Loud sound when engine is slowing truck

From : jbkinsey

Q: ive got a 98 v6 1500 ram 5 speed manual. i get a loud sound when i let the engine slow the truck down. it sounds like a rattle kind of like somethings loose in the engine compartment somewhere. ive checked for anything that might be loose but i want able to find anything. i can hear the sound its much quiter when the truck is idling too. ironically the sound is much more pronounced on the drivers side of the cab then the passengers side. furthermore i hear a bit of a knocking when the engine is under a lot of stress like going up a slight incline in 5th gear or a steep incline in 4th gear this is on highways. i also hear what sounds to be an air leak of some sort like a whistle. the air leak was around for a lot longer then the rattle but i only mention it because it might be related. so the truck has 50000 miles on it and it was serviced at 30000 the clutch went out then btw its gotten oil changes since then. i think it might be out of tune and im not sure if they replace the spark plugs at that time its possible ive still got the original sparks plugs. ive noticed that its going through oil more then it used to but theres no oil in the exhaust at least noticable or under the car. from some of the other posts ive read i think is a good possiblity that the sound is the valves rattling. ive heard that one possible reason could be the intake gasket went bad which could also cause the air leak i hear and the oil usage. i was wondering if anyone knows of any other possible causes so that im not blind sighted when i take the truck in to get it serviced. thanks jeffrey .

Replies:

From : jbkinsey

hey guys thanks for the humorious postings those were great. i have one more question if the cat. converter did go bad would i be able to pass the smog check would my check engine light be on the reason i ask is because i was able to pass a smog check and my check engine light isnt on. thanks again jeffrey .

From : denny

the rattle sounds like a cat. converter that has come loose. with the exhaust cold tap on the converter with a rubber mallet and see if you can hear the rattle. denny ive got a 98 v6 1500 ram 5 speed manual. i get a loud sound when i let the engine slow the truck down. it sounds like a rattle kind of like somethings loose in the engine compartment somewhere. ive checked for anything that might be loose but i want able to find anything. i can hear the sound its much quiter when the truck is idling too. ironically the sound is much more pronounced on the drivers side of the cab then the passengers side. furthermore i hear a bit of a knocking when the engine is under a lot of stress like going up a slight incline in 5th gear or a steep incline in 4th gear this is on highways. i also hear what sounds to be an air leak of some sort like a whistle. the air leak was around for a lot longer then the rattle but i only mention it because it might be related. so the truck has 50000 miles on it and it was serviced at 30000 the clutch went out then btw its gotten oil changes since then. i think it might be out of tune and im not sure if they replace the spark plugs at that time its possible ive still got the original sparks plugs. ive noticed that its going through oil more then it used to but theres no oil in the exhaust at least noticable or under the car. from some of the other posts ive read i think is a good possiblity that the sound is the valves rattling. ive heard that one possible reason could be the intake gasket went bad which could also cause the air leak i hear and the oil usage. i was wondering if anyone knows of any other possible causes so that im not blind sighted when i take the truck in to get it serviced. thanks jeffrey .

From : mark elliott

sounds like the cat to me also.....if you already suspect the engine is out of tune and are getting a spark knock then you may have had a catalitic meltdown. this is caused only by an out of tune engine! the internal element in the cat will actually melt and break apart causing a distinct metalic rattle. a plugged converter will also cause the hissing sound you hear. this hissing sound will probably be more pronounced at the tailpipe but not allways. if you do find the cat is bad do not waste your money on a new one untill you solve the engine problem! if you do not fix the cause of the meltdown i can guarantee it will happen again and will get expensive! mark 99 ram 2500 ase parts specialist ive got a 98 v6 1500 ram 5 speed manual. i get a loud sound when i let the engine slow the truck down. it sounds like a rattle kind of like somethings loose in the engine compartment somewhere. ive checked for anything that might be loose but i want able to find anything. i can hear the sound its much quiter when the truck is idling too. ironically the sound is much more pronounced on the drivers side of the cab then the passengers side. furthermore i hear a bit of a knocking when the engine is under a lot of stress like going up a slight incline in 5th gear or a steep incline in 4th gear this is on highways. i also hear what sounds to be an air leak of some sort like a whistle. the air leak was around for a lot longer then the rattle but i only mention it because it might be related. so the truck has 50000 miles on it and it was serviced at 30000 the clutch went out then btw its gotten oil changes since then. i think it might be out of tune and im not sure if they replace the spark plugs at that time its possible ive still got the original sparks plugs. ive noticed that its going through oil more then it used to but theres no oil in the exhaust at least noticable or under the car. from some of the other posts ive read i think is a good possiblity that the sound is the valves rattling. ive heard that one possible reason could be the intake gasket went bad which could also cause the air leak i hear and the oil usage. i was wondering if anyone knows of any other possible causes so that im not blind sighted when i take the truck in to get it serviced. thanks jeffrey .

