Worth replacing 5.7 hemi engine?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

walleyevzn

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2022
Posts
7
Reaction score
6
Location
Montana
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7
I have a 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi. I know this year is famous for this issue.

I had a cylinder 3 misfire code. I took it in to get it diagnosed and have a bad lifter and cam shaft.

The vehicle is in great shape with only 134,000 miles.

Is it worth just changing out the lifters and cam shaft? or get a re-manufactured engine to replace?
 
OP
OP
W

walleyevzn

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2022
Posts
7
Reaction score
6
Location
Montana
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7
Definitely worth fixing! Almost none of these failures result in bottom end damage. Rubuild the top end and drive her like you stole her!
So you are saying that changing the lifters and cam shaft is the way to go? I am just trying to avoid other issues in there down the road if I do go with this repair. I have seen that this has been an issue in the 2011 year with this kind of stuff. I am being quoted around $5k to change out the lifters and camshaft but a remanufactured engine might be $8-9K.
 

Burla

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Posts
23,115
Reaction score
44,461
Ram Year
2010 Hemi Reg Cab 4x4
Engine
Hemi
You need to pop the oil control valve, that is what the dealer does to decide whether you replace engine or fix it. If there are metal shavings all over oil control valve, don't risk fixing cam get a jasper.

Look up ram forum oil lubrication strategies, perhaps avoid this in the first place after your fix. See polls, see what ram forum members are saying about it, look up threads in my sig, pair everything with a royal purple 20-820 or a fram xg2.
 

Wild one

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
13,725
Reaction score
23,401
Ram Year
14 Sport
Engine
5.7
So you are saying that changing the lifters and cam shaft is the way to go? I am just trying to avoid other issues in there down the road if I do go with this repair. I have seen that this has been an issue in the 2011 year with this kind of stuff. I am being quoted around $5k to change out the lifters and camshaft but a remanufactured engine might be $8-9K.
You can buy a brand new crate engine from Ma Mopar or MMX for about the same price as you're gonna spend on a rebuilt engine.It's a crap shoot on whether a rebuilt engine is any good these days.

 

Wild one

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2016
Posts
13,725
Reaction score
23,401
Ram Year
14 Sport
Engine
5.7
I have a 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi. I know this year is famous for this issue.

I had a cylinder 3 misfire code. I took it in to get it diagnosed and have a bad lifter and cam shaft.

The vehicle is in great shape with only 134,000 miles.

Is it worth just changing out the lifters and cam shaft? or get a re-manufactured engine to replace?
You could even step up to a 6.4 long block if you want.Alot of guys who've done the 6.4 swap claim the 6.4 gets better milege then their old 5.7's did.

 
OP
OP
W

walleyevzn

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2022
Posts
7
Reaction score
6
Location
Montana
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7
You could even step up to a 6.4 long block if you want.Alot of guys who've done the 6.4 swap claim the 6.4 gets better milege then their old 5.7's did.

Thanks! So if this was your decision would you go with the new motor over replacing the lifters and cam shaft?
 

ews25

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2022
Posts
21
Reaction score
12
Location
WA
Ram Year
2011
Engine
Scat Pack 392
My '11 broke a valve spring at 77K miles earlier this year. I opted to not even bother tearing it down to inspect - just sourced a new Scat Pack longblock from the dealer. 68411234AA Runs like a champ. You'll also need an air intake, 6.4 intake manifold, headers, and a tuner. Hemituner had to work some magic on the PCM, but they were quick and it was relatively cheap. If you do pull the engine, make sure you install a performance torque convertor while the engine is out. I short-sightedly skipped it and decided that a hi stall TC was necessary after the engine was in and running.
 

Burla

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Posts
23,115
Reaction score
44,461
Ram Year
2010 Hemi Reg Cab 4x4
Engine
Hemi
You can buy a brand new crate engine from Ma Mopar or MMX for about the same price as you're gonna spend on a rebuilt engine.It's a crap shoot on whether a rebuilt engine is any good these days.


wasnt it a crate that came with this truck in the first place? that is gonna be about 70-130k miles on average? I'd check the price on a jasper, I'm sure it is around 4k unless the mds kicks up that price. Yes, my name is Burla and I am jaded, I'm pretty sure I have a case against fca for ptsd, or ehs - emotional hemi syndrome.
 
OP
OP
W

walleyevzn

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2022
Posts
7
Reaction score
6
Location
Montana
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7
You need to pop the oil control valve, that is what the dealer does to decide whether you replace engine or fix it. If there are metal shavings all over oil control valve, don't risk fixing cam get a jasper.

