Chrysler said that some of its 1998-2004 models with 3.2-liter or 3.5-liter engines may produce a ticking sound under the hood on cold startup.
According to the carmaker, the noise is limited to vehicles built prior to March 31, 2003, lasts for only a few seconds and is most likely the result of excess clearance between the camshaft and exhaust rocker arms. Replacing the rocker arm swivel pads and swivel pad retainers with updated parts from a repair kit, Part No. 05135237aa, should eliminate the noise.
Start the fix by removing both valve covers. Next, remove the exhaust rocker arm retaining bolts and the rocker arm assemblies from the right bank of the engine. Don't turn the rocker arms upside down or put pressure on the lash adjusters because you could introduce air into the adjusters.
Following the illustration above, remove the swivel pads and swivel pad retainers from each rocker arm and replace them with the new parts from the kit. To complete the repair, reinstall the rocker arms, tighten the retaining bolts to specification, and then repeat the drill on the rocker arms on the left bank of the engine.
"Factory Fixes" is written by Jim DePalma, a 30-year veteran of the auto repair business who has served stints as a service manager, parts manager and ASE-certified technician. His column provides vehicle manufacturers' authentic factory technical service bulletins (TSBs) that have been condensed for easier reading. Mr. DePalma advises that techs always check with a dealer or repair information system for the latest revisions before starting to work on a vehicle. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].