From : tbone

the cat has an 80000 mile warranty on it. take it in to the dealer and let them look at it. tell them specifically that you want the cat checked and that you hear it rattling. this way they will not waste there time and your money diagnosing other things. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving sounds like the cat to me also.....if you already suspect the engine is out of tune and are getting a spark knock then you may have had a catalitic meltdown. this is caused only by an out of tune engine! the internal element in the cat will actually melt and break apart causing a distinct metalic rattle. a plugged converter will also cause the hissing sound you hear. this hissing sound will probably be more pronounced at the tailpipe but not allways. if you do find the cat is bad do not waste your money on a new one untill you solve the engine problem! if you do not fix the cause of the meltdown i can guarantee it will happen again and will get expensive! mark 99 ram 2500 ase parts specialist ive got a 98 v6 1500 ram 5 speed manual. i get a loud sound when i let the engine

From : mark elliott

if it turns out to be a meltdown dont be surprised if they do not cover it since a cat will not fail on its own in than manner. the cat has an 80000 mile warranty on it. take it in to the dealer and let them look at it. tell them specifically that you want the cat checked and that you hear it rattling. this way they will not waste there time and your money diagnosing other things. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving sounds like the cat to me also.....if you already suspect the engine is out of tune and are getting a spark knock then you may have had a catalitic meltdown. this is caused only by an out of tune engine! the internal element in the cat will actually melt and break apart causing a distinct metalic rattle. a plugged converter will also cause the hissing sound you hear. this hissing sound will probably be more pronounced at the tailpipe but not allways. if you do find the cat is bad do not waste your money on a new one untill you solve the engine problem! if you do not fix the cause of the meltdown i can guarantee it will happen again and will get expensive! mark 99 ram 2500 ase parts specialist ive got a 98 v6 1500 ram 5 speed manual. i get a loud sound when i let the engine slow the truck down. it sounds like a rattle kind of like somethings loose in the engine compartment somewhere. ive checked for anything that might be loose but i want able to find anything. i can hear the sound its much quiter when the truck is idling too. ironically the sound is much more pronounced on the drivers side of the cab then the passengers side. furthermore i hear a bit of a knocking when the engine is under a lot of stress like going up a slight incline in 5th gear or a steep incline in 4th gear this is on highways. i also hear what sounds to be an air leak of some sort like a whistle. the air leak was around for a lot longer then the rattle but i only mention it because it might be related. so the truck has 50000 miles on it and it was serviced at 30000 the clutch went out then btw its gotten oil changes since then. i think it might be out of tune and im not sure if they replace the spark plugs at that time its possible ive still got the original sparks plugs. ive noticed that its going through oil more then it used to but theres no oil in the exhaust at least noticable or under the car. from some of the other posts ive read i think is a good possiblity that the sound is the valves rattling. ive heard that one possible reason could be the intake gasket went bad which could also cause the air leak i hear and the oil usage. i was wondering if anyone knows of any other possible causes so that im not blind sighted when i take the truck in to get it serviced. thanks jeffrey .

