My Hemi tick experience

[1500Vol]

Hello all, about a year ago I bought a 2014 Longhorn 1500 5.7 with about 130k miles. I did all the research on common issues and the best ways to prevent them and have been actively reading this forum and others. I drive the truck hard and often for work and it’s nearly at 170k now. Since buying the truck I’ve done 3k oil and filter changes running PUP 5w20.

About 5k miles ago it developed a left side tick. It had an exhaust leak on the passenger side so i was hoping it was just the other side that went. Fixing the manifolds revealed the actual tick. This truck has been perfectly maintained for its entire life and now it’s ticking and sending tons of metal through the engine. I have a coworker with a 2012 at 180k miles who runs 20w50 castrol in his truck. I’m currently running 10w40 with a quart of Lucas oil additive.

Just wanted to come on here and recommend everyone with a higher mileage hemi start running a way thicker oil. The mds works fine.

 

[Burla]

Find the threads in my sig, two ways to deal with it really, thick or oil heavy EP additives or base oils, as in aw/EP additives such as moly or ester base oils. You strategy was to use Lucas which is very thick oil.

 

[chri5k]

I am confused. Is the OP still running the engine that had "tons of metal through the engine"? I don't think running heavier oil with an even heavier additive will make "tons of metal through the engine" go away or somehow restore a damaged cam / lifter.

 

[Scottly]

Lubrication strategies can work toward preventing this issue, but once it starts ticking, I'm thinking you're toast....I may be wrong. The one-post wonder OP should understand this. Fix the problem with some new parts or a new motor...they employ the strategies to prevent it from reoccurring.

 

[1500Vol]

Yeah i mean the thing is gonna blow soon though, shouldn’t happen in a well maintained vehicle.

 

[1500Vol]

Lubrication strategies can work toward preventing this issue, but once it starts ticking, I'm thinking you're toast....I may be wrong. The one-post wonder OP should understand this. Fix the problem with some new parts or a new motor...they employ the strategies to prevent it from reoccurring.

Based on my understanding there are times it has been fixed with different oils. Yes i know i need a new motor lol but i also know there’s tons of people running PUP 5w20 at a 3000 mile interval. I did the same and my engine is tearing itself apart.

 

[JHoward]

An "well maintained" HEMI is just as likely going to crap out as one that isn't well maintained.

It's just that some folks get extremely lucky and others, not so much.

I've read here in the RAMforum and watched many youtube videos, mainly the HEMI's VVT(cam sitting higher in the block)and MDS are an inadequate design flaw along with engine idle reduced, that could cause not "enough oil splash" for the cam/lifters ... then there are others personal reasonings that differ from the "experts".

You can thank the " tree huggers" and EPA for mandating a " race motor" to meet fuel economy standards that contributed to the issue?

IMHO, the HEMI engine shouldn't have been used in an everyday daily driver pick up, but rather an R/T or SPORT package option ... but.

However, it sure turned out to be one heck of an sales gimmick($$$$$$$$$$$$$$)for Chrysler, or whomever.

jm2¢

 

[1500Vol]

Agreed. I guess the point i was trying to make is that so many people are running these super expensive 5w20 oils thinking they are protecting their cam and lifters. And there’s old dudes out there running conventional 20w50 oil and the thing sounds like a sewing machine at 180k miles

 

[Dan Topp]

The way my ram is putting on miles I have 100000 to go.

 

[JHoward]

Agreed. I guess the point i was trying to make is that so many people are running these super expensive 5w20 oils thinking they are protecting their cam and lifters. And there’s old dudes out there running conventional 20w50 oil and the thing sounds like a sewing machine at 180k miles

Yep, absolutely. Hence an oil strategy is probably the best bet and using expensive high end synthetic oils are cheaper than cam/lifter failure/engine replacement.

 

[1500Vol]

Yep, absolutely. Hence an oil strategy is probably the best bet and using expensive high end synthetic oils are cheaper than cam/lifter failure/engine replacement.

Correct except i don’t think expensive 5w20 is the answer because my engine is blowing up at 165k. Think ill be running a high quality 0w-40 in the non mds crate engine i swap into it.

 

[Marmay]

After watching many videos on YouTube, reading many posts on forums, about hemi cam&lifters, all of it ,lead me to one conclusion, 5.7L hemi engine it's like time bomb, almost inpreventible cam&lifter failure.

 

[JHoward]

Correct except i don’t think expensive 5w20 is the answer because my engine is blowing up at 165k. Think ill be running a high quality 0w-40 in the non mds crate engine i swap into it.

I've read here in the RAMforum that oil(s)high in molybdenum and zddp or using LubeGaurd BioTech with off the shelf synthetic oils could help to reduce the cam/lifter failure.

Imo, 5w/20 should have never been used in the HEMI engine being it's to thin, but again it's about getting that mandated EPA fuel economy rating down to the liking of the "tree huggers".

I agree with what another forum member stated about getting some type of longevity out of "our" HEMI engines is basic "... drive it like you stole it" and leave Paw Paw Skibblebanks at home.

