Hi. First time post. I have read many past posts and you guys are great! I am a major Chrysler Dodge minivan fan. My wife and I each drive one. She has the 3.3 2007 Caravan (nicknamed Peppy) and I have the 3.8 2005 Chrysler T&C Limited (nicknamed Lemon). My 98 3.8 T&C is at 260,000 and runs better than it looks (paint flecking off) so I got the 2005 from a seemingly honest person who pulled the wool over my eyes. I can explain that one only if asked.
So apparently the PO had some Lucas or something in the oil to silence a loud tapping noise. Me being the anal retentive person I am just couldn't live with PO oil and I ran Seafoam in the oil for 400 miles and changed it to the recommended 5w-20 synthetic and then the party started. Before I bought it (110,000 miles Kelly value $7,000 and I got him down to $3,200) I had my mechanics check it out. They said it needed the usual brakes, tie rod, tuneup, and that it had a bit of rust underneath (later found out it was a salvage from PA but PO lied about this and had a normal title). The windshield was new (loved that), interior very clean, body looks great, and only by taking the front drivers headlight assembly off did I see signs of body work. So my guys said to get it and I did.
Now since I got it I did what they said and went further as I wanted this to be my towing minivan like my last '98 beast was. I proceeded to have all new items put on the van. I replaced this on every wheel: Calipers (two were frozen), Rotors, Wheel Hubs, Brake lines, Premium Brake pads and Monroe shocks and struts (complete with springs), added a rear tow hitch and wires, AC condenser/transmission cooler, aftermarket oil cooler, aftermarket transmission oil cooler. I had my guys drop the oil pan, check the lower end (mechanic suggested possible rod bearing play but shop owner said no), inspect the bottom of the motor (no major oil sludge or burned on stuff), replace oil pan seal, oil filter mount seal and oil pressure sensor. I replaced the plugs, premium wires, premium air filter, premium oil filter, radiator hoses, radiator and water pump, serpentine belt and the PO replaced the alternator. I also decided to buy two new made in the USA axles and both were defective, they put their choice of cheap axles in and one of those was defective as well. All are supposedly fixed but only time will tell.
Since I still had the ticking sound I told them to go ahead and do the valve job since I was getting in deep financially with the minivan. One pair of valves were very light gray while the others were one light and one dark. The push rods were checked to be straight and I had the hydraulic roller lifters replaced with new ones since we were able to change them at this time. I had hoped that after the machine shop repaired the head I had hoped the tapping sound would have disappeared but it didn't. I even went as far as to get some remanufactured fuel injectors and replaced them too.
So, Recently I decided to go to the pick-n-pull and get a valve cover so I could cut the top of, witness the rocker operation and stethoscope the top end. For easier access to the rear head I pulled the wiper pan off (I actually made a video that I will upload). I will never understand why others don't do the same since it only takes about 15 minutes to do. I have heard of people working for hours trying to access the rear spark plugs for changing and with the pan pulled it is a piece of cake to do.
Anyways, I pulled the front valve cover off, put on the cut cover, lightly snugged the lowest sides bolts and started the motor. My rockers were oiling perfectly. Rods were bringing up the oil, rockers were getting oiled on the shaft and the oil was running from the top weep hole down to the top of the valve very nicely so this looked good. I checked the torque to 250 inch pounds on the seven rocker arm shaft bolts and they were fine.
I decided to remove all spark plugs, disconnect the main fuel injector harness and do a compression test. The front head had all cylinders about 190 psi. The rear was 190, 190 and 180 (drivers side) hmmm maybe I was on to something.
I removed the rear valve cover, put on the cut away cover and used my iPhone video camera as a live mirror with light to look at the oiling of the rear rocker assembly. It looked perfect. I double checked the torque on the shaft bolts and they were great. Still the loud clicking sound.
I happened to have a nice looking rocker arm assembly from a 2005 3.3 and I put it on the back head. Perfect fit but the sound was still there. I pulled the rods and again, they are all straight. Checked them for length and they are all equal so then I started to think if there were some type of valve lash not being properly corrected.
So if I have had the recently decked, checked and repaired heads, visually checked and stethoscope rocker arms assembly, new hydraulic lifters yet still have compression reading 190, 190, 190, 190, 190, 180 ... does this lean to a worn cam lob? Worn cam bearings? Is it possible the machine missed something and a valve stem is not long enough? or do I need to start thinking the bottom end of the motor?
Are there any clues to look or listen for that I may have missed or forgotten? The engine runs well the minivan drives like its new. There is no obvious oil burning, smoke, leaks but there is that DARN LOUD EMBARRASSING TICKING (louder than the standard 3.8 valve train noises).
I hope and pray that this is a simple fix that can last, that I don't need to pull and rebuild the short block and that as soon as its fixed the transmission won't go out.
Sorry for the long winded story but if you know the facts up front it saves for the questions later. I hope to hear from the forum soon and I forgot to mention our other minivan was a 3.3 Dodge Caravan that at 200,000 needed a head gasket and had a freaky electronic failure where it turned off anytime while driving (and yes I reflowed the solder on the AC controls and instrument panel)