From : tbone

who the hell are you kidding that rattle is a common problem with these converters. they replaced mine on the spot with a walk in visit for the hood latch recall when i told them that it was making noise. if the failure was due to a emissions problem do you not think that a ce light would have been set long before the converter was damaged and if not how is it the customers fault -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving if it turns out to be a meltdown dont be surprised if they do not cover it since a cat will not fail on its own in than manner. the cat has an 80000 mile warranty on it. take it in to the dealer and let them look at it. tell them specifically that you want the cat checked and that you hear it rattling. this way they will not waste there time and your money diagnosing other things. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving sounds like the cat to me also.....if you already suspect the engine is out of tune and are getting a spark knock then you may have had a catalitic meltdown. this is caused only by an out of tune engine! the internal element in the cat will actually melt and break apart causing a distinct metalic rattle. a plugged converter will also cause the hissing sound you hear. this hissing sound will probably be more pronounced at the tailpipe but not allways. if you do find the cat is bad do not waste your money on a new one untill you solve the engine problem! if you do not fix the cause of the meltdown i can guarantee it will happen again and will get expensive! mark 99 ram 2500 ase parts specialist ive got a 98 v6 1500 ram 5 speed manual. i get a loud sound when i let the engine slow the truck down. it sounds like a rattle kind of like somethings loose in the engine compartment somewhere. ive checked for anything that might be loose but i want able to find anything. i can hear the sound its much quiter when the truck is idling too. ironically the sound is much more pronounced on the drivers side of the cab then the passengers side. furthermore i hear a bit of a knocking when the engine is under a lot of stress like going up a slight incline in 5th gear or a steep incline in 4th gear this is on highways. i also hear what sounds to be an air leak of some sort like a whistle. the air leak was around for a lot longer then the rattle but i only mention it because it might be related. so the truck has 50000 miles on it and it was serviced at 30000 the clutch went out then btw its gotten oil changes since then. i think it might be out of tune and im not sure if they replace the spark plugs at that time its possible ive still got the original sparks plugs. ive noticed that its going through oil more then it used to but theres no oil in the exhaust at least noticable or under the car. from some of the other posts ive read i think is a good possiblity that the sound is the valves rattling. ive heard that one possible reason could be the intake gasket went bad which could also cause the air leak i hear and the oil usage. i was wondering if anyone knows of any other possible causes so that im not blind sighted when i take the truck in to get it serviced. thanks jeffrey .

From : Annonymoustbone

you need to find someone that knows how to read the computer fault codes and can understand what they are telling you. it sounds like you are dealing with parts changers not real mechanics! a bad coil can kill a new computer and may not show up as a fault code. if it is not between model years 1998 through 2001 you can read the codes using the engine check lamp with three ignition key cycles no code scanner required. on sat 3 jan 2004 181234 -0600 eclipse evenso@email.com wrote about 1 year ago my ram 1500 3.9l started misfiring until it was up to operating temperature. mechanics replaced wires and plugs and cleaned throttle body. it improved for about two weeks then returned with vengeance. additionally it misfired whenever i accelerated or started up hills. 3 weeks ago it stalled as i drove down the highway and would not resume normal running. the mechanic replaced distributor thermostat and ran tests. on my way home from the shop it stalled on the highway and would not run at all. the mechanic replaced the computer. it ran much better with the new computer but still stalled on the highway on the way home from the shop and would not resume normal running. the mechanic says my new rebuilt computer has been burned out by something but he was not sure what. he says my truck misfires fairly regularly but he cant find why and that the computer was compensating. i could use some talking points and ideas if not solutions! this problem is now over $1500 and two weeks down through the holidays! david .

