How Many Miles on you 6.4 Hemi??????

[Marine Les]

When used how SMI(the guy with 300k+ miles on his 6.4L) uses his truck, a Cummins can go well over 750k or even up to a million miles without an overhaul as can be seen in the Cummins million mile club website. It is easy to get high miles out of any engine in this type of condition because you are putting a lot of miles on the engine per each cold start. Most engine wear comes from those first 10-15 minutes after a cold start until oil gets to operating temp because the oil is too thick to fully coat all of the engine internals.

When using a Cummins like the average user does with less miles per cold start, then you will probably be needing an overhaul around 4-500k. Other engines will have reduced mileage between overhauls when driven like this as well.

I normally only fire my Cummins when I'm going somewhere at least 200 miles away and almost never use it as a grocery getter or anything under 20 miles one way. Usually I am towing and have my cabover on and tend to keep my speed to 60 or under and drive easy for good mpg. I'm at 190k and the truck drives just like it did 19 years ago when new and I guess it will out last me by a lot of years as I am 70 now. When I was young no gasser made it to 200k without a rebuild and if worked hard 100k was normal so the 6.4 is amazing to me.

 

[MileHighPair]

300k with no rebuild is approaching Cummins longevity and that's outstanding.

He's done well, but has done a bit of work on it. You can look at the early pages of this thread for details on what work was done.

 

[SMI]

A little update on my truck. At around 130,000 miles I changed my spark plugs for the first time. The plugs were in very good condition, so I decided to go a little longer before changing them again. About 246,000 miles later (377,000 miles) I changed them again.
The Plugs looked great. They looked like they did at 130,000 miles. I use champion iridium spark plugs.

I had the truck at the dealer this week. They replaced the right side exhaust manifold gasket and the right upper ball joint. They also did 5 recalls.

My current mileage is 378,770.

 

[olyelr]

A little update on my truck. At around 130,000 miles I changed my spark plugs for the first time. The plugs were in very good condition, so I decided to go a little longer before changing them again. About 246,000 miles later (377,000 miles) I changed them again.
The Plugs looked great. They looked like they did at 130,000 miles. I use champion iridium spark plugs.

I had the truck at the dealer this week. They replaced the right side exhaust manifold gasket and the right upper ball joint. They also did 5 recalls.

My current mileage is 378,770.

378,770 miles on a ‘16?! My gosh, mine has 27,000 lol.

Hey, just realized we are almost neighbors! I live over in Kewadin, grew up in Central Lake.

 

[68PowerWagon]

A little update on my truck. At around 130,000 miles I changed my spark plugs for the first time. The plugs were in very good condition, so I decided to go a little longer before changing them again. About 246,000 miles later (377,000 miles) I changed them again.
The Plugs looked great. They looked like they did at 130,000 miles. I use champion iridium spark plugs.

I had the truck at the dealer this week. They replaced the right side exhaust manifold gasket and the right upper ball joint. They also did 5 recalls.

My current mileage is 378,770.

Let me throw a bunch of questions your way. I am sure how you take care of it has some to do with this mileage. How often do you change oil & do you use Penz. 0W-40? What brand of oil filter? Ever change the differential oil? Trans oil? How bout the transfer case? If so, what brand of oil on these?

 

[SMI]

Let me throw a bunch of questions your way. I am sure how you take care of it has some to do with this mileage. How often do you change oil & do you use Penz. 0W-40? What brand of oil filter? Ever change the differential oil? Trans oil? How bout the transfer case? If so, what brand of oil on these?

Given I have the life time warranty I do all services as per the owners manual.

I change my oil every 2 weeks or 5000 to 7000 miles.
I use Mobile1 0W-40 and Fram Filter.
In the Differential I use Valvoline Full Synthetic.

 

[68PowerWagon]

Given I have the life time warranty I do all services as per the owners manual.

I change my oil every 2 weeks or 5000 to 7000 miles.
I use Mobile1 0W-40 and Fram Filter.
In the Differential I use Valvoline Full Synthetic.

Good to know... thanks!

 

[Alexpaul09]

I’d love to see my 6.4 hit 250k but more than likely it will have rotted away by then! I’m in northern Indiana

 

[Erikk]

A little update on my truck. At around 130,000 miles I changed my spark plugs for the first time. The plugs were in very good condition, so I decided to go a little longer before changing them again. About 246,000 miles later (377,000 miles) I changed them again.
The Plugs looked great. They looked like they did at 130,000 miles. I use champion iridium spark plugs.

I had the truck at the dealer this week. They replaced the right side exhaust manifold gasket and the right upper ball joint. They also did 5 recalls.

My current mileage is 378,770.

Love your updates! I came over to 6.4 from a 6.7 Cummins so I am very encouraged by your trucks longevity and daily use.

