A landscaper from Bennett Irrigation has gone viral for revealing how his Ram engine started making a strange noise after he had only driven the truck for 20,000 miles.
In a TikTok that’s generated 33,600 views as of this writing, Jeff Bennett (@lost.tha.v8) shares how he bought the Ram with zero engine codes, but the lifters have now gone haywire.
“I just want to show you guys some [expletives] here,” he begins.
Clearly frustrated, Bennett starts up the engine to showcase the sputtering noise coming from the engine.
“I only put 20,000 miles on it, and mind you, I bought this with zero engine codes,” he says. He expresses disbelief that the lifters are messed up before he concludes.
Commenters Respond
“Sounds like It just needs an exhaust manifold/gaskets,” one TikTok commenter said.
Bennett replied to this comment, “I wish. The shop diagnosed it and quoted me $12,000. Lifters ate up the camshaft. Needs a new engine, rebuild is the same price $4,000 – 8,000, as an engine swap.”
Other commenters chimed in to take jabs at Bennett for buying a Ram.
The top comment was “You should have expected that. It’s a RAM.”
“Once those rams hit 70k miles, it’s over,” another shared.
“Who buys a Dodge?” a third replied.
What Are Lifters?
According to JD Power, a car lifter is a cylinder that is placed between a car’s cylinder valves and camshaft. These engine lifters assist the valves operating in the engine and are either hydraulic or mechanical.
The camshaft will move over the top of the lifter and cause a quick opening of the valve. While this occurs, the intake and exhaust valves need to open at separate times, and both valves will need their own lifter.
“As the camshaft rotates, the lifters act on a series of pushrods, which, in turn, operate the rocker arms to open and close the engine’s valves,” per Car Parts.
How Do You Know When the Lifters Go Haywire?
According to Wantou, here are five common symptoms of a bad lifter:
Ticking or Tapping Noise: This takes place when the lifters are no longer maintaining proper contact with the camshaft, leading to a gap. A tapping noise is made as the part moves.
Engine Misfires: This happens when the valves cannot open and close properly. This disrupts the combustion process.
Reduced Engine Performance: Sluggish acceleration and less power occur when lifters malfunction.
Check Engine Light: This warning sign could indicate something is up with the lifters.
Excessive Exhaust Smoke: While rare, white or blue smoke can be produced from the exhaust when the lifters cause the engine to burn oil or fuel improperly.
Replacing a lifter is going to be pricey and labor-intensive. Typically, it’ll cost between $1,000-$2,500 to replace, Car Parts reports. This number can fluctuate and will depend on location, year, model, and make of your car.
What Is the Best Work Truck?
Selecting the best work truck will ultimately come down to a variety of factors and needs.
Work trucks are categorized into three main types based on their Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). Categories begin with Class 1 and go through Class 8, and these categories include Light-Duty Trucks (Classes 1-3), Medium-Duty Trucks (Classes 4-6), Heavy-Duty Trucks (Classes 7-8), Aschen Bach Auto Group and Speed Wrench report.
What is considered “light” are non-commercial vehicles, including trucks, SUVs, vans, and minivans.
According to Coast Pay, here are the best selections for light-duty trucks for classes 1-3.
Class 1: Toyota Tacoma, Honda Ridgeline, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, and Nissan Frontier.
Class 2: Ford F-150/F-250, Chevy Silverado 2500HD, Dodge Ram 1500, Nissan Titan XD, and GMC Sierra 2500.
Class 3: RAM 3500, Ford Super Duty F-350, GMC Sierra 3500, and Chevrolet Silverado 3500.
While this list covers multiple brands and models, many commenters recommended Toyota to use for work trucks.
“You should have brought a Toyota,” one TikTok commenter mentioned.
“I have heard very good things about Toyota trucks for work,” one Reddit user added.
Selecting the best work truck will depend on what exactly you need for your business. It’s best to conduct your own research and determine what you are looking to get out of your work truck.
Motor1 has contacted Bennett Irrigation via email. This story will be updated if it replies.
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