From : mark elliott

nobody said it would be the customers fault! why are you on the deffensive it is fact that cats do not melt down on their own. if the exhaust is hot enough to meltdown the cats element then there is a problem elsewhere that needs attention! pre-ignition is a common cause pre-ignition also causes spark knock if the rattle is caused by a loose or broken heat shield or housing then it would surely be covered but an internal meltdown is an alltogether different situation. would you expect bridgestone to warranty a tire because your front end was out of allignment and chewed it up noooo!!........it is the same type of situation. if yours was melted down and the tech warrantied it then he was an idiot and you got lucky. if that was the case i can assure you the dealer did not get reimbursed from the manufacturer and as a result lost money due to an inexperienced tech. do you want an inexperienced tech working on your vehicle do you want your dealership to lose money as a result of the many mistakes the tech may have made it would be too bad if you didnt care it will cost you next time you go in for service. who the hell are you kidding that rattle is a common problem with these converters. they replaced mine on the spot with a walk in visit for the hood latch recall when i told them that it was making noise. if the failure was due to a emissions problem do you not think that a ce light would have been set long before the converter was damaged and if not how is it the customers fault -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving if it turns out to be a meltdown dont be surprised if they do not cover it since a cat will not fail on its own in than manner. the cat has an 80000 mile warranty on it. take it in to the dealer and let them look at it. tell them specifically that you want the cat checked and that you hear it rattling. this way they will not waste there time and your money diagnosing other things. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving sounds like the cat to me also.....if you already suspect the engine is out of tune and are getting a spark knock then you may have had a catalitic meltdown. this is caused only by an out of tune engine! the internal element in the cat will actually melt and break apart causing a distinct metalic rattle. a plugged converter will also cause the hissing sound you hear. this hissing sound will probably be more pronounced at the tailpipe but not allways. if you do find the cat is bad do not waste your money on a new one untill you solve the engine problem! if you do not fix the cause of the meltdown i can guarantee it will happen again and will get expensive! mark 99 ram 2500 ase parts specialist ive got a 98 v6 1500 ram 5 speed manual. i get a loud sound when i let the engine slow the truck down. it sounds like a rattle kind of like somethings loose in the engine compartment somewhere. ive checked for anything that might be loose but i want able to find anything. i can hear the sound its much quiter when the truck is idling too. ironically the sound is much more pronounced on the drivers side of the cab then the passengers side. furthermore i hear a bit of a knocking when the engine is under a lot of stress like going up a slight incline in 5th gear or a steep incline in 4th gear this is on highways. i also hear what sounds to be an air leak of some sort like a whistle. the air leak was around for a lot longer then the rattle but i only mention it because it might be related. so the truck has 50000 miles on it and it was serviced at 30000 the clutch went out then btw its gotten oil changes since then. i think it might be out of tune and im not sure if they replace the spark plugs at that time its possible ive still got the original sparks plugs. ive noticed that its going through oil more then it used to but theres no oil in the exhaust at least noticable or under the car. from some of the other posts ive read i think is a good possiblity that the sound is the valves rattling. ive heard that one possible reason could be the intake gasket went bad which could also cause the air leak i hear and the oil usage. i was wondering if anyone knows of any other possible causes so that im not blind sighted when i take the truck in to get it serviced. thanks jeffrey .

From : neil nelsontbone

tbone fatchance@noway.now wrote in todays world a code reader or diagnostic machine is far from a specialized tool and iirc they are can you use them to do an oil change can you use them to lift a vehicle off the ground how about to remove a tire/wheel replace brake shoes/pads r & r an alternator scrape an old gasket remove trim screws to access an instrument cluster hold a transverse engine in place while r & r-ing a transaxle do they work well as breaker bar can you use them to press bearing into place he said that he does not charge for hooking up a reader. i said that because merely hooking up a scan tool does little to accomplish anything. snip so its ok to charge to use a tool no it isnt and i never said that it was. its virtually impossible or pointless depending on your view to use a tool as is being discussed and not impart some sort of *for value* service as part of the process. but its not ok to charge for a tool that costs over and above what most tool boxes cost that is correct. if you didnt have the tool then you couldnt do the job so the tool pays for itself in the fact that it allow you to do the work. in this case the tool conveys information information costs money the person seeking the information gets to pay for having that information provided to them. if you believe differently call identifix mitchell on demand or alldata and see what theyre giving away for free today. as for not being able to do the job without a scan tool ill tell you i worked flat rate for many years in a chevrolet dealership doing driveability work without any scan tool available zip-zilch-nothing but my dvom. again it comes down to the simple fairness of charging for what was done and not charging everyone for the use of an expensive tool that never got near their vehicle. you make no sense and this is just more bullshit spin. he makes perfect sense. it would be unfair to my customers if my shop labor rate were to be adjusted across the board in order to account for the high end diagnostic equipment. what is fair about someone paying for a brake job having to subsidize the person who has an intermittant check engine light if you didnt have the tool you couldnt do the job simple as that. to doube charge the customer for a tool that you need to do your job anyway is a ripoff any way that you spin it. to charge in the first place for a tool that isnt being used on a particular vehicle/repair procedure is a rip off. .