Why did they replace the exhaust manifold gasket? What were the symptoms?

Do you idle your truck a lot?

Also what grade of gas do you use?
Thanks!

 

[SMI]

Love your updates! I came over to 6.4 from a 6.7 Cummins so I am very encouraged by your trucks longevity and daily use.

Why did they replace the exhaust manifold gasket? What were the symptoms?

Do you idle your truck a lot?

Also what grade of gas do you use?
Thanks!

The gasket was leaking. There was a steady tick, tick, tick sound.
I don't Idle any more than necessary.
I use 87 octane.

 

[Erikk]

The gasket was leaking. There was a steady tick, tick, tick sound.
I don't Idle any more than necessary.
I use 87 octane.

Thanks for the reply.
I asked about idle time because some people that hotshot sleep in their truck a lot. I was curious about your idle time since high idle time is attributed to cam/lifter problems by some. One of the reasons I switched to the 6.4 was I use my truck for an office sometimes and in West Texas you’re either running heater or a/c.
Idling seems bad for emissions equipped Cummins so I figured I had little worry with the 6.4 until I found the threads about idle time contributing to cam/lifter problems. Im not sure it is a contributing factor but thought if you idle a lot with such longevity maybe it isn’t a bad thing. Thanks

 

[SMI]

Thanks for the reply.
I asked about idle time because some people that hotshot sleep in their truck a lot. I was curious about your idle time since high idle time is attributed to cam/lifter problems by some. One of the reasons I switched to the 6.4 was I use my truck for an office sometimes and in West Texas you’re either running heater or a/c.
Idling seems bad for emissions equipped Cummins so I figured I had little worry with the 6.4 until I found the threads about idle time contributing to cam/lifter problems. Im not sure it is a contributing factor but thought if you idle a lot with such longevity maybe it isn’t a bad thing. Thanks

My camshaft was faulty. All the lobes were flaking and pitted not from wear, just a bad cam.
At 382,282 miles my drive time is 7,185 hours and idle time is 675 hours.

 

[Erikk]

My camshaft was faulty. All the lobes were flaking and pitted not from wear, just a bad cam.
At 382,282 miles my drive time is 7,185 hours and idle time is 675 hours.

I remember reading your post about your cam problem and it definitely sounds like a bad cam. Your other cam is still going strong so a fluke I bet.

Which Fram oil filter do you use?

Also, in some geographies 87 octane gas is mid grade. Do you use low or mid grade? I’m not sure what grade to use because mines a 14 and the manual says to run 87 but in higher elevations that’s mid grade. In 15 the manual for same truck and motor said 87 acceptable but 89 recommended.
It makes sense that in some heavy load situations or when mds is active that the pcm would try to advance the timing (for increased power) beyond low grade gas’ ability to burn without detonation. You have any input on the difference in gas grade and how your truck performs?
Thanks

 

[SouthTexan]

Other cam? I thought the 6.4 Hemi is a pushrod.

 

[SMI]

I remember reading your post about your cam problem and it definitely sounds like a bad cam. Your other cam is still going strong so a fluke I bet.

Which Fram oil filter do you use?

Also, in some geographies 87 octane gas is mid grade. Do you use low or mid grade? I’m not sure what grade to use because mines a 14 and the manual says to run 87 but in higher elevations that’s mid grade. In 15 the manual for same truck and motor said 87 acceptable but 89 recommended.
It makes sense that in some heavy load situations or when mds is active that the pcm would try to advance the timing (for increased power) beyond low grade gas’ ability to burn without detonation. You have any input on the difference in gas grade and how your truck performs?
Thanks

I use the Fram 10060PH XG Filter

As to fuel, 87 Octane or low grade. In the mountains 85 Octane.
I have tried higher grades with no change in performance or fuel mileage, even in the mountains.

 

[Erikk]

Other cam? I thought the 6.4 Hemi is a pushrod.

The one they replaced the bad one with is still going strong for over 200k under identical conditions, fluid and maintenance.

 

[SouthTexan]

The one they replaced the bad one with is still going strong for over 200k under identical conditions, fluid and maintenance.

Ah, gotcha. Must have not had enough coffee when I read that.

 

[SouthTexan]

At 382,282 miles my drive time is 7,185 hours and idle time is 675 hours.

Do you keep fuel mileage records? What is your hand calculated average mpg in that many miles?

 

[Erikk]

Ah, gotcha. Must have not had enough coffee when I read that.

I should have said replacement cam, not enough coffee when I wrote that....

 

[SMI]

Do you keep fuel mileage records? What is your hand calculated average mpg in that many miles?

No I don't have that information. However, I do check my mileage often, but this won't help many. My mileage has a wide range depending on load and weather conditions. My low average is 7.5 with my high average at 13.5. This puts me about 10.5 most of the time.