2000 Dodge Caravan 3.3 upper eng noise clanking rear head d

2000 DODGE CARAVAN
80,000 MILES • 6 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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JLHERRM
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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.
Oct 6, 2009 at 9:20 AM
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JACOBANDNICKOLAS
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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?
Oct 6, 2009 at 10:37 AM
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JLHERRM
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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.
Oct 6, 2009 at 4:53 PM
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JACOBANDNICKOLAS
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Through the pushrods. Did you have good oil pressure?
Oct 7, 2009 at 8:45 AM
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JLHERRM
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Broken connecting rod. Why, I do not know.
Oct 19, 2009 at 9:19 PM
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JACOBANDNICKOLAS
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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?
Oct 19, 2009 at 10:20 PM