From : tbone

we can argue about this all day and get nowhere. you did say that unless it was the heat shield that the only thing that it could make that rattling noise was due to a meltdown and that was not covered and that the only reason they replaced mine was due to an inexperienced tech. these are both wrong. this rattle is a common failure with dcs converters and i suspect others as well and have seen many posts in here asking about it. just about every time someone told them to take it back to the dealer if they were under 80000 miles and i have yet to see a repost claiming the converter was not covered due to a meltdown. i suppose that under some conditions that it could be refused but it is extremely unlikely and i would be very suppressed if it was not covered. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i ve got 14 years worth of research allready done. in no way am misleading him i simply said and this can be verified by simply reading my post that he should not be surprised if it is not covered. epa requires the warranty if the cat malfunctions. a meltdown is not a malfunction of the cat! i in no way guaranteed a meltdown you have been on the defensive all the way about someting you do not have all the facts on. do your research! read and understand a post before you reply!! whos the fool i am not on the defensive but you are probably going to cause the op with to waste money with completely invalid information. you really need to do a little research before you jump in and make a fool out of yourself this way. first of all and this you cant research it was the service manager of the dealership that i told about the rattle and he was the one who told the tech to check it and he was the one to authorize the repair not some inexperienced tech lol. now for the part that you can research the converter as well as various other components are covered under the federal emissions warranty for 8 years or 80000 miles. http//neon.atsweb.net/95warnty.html it really doesnt matter why it failed as long as obvious abuse is not visible they will replace it. and btw a meltdown is not the only way that the converter will form an internal rattle. the brick can also stress fracture from the heating up and cooling down of normal use if not perfect and break up that way as well just like mine did. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving nobody said it would be the customers fault! why are you on the deffensive it is fact that cats do not melt down on their own. if the exhaust is hot enough to meltdown the cats element then there is a problem elsewhere that needs attention! pre-ignition is a common cause pre-ignition also causes spark knock if the rattle is caused by a loose or broken heat shield or housing then it would surely be covered but an internal meltdown is an alltogether different situation. would you expect bridgestone to warranty a tire because your front end was out of allignment and chewed it up noooo!!........it is the same type of situation. if yours was melted down and the tech warrantied it then he was an idiot and you got lucky. if that was the case i can assure you the dealer did not get reimbursed from the manufacturer and as a result lost money due to an inexperienced tech. do you want an inexperienced tech working on your vehicle do you want your dealership to lose money as a result of the many mistakes the tech may have made it would be too bad if you didnt care it will cost you next time you go in for service. who the hell are you kidding that rattle is a common problem with these converters. they replaced mine on the spot with a walk in visit for the hood latch recall when i told them that it was making noise. if the failure was due to a emissions problem do you not think that a ce light would have been set long before the converter was damaged and if not how is it the customers fault -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving if it turns out to be a meltdown dont be surprised if they do not cover it since a cat will not fail on its own in than manner. the cat has an 80000 mile warranty on it. take it in to the dealer and let them look at it. tell them specifically that you want the cat checked and that you hear it rattling. this way they will not waste there time and your money diagnosing other things. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving sounds like the cat to me also.....if you already suspect the engine is out of tune and are getting a spark knock then you may have had a catalitic meltdown. this is caused only by an out of tune engine! the internal element in the cat will actually melt and break apart causing a distinct metalic rattle. a plugged converter will also cause the hissing sound you hear. this hissing sound will p

From : tbone

be very suppressed if it was not covered. fucking spell checker lol -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving .

