 AT 8:45 AM

JLHERRM

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Broken connecting rod. Why, I do not know.

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Monday, October 19th, 2009 AT 9:19 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,179 POSTS

That is unusuall. The only cause I can think of would be if coolant got into the cylender and the piston couldn't compress it and broke the connecting rod. Were you using coolant?