OEM 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 Rocker Arm

2004 Dodge Ram 3500 Rocker Arm Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Service and Repair a Rocker Arm Assembly on 2004 Dodge Ram 3500?

  A: The first step to work on the rocker arm assembly is to take off the battery negative cables and remove the cover of the cylinder head. After that, unfasten the bolts that hold the rocker arm/pedestal in place and take both of them out, so they don't get misplaced when reinstalling. Record everything you do, as the sockets can become loose. After removing the pushrods, mark their original positions, while pulling the push rods for the #5 and #6 cylinders out through the panels on the cowl. Pull out each valve stem and mark them while the crossheads are removed. Wash and dry all parts by using a proper solvent, along with a wire brush, wheel or other tool for persistent stains and complete the job by rinsing parts in hot water and blow drying with a compressed air device. Whip or blow compressed air into and around the rocker arm and pedestal oil passages to remove debris. Take off the rocker shaft, look for signs of cracks or much wear in its bore and examine the socket and ball insert for excessive wear. If the retainer has worn, replace it. Check the sizes of the rocker arm bore and shaft. Look for any scratches on the ball and socket and check for cracks next to where they are pressed into the tube, then roll the push rod to see if it has any bends. Look for signs of cracks or too much wear on all the crosshead surfaces where counterparts meet. To install, put the push rods in their original spots and see that they are properly seated in the tappets. Cover the valve tips in lubricant, fit the crossheads, lubricate both of them and the push rod sockets and then reinstall the rocker arms and pedestals, covering the bolts with 36 Newtons of torque. Next, adjust the valve lash carefully, put the cylinder head cover into position with a fresh gasket and link up the battery negative terminal cables.