From : mark elliott

actually here is what i said word for word......and this can be verified. 1st post sounds like the cat to me also.....if** you already suspect the engine is out of tune and are getting a spark knock then you may* have had a catalitic meltdown. 2nd post if** it turns out to be a meltdown dont be surprised if they do not cover it since a cat will not fail on its own in that*** manner. 3rd post if** yours was melted down and the tech warrantied it then he was an idiot and you got lucky. 4th post do your research! read and understand**** a post before you reply!! * may.....used in auxiliary function expressing purpose or expectation i laugh that i may not weep or contingency shell do her duty come what may or concession he may be slow but he is thorough or choice the angler may catch them with a dip net or he may cast a large bare treble hook ** if.....1 a in the event that b allowing that c on the assumption that d on condition that *** that.....reffering to the meltdown suggested previously in the same paragraph **** understand....1 a to grasp the meaning of understand russian b to grasp the reasonableness of his behavior is hard to understand c to have thorough or technical acquaintance with or expertness in the practice of understand finance d to be thoroughly familiar with the character and propensities of understands children source merriam webster we can argue about this all day and get nowhere. you did say that unless it was the heat shield that the only thing that it could make that rattling noise was due to a meltdown and that was not covered and that the only reason they replaced mine was due to an inexperienced tech. these are both wrong. this rattle is a common failure with dcs converters and i suspect others as well and have seen many posts in here asking about it. just about every time someone told them to take it back to the dealer if they were under 80000 miles and i have yet to see a repost claiming the converter was not covered due to a meltdown. i suppose that under some conditions that it could be refused but it is extremely unlikely and i would be very suppressed if it was not covered. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving i ve got 14 years worth of research allready done. in no way am misleading him i simply said and this can be verified by simply reading my post that he should not be surprised if it is not covered. epa requires the warranty if the cat malfunctions. a meltdown is not a malfunction of the cat! i in no way guaranteed a meltdown you have been on the defensive all the way about someting you do not have all the facts on. do your research! read and understand a post before you reply!! whos the fool i am not on the defensive but you are probably going to cause the op with to waste money with completely invalid information. you really need to do a little research before you jump in and make a fool out of yourself this way. first of all and this you cant research it was the service manager of the dealership that i told about the rattle and he was the one who told the tech to check it and he was the one to authorize the repair not some inexperienced tech lol. now for the part that you can research the converter as well as various other components are covered under the federal emissions warranty for 8 years or 80000 miles. http//neon.atsweb.net/95warnty.html it really doesnt matter why it failed as long as obvious abuse is not visible they will replace it. and btw a meltdown is not the only way that the converter will form an internal rattle. the brick can also stress fracture from the heating up and cooling down of normal use if not perfect and break up that way as well just like mine did. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving nobody said it would be the customers fault! why are you on the deffensive it is fact that cats do not melt down on their own. if the exhaust is hot enough to meltdown the cats element then there is a problem elsewhere that needs attention! pre-ignition is a common cause pre-ignition also causes spark knock if the rattle is caused by a loose or broken heat shield or housing then it would surely be covered but an internal meltdown is an alltogether different situation. would you expect bridgestone to warranty a tire because your front end was out of allignment and chewed it up noooo!!........it is the same type of situation. if yours was melted down and the tech warrantied it then he was an idiot and you got lucky. if that was the case i can assure you the dealer did not get reimbursed from the manufacturer and as a result lost money due to an inexperienced tech. do you want an inexperienced tech working on your vehicle do you want your dealership to lose money as a result of the many mistakes the tech may have made it w

From : redneck tookover hellmark elliott

oh please tell someone who cares dale maybe he can find someone to give him a quarter so he can call someone who cares another web tv genius web tv mustnt come with an unlock button for caps ill start watching reality tv shows when i can vote people off the planet. .

From : tbone

sure it just depends on what happened to it. if the inner block is just breaking up then the converter will still be partially effective. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving hey guys thanks for the humorious postings those were great. i have one more question if the cat. converter did go bad would i be able to pass the smog check would my check engine light be on the reason i ask is because i was able to pass a smog check and my check engine light isnt on. thanks again jeffrey .

From : mark elliott

yes it is possible. we do not have smog checks hear so i dont have a lot of experience with them. we had them for a short time but it it was voted back out. some of our shop will do them just the same since they had purchased all the equipment to do them anyway. hey guys thanks for the humorious postings those were great. i have one more question if the cat. converter did go bad would i be able to pass the smog check would my check engine light be on the reason i ask is because i was able to pass a smog check and my check engine light isnt on. thanks again jeffrey .

From : mac davistbone

on wed 07 jan 2004 160950 gmt jerry jlrice@earthlink.net wrote mac davis wrote you just summed up my search! id be tempted to go hard cover since the ram is used mainly for towing but the dakota has a camper shell and one of em should be able to carry tall stuff... leaning toward the roll/slide back probably the pace edwards but its like $650... ouch! have you looked at these .... http//www.soft-top.com/source=looksmart ...... not a thing of beauty but practical. that old item of security pops up again though. couple years ago i looked at the can-back and liked the way it was mounted on rails so you could slide and fold the entire thing behind the cab. went with a hard shell instead expecting never to have to remove it. now i take the shell off every summer so i can haul things. course i have to put it back on in the winter and it is a pita. jerry those look interesting jerry but i think id spend the money for a camper shell to match the dakota if i went that route... we want to cover it to keep firewood and stuff dry but since we tow almost every weekend im looking for a bed-top height solution.. mac .

