2016 5.7 Hemi’s. Which to buy?

BigRed06 · Jul 22, 2024

I'd buy the 59K truck, buy a service contract, and change the oil often, every 3,500 miles.

pscarbor · Jul 22, 2024

Dbeck229 said:
My buddy works at a shop and has two 1500’s I could buy off him. One has 59,000 miles, the other has about 80,000 miles.

I would like to get the 59k truck, it is a bit cleaner, has a full king cab with a nicer interior. However I’m sketched out about the lifters and cams on these trucks. Nothing has been done to this one, I feel as if it’s a gamble of whether I get a good motor or not.

The truck with 80k has the smaller quad cab, isn’t quite as clean, and the interior isn’t as nice. However…. It just had the cam and lifters warrantied and they will be brand new at the time of purchase.

Any opinions or insight?

They both will be about the same price. I would like the nice model, and would consider putting a hellcat oil pump on it, as I’ve heard those can help prevent lifter failures.

TLDR: I can’t decide which to go with, I want the truck with lesser miles, but am afraid of a fatal cam failure.

You didn't say: Do either of the trucks have the infamous "hemi tick"?

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I bought a 2006 Ram 1500 hemi, interior was horrible, grease and grime all over, dead battery, I doubt the oil had been changed in a year; 250k+ miles. Wife and I cleaned it up and I replaced some parts. Never had a hemi tick, still doesn't, and runs great.

Some hemis eat lifters and cams, others don't. It's a crap shoot either way.

David James · Jul 22, 2024

Dbeck229 said:
My buddy works at a shop and has two 1500’s I could buy off him. One has 59,000 miles, the other has about 80,000 miles.

I would like to get the 59k truck, it is a bit cleaner, has a full king cab with a nicer interior. However I’m sketched out about the lifters and cams on these trucks. Nothing has been done to this one, I feel as if it’s a gamble of whether I get a good motor or not.

The truck with 80k has the smaller quad cab, isn’t quite as clean, and the interior isn’t as nice. However…. It just had the cam and lifters warrantied and they will be brand new at the time of purchase.

Any opinions or insight?

They both will be about the same price. I would like the nice model, and would consider putting a hellcat oil pump on it, as I’ve heard those can help prevent lifter failures.

TLDR: I can’t decide which to go with, I want the truck with lesser miles, but am afraid of a fatal cam failure.

My 2016 Ram 1500 Hemi purchased new just turned 140k miles, the last 13,117.9 accumulated in a five week trek from the east coast to the west coast to Alaska and return via the prairie provinces and northern tier. It has been stone reliable throughout without any issues on a 5k (more or less) OCF interval using on sale synthetic 5W20 and good filters. I’d not be afraid of either truck you describe. What is your intended use and how do you maintain and drive your vehicles? Like all vehicles, most issues begin at the driver’s head and right foot.

JC4041 · Jul 22, 2024

Funny thing about anything with mechanical parts....there is no timeline when things will go. There have been lifter issues for folks at 40k miles and there have been people with no issues at all at 200k.

rsavant · Jul 23, 2024

Be sure to check the idle time as well. Supposedly part of the issue with the failing valvetrain is poor oil circulation to these parts, especially while idling. Owners/renters of trucks used for work on construction sites often sit in these vehicles for several hours each day to escape the elements, hot or cold. I believe oil pressure drops to approximately 30 psi while idling.

2016 5.7 Hemi’s. Which to buy?

BigRed06

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pscarbor

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David James

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JC4041

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rsavant

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