 

[Dan Topp]

Yep, absolutely. Hence an oil strategy is probably the best bet and using expensive high end synthetic oils are cheaper than cam/lifter failure/engine replacement.

I agree,common sense should tell you that 5-20 is great for a tight low mileage 5.7 but I switched to 5-30 around 30 k and have both 5-40 and 5-50 to use or mix just watch the oil pressure drop for clues Cold starts with 10 or 20 weight multi grade are another story.

 

[jws123]

Based on my understanding there are times it has been fixed with different oils. Yes i know i need a new motor lol but i also know there’s tons of people running PUP 5w20 at a 3000 mile interval. I did the same and my engine is tearing itself apart.

You dont need a new engine when it starts to missfire swap the cam/lifters hell even do it earlier if it bothers you I had to swap mine at 170k on my 2011 and its still running out their somewhere had 230k when i sold it.

 

[rzr6-4]

Correct except i don’t think expensive 5w20 is the answer because my engine is blowing up at 165k. Think ill be running a high quality 0w-40 in the non mds crate engine i swap into it.

Good oils can help prevent it, but its no sure thing. You lower the chance but the chance is still non-zero.

After watching many videos on YouTube, reading many posts on forums, about hemi cam&lifters, all of it ,lead me to one conclusion, 5.7L hemi engine it's like time bomb, almost inpreventible cam&lifter failure.

It is a known issue, but acting like its "almost inpreventible" is ridiculous. If every hemi had the failure, or even close to it, it would have single handedly put RAM out of business.

 

[2013ramboy]

An "well maintained" HEMI is just as likely going to crap out as one that isn't well maintained.

It's just that some folks get extremely lucky and others, not so much.

I've read here in the RAMforum and watched many youtube videos, mainly the HEMI's VVT(cam sitting higher in the block)and MDS are an inadequate design flaw along with engine idle reduced, that could cause not "enough oil splash" for the cam/lifters ... then there are others personal reasonings that differ from the "experts".

You can thank the " tree huggers" and EPA for mandating a " race motor" to meet fuel economy standards that contributed to the issue?

IMHO, the HEMI engine shouldn't have been used in an everyday daily driver pick up, but rather an R/T or SPORT package option ... but.

However, it sure turned out to be one heck of an sales gimmick($$$$$$$$$$$$$$)for Chrysler, or whomever.

jm2¢

My 2013 1500 got 333k miles before I had to replace engine.
I think perhaps I was lucky, but one thing I did do that I know I shouldn't have is let thw truck idel way to long. I don't do that with new motor.
I was also thinking heavier oil, but not convinced yet. Motor sounds a little smoother and quiter on 5x30, but my gut tells me 5x20 is healthier for motor.
Two things I think I'd like to do.
1. Pull oil pan and replace oil pump with higher volume pump and maybe a higher capacity pan.
2. Use alfaobd to increase idle rpm to something a little higher. I am still going to limit idling.

3. I am thinking some of the engine noise i have heard might be accessories like alternator compressor and water pump. I would like to find out how effiecoent and smooth this accesories run.

4. Unrelated to.oil or noise, but I seriously want to do big three wiring upgrade and replace ground straps on trick. Motor might be new but wiring still has 11years and 338k miles on them

 

[hemiharry]

Ive done lots and lots of research on hemi tick and I believe like so many others that have tried it that a new HIGH VOLUME oil pump (not a high pressure pump) solves the issue. Its a relatively inexpensive thing to try vs replacing the engine. Be certain to purchase a high volume pump not a high pressure one

 

[JHoward]

My 2013 1500 got 333k miles before I had to replace engine.
I think perhaps I was lucky, but one thing I did do that I know I shouldn't have is let thw truck idel way to long. I don't do that with new motor.
I was also thinking heavier oil, but not convinced yet. Motor sounds a little smoother and quiter on 5x30, but my gut tells me 5x20 is healthier for motor.
Two things I think I'd like to do.
1. Pull oil pan and replace oil pump with higher volume pump and maybe a higher capacity pan.
2. Use alfaobd to increase idle rpm to something a little higher. I am still going to limit idling.

3. I am thinking some of the engine noise i have heard might be accessories like alternator compressor and water pump. I would like to find out how effiecoent and smooth this accesories run.

4. Unrelated to.oil or noise, but I seriously want to do big three wiring upgrade and replace ground straps on trick. Motor might be new but wiring still has 11years and 338k miles on them

.5 Opt. from using 5w/20 engine oil.

Imo, 5w/20 weight oil should have never been applied/advised in the HEMI engine owners manual for the problematic HEMI engine, it's to thin.

I'm using Red Line 5w/30 in my HEMI for the hopeful sake that it keeps the cam/lifters from imploding.

Yep, it's a good thing to try to keep from idling to much, and as you noted, bumping up the idle rpms.

 

[Tominator223]

Some have that Chinesiam cam/lifters. Some have steel/iron. Seems like setting idle higher & maybe thicker oil. Would fix some of these cam issues. anyone try a gen3 with gen4 heads non vvt? On a Gen4 truck? As gen3 block has mds provisions.