From : napalm heart

ive got a 98 v6 1500 ram 5 speed manual. i get a loud sound when i let the engine slow the truck down. it sounds like a rattle kind of like somethings loose in the engine compartment somewhere. ive checked for anything that might be loose but i want able to find anything. i can hear the sound its much quiter when the truck is idling too. ironically the sound is much more pronounced on the drivers side of the cab then the passengers side. furthermore i hear a bit of a knocking when the engine is under a lot of stress like going up a slight incline in 5th gear or a steep incline in 4th gear this is on highways. i also hear what sounds to be an air leak of some sort like a whistle. the air leak was around for a lot longer then the rattle but i only mention it because it might be related. so the truck has 50000 miles on it and it was serviced at 30000 the clutch went out then btw its gotten oil changes since then. i think it might be out of tune and im not sure if they replace the spark plugs at that time its possible ive still got the original sparks plugs. ive noticed that its going through oil more then it used to but theres no oil in the exhaust at least noticable or under the car. from some of the other posts ive read i think is a good possiblity that the sound is the valves rattling. ive heard that one possible reason could be the intake gasket went bad which could also cause the air leak i hear and the oil usage. i was wondering if anyone knows of any other possible causes so that im not blind sighted when i take the truck in to get it serviced. thanks jeffrey i recently had a similar experience with my 97 dakota 2wd auto 3.9. it turned out to be the transmission mount had gone bad and allowed a mounting bolt to contact the crossmember allowing vibrations and noise to sound like they were coming from all over the truck. best wishes ken olson .

From : tbone

i am not on the defensive but you are probably going to cause the op with to waste money with completely invalid information. you really need to do a little research before you jump in and make a fool out of yourself this way. first of all and this you cant research it was the service manager of the dealership that i told about the rattle and he was the one who told the tech to check it and he was the one to authorize the repair not some inexperienced tech lol. now for the part that you can research the converter as well as various other components are covered under the federal emissions warranty for 8 years or 80000 miles. http//neon.atsweb.net/95warnty.html it really doesnt matter why it failed as long as obvious abuse is not visible they will replace it. and btw a meltdown is not the only way that the converter will form an internal rattle. the brick can also stress fracture from the heating up and cooling down of normal use if not perfect and break up that way as well just like mine did. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving nobody said it would be the customers fault! why are you on the deffensive it is fact that cats do not melt down on their own. if the exhaust is hot enough to meltdown the cats element then there is a problem elsewhere that needs attention! pre-ignition is a common cause pre-ignition also causes spark knock if the rattle is caused by a loose or broken heat shield or housing then it would surely be covered but an internal meltdown is an alltogether different situation. would you expect bridgestone to warranty a tire because your front end was out of allignment and chewed it up noooo!!........it is the same type of situation. if yours was melted down and the tech warrantied it then he was an idiot and you got lucky. if that was the case i can assure you the dealer did not get reimbursed from the manufacturer and as a result lost money due to an inexperienced tech. do you want an inexperienced tech working on your vehicle do you want your dealership to lose money as a result of the many mistakes the tech may have made it would be too bad if you didnt care it will cost you next time you go in for service. who the hell are you kidding that rattle is a common problem with these converters. they replaced mine on the spot with a walk in visit for the hood latch recall when i told them that it was making noise. if the failure was due to a emissions problem do you not think that a ce light would have been set long before the converter was damaged and if not how is it the customers fault -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving if it turns out to be a meltdown dont be surprised if they do not cover it since a cat will not fail on its own in than manner. the cat has an 80000 mile warranty on it. take it in to the dealer and let them look at it. tell them specifically that you want the cat checked and that you hear it rattling. this way they will not waste there time and your money diagnosing other things. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving sounds like the cat to me also.....if you already suspect the engine is out of tune and are getting a spark knock then you may have had a catalitic meltdown. this is caused only by an out of tune engine! the internal element in the cat will actually melt and break apart causing a distinct metalic rattle. a plugged converter will also cause the hissing sound you hear. this hissing sound will probably be more pronounced at the tailpipe but not allways. if you do find the cat is bad do not waste your money on a new one untill you solve the engine problem! if you do not fix the cause of the meltdown i can guarantee it will happen again and will get expensive! mark 99 ram 2500 ase parts specialist ive got a 98 v6 1500 ram 5 speed manual. i get a loud sound when i let the engine slow the truck down. it sounds like a rattle kind of like somethings loose in the engine compartment somewhere. ive checked for anything that might be loose but i want able to find anything. i can hear the sound its much quiter when the truck is idling too. ironically the sound is much more pronounced on the drivers side of the cab then the passengers side. furthermore i hear a bit of a knocking when the engine is under a lot of stress like going up a slight incline in 5th gear or a steep incline in 4th gear this is on highways. i also hear what sounds to be an air leak of some sort like a whistle. the air leak was around for a lot longer then the rattle but i only mention it because it might be related. so the truck has 50000 miles on it and it was serviced at 30000 the clutch went out then btw its gotten oil changes since then. i think it might be out of tune and im not sure if they replace the spark plugs at that time its possible ive

