2001 Ram - loud fluid flow sound

[Wren]

I just bought a used 2001 Ram 1500 automatic with 56k miles on it. One thing we noticed was a somewhat loud sound of fluid flowing through tubes when the vehicle was started and put into any gear other than park or nuetral. Sort of a high pitched hum, or like an "sssssss" sound. As the gas is depressed while the vehicle is in gear, the fluid flow noise changes somewhat in pitch and disappears after the gas pedal is more than about halfway to the floor. Sounds like it's under the hood but I haven't been able to isolate it yet. The noise goes almost entriely away after the truck has warmed up (this happens for the first 5 minutes of driving it form a cold start). It seems mostly linked to the accelerator and transmission, not power steering or AC (steering and having AC on/off makes no difference).

Seems harmless and the dealer said it was nothing, but you know dealers. Should I take it in to have it looked at? Is this common with this type of truck? It's somehwat annoying and I haven't heard it in other vehicles (at least not to the degree I hear it in mine).

Thanks!

[jventerprises]

i have a 2000 ram 2500 4x4. same sound. i have no idea what it is, but it has been there for 40k+ miles.....

[BamaDodgenMX]

Not sure where I read this, but I remember hearing of somebody else with near the same problem. What finally happened is that they topped off their engine coolant, and apparently it made all the difference.

[BleedDodge]

Air in the system.

[jventerprises]

i'm assuming the system that has the air is the coolant system?


well, i'm in this week for a new heater core / evaporator. perhaps it was all releated. whn i get it back, the noise should be gone since they are flush/filling the coolant system. too damn cold in new england for me to be ripping the dash out.

[AugMeo]

Same thing happened to me until I got the air out of my coolant system. I posted about this before...here is the link:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=328773

hope this helps..........

[Wren]

For me, my original noise was caused by a missing gasket between the engine and the air intake. When the engine heated up, the pastic flexed and sealed, so the noise went away. But when cold, air would hiss between the intake and the engine. Or, when the engine would rev high enough, the suction would pull the intake closer to the engine, creating a seal.

Someone before me must have forgotten to replace it. Dodge installed a new one for me free of charge, fixing it right up.

An obvious part to miss I suppose, but I still missed it, as did the first guy who looked at it at the dealership. Only one of the more technical guys was able to figure it out.

[dbianchilndscpe]

It's the heater core and it's a tough one to replace. Dash out, sreering column apart alot of work! Dominic

[dbianchilndscpe]

I need to replace my heater core and was wondering how to do it.any suggestions? Dominic