From : mark elliott

i ve got 14 years worth of research allready done. in no way am misleading him i simply said and this can be verified by simply reading my post that he should not be surprised if it is not covered. epa requires the warranty if the cat malfunctions. a meltdown is not a malfunction of the cat! i in no way guaranteed a meltdown you have been on the defensive all the way about someting you do not have all the facts on. do your research! read and understand a post before you reply!! whos the fool i am not on the defensive but you are probably going to cause the op with to waste money with completely invalid information. you really need to do a little research before you jump in and make a fool out of yourself this way. first of all and this you cant research it was the service manager of the dealership that i told about the rattle and he was the one who told the tech to check it and he was the one to authorize the repair not some inexperienced tech lol. now for the part that you can research the converter as well as various other components are covered under the federal emissions warranty for 8 years or 80000 miles. http//neon.atsweb.net/95warnty.html it really doesnt matter why it failed as long as obvious abuse is not visible they will replace it. and btw a meltdown is not the only way that the converter will form an internal rattle. the brick can also stress fracture from the heating up and cooling down of normal use if not perfect and break up that way as well just like mine did. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving nobody said it would be the customers fault! why are you on the deffensive it is fact that cats do not melt down on their own. if the exhaust is hot enough to meltdown the cats element then there is a problem elsewhere that needs attention! pre-ignition is a common cause pre-ignition also causes spark knock if the rattle is caused by a loose or broken heat shield or housing then it would surely be covered but an internal meltdown is an alltogether different situation. would you expect bridgestone to warranty a tire because your front end was out of allignment and chewed it up noooo!!........it is the same type of situation. if yours was melted down and the tech warrantied it then he was an idiot and you got lucky. if that was the case i can assure you the dealer did not get reimbursed from the manufacturer and as a result lost money due to an inexperienced tech. do you want an inexperienced tech working on your vehicle do you want your dealership to lose money as a result of the many mistakes the tech may have made it would be too bad if you didnt care it will cost you next time you go in for service. who the hell are you kidding that rattle is a common problem with these converters. they replaced mine on the spot with a walk in visit for the hood latch recall when i told them that it was making noise. if the failure was due to a emissions problem do you not think that a ce light would have been set long before the converter was damaged and if not how is it the customers fault -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving if it turns out to be a meltdown dont be surprised if they do not cover it since a cat will not fail on its own in than manner. the cat has an 80000 mile warranty on it. take it in to the dealer and let them look at it. tell them specifically that you want the cat checked and that you hear it rattling. this way they will not waste there time and your money diagnosing other things. -- if at first you dont succeed youre not cut out for skydiving sounds like the cat to me also.....if you already suspect the engine is out of tune and are getting a spark knock then you may have had a catalitic meltdown. this is caused only by an out of tune engine! the internal element in the cat will actually melt and break apart causing a distinct metalic rattle. a plugged converter will also cause the hissing sound you hear. this hissing sound will probably be more pronounced at the tailpipe but not allways. if you do find the cat is bad do not waste your money on a new one untill you solve the engine problem! if you do not fix the cause of the meltdown i can guarantee it will happen again and will get expensive! mark 99 ram 2500 ase parts specialist ive got a 98 v6 1500 ram 5 speed manual. i get a loud sound when i let the engine slow the truck down. it sounds like a rattle kind of like somethings loose in the engine compartment somewhere. ive checked for anything that might be loose but i want able to find anything. i can hear the sound its much quiter when the truck is idling too. ironically the sound is much more pronounced on the drivers side of the cab then the passengers side. furthermore i hear a bit of a knocking when the engine is under a lot of stre