Look up ram forum oil lubrication strategies, perhaps avoid this in the first place after your fix. See polls, see what ram forum members are saying about it, look up threads in my sig, pair everything with a royal purple 20-820 or a fram xg2.
Thanks Burla. So if there isn't any metal showing in the oil would you just replace the lifters and cam?
 

Burla

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Posts
23,115
Reaction score
44,461
Ram Year
2010 Hemi Reg Cab 4x4
Engine
Hemi
If the oil control valve was clean, I personally would replace cam and lifters with oem fur sure. If you do mds delete, make sure it is done right.
 

Sillygoose

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2014
Posts
249
Reaction score
239
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7 Hemi
if it's misfiring there's most likely metal in the oil control valve screen. mine was covered with metal flakes with a misfire starting at 4k rpm.
i've only been 5k miles or so since a new cam and lifters but so far so good. only time will tell.
 

AK907

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2022
Posts
13
Reaction score
4
Location
Anchorage
Ram Year
2011
Engine
4.7L
I also have a 2011 Ram 1500 with 88k miles. Took my truck into the Dealer for a diagnostic test. Turned out to be piston slap and scored cylinder walls. I went ahead and ordered a OEM remanufactured via FCA. That was July 15, 2022. Here it is September 23, 2022 and still waiting on my engine…..
 

AK907

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2022
Posts
13
Reaction score
4
Location
Anchorage
Ram Year
2011
Engine
4.7L
For the record the dealer is Anchorage Chrysler Dodge in Anchorage Alaska…..
 

mtofell

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Posts
2,631
Reaction score
2,269
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 6.4
My 6.4 had metal shavings in the filter and the dealer is replacing the engine (under Maxcare warranty). $8500 for a 6.4 crate engine is what I found online. I'm far from an expert on this stuff but it seems like the deciding factor is if you have metal shavings. If the dealer is willing to replace an engine at their expense (or factory warranty, etc.) that must spell doom.
 
OP
OP
W

walleyevzn

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2022
Posts
7
Reaction score
6
Location
Montana
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7
If the oil control valve was clean, I personally would replace cam and lifters with oem fur sure. If you do mds delete, make sure it is done right.
I will find out tomorrow from the mechanic shop whether there was metal in the oil control valve. Hopefully not so i can just replace the cam and lifters. Not familiar with the mds delete? Since you mentioned it, I assume it is something that I should have them do as well?
 

rosco11

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2016
Posts
54
Reaction score
73
Ram Year
1998 1500 4x4
Engine
5.2
I have a 2011 Dodge Ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi. I know this year is famous for this issue.

I had a cylinder 3 misfire code. I took it in to get it diagnosed and have a bad lifter and cam shaft.

The vehicle is in great shape with only 134,000 miles.

Is it worth just changing out the lifters and cam shaft? or get a re-manufactured engine to replace?
I have a 2011 too. The engine is worth fixing. Mine has 165k miles on it and the only thing on the engine i have replaced is an exhaust manifold. It is a great drive train.

But...for some reason Dodge has decided to stop producing parts for a lot of their vehicles. Especially since Fiat bought them......... They do not make the fuse box. No biggie? in their infinite wisdom they incorporated the fuel pump relay into the box itself. When it goes bad, you have to replace the whole box...which they no longer make...........My power steering pump went bad. Not making them anymore and the aftermarket ones do not have the pully. Had to drive over 100 miles to a dealership that had one left............my AC control panel went bad. Not making them anymore. You have to fish junkyards for a used one and hope it works. I can not recommend keeping a truck where parts are hard to come by.

It is not just the 2011/12 trucks either. The input shaft on my 2016 challenger manual transmission ate the pilot bushing. Dodge does not make the input shaft...on a transmission they still used up until 2020. No stock, no aftermarket solutions. Junkyard or machine shop or buy a whole new transmission...........My brother has a transmission shop. Someone brought in a 2020 hellcat with a cracked bell housing. Dodge does not make the housing or a lot of the internal parts. 7k for another transmission from Dodge or junkyard unit for what should have been a 1500 dollar repair on any other vehicle. To be fair, it was a POS. Wrecked and put back together. But that is what you will all eventually face unless you trade in your car every 3 or 4 years.

So, i would recommend doing as little as possible to get the engine running and sell it. My 2011 has plastic parts falling apart on it regularly. Windshield washer sprayers, hoses, emissions parts, etc. Not a biggie.....if i can get the parts. Not going to keep a vehicle i can not get replacement parts for.
 

jws123

Senior Member
Joined
May 16, 2018
Posts
2,050
Reaction score
1,954
Location
nj
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7
Put a cam/lifters in it and go on your way about $1000 in parts I did mine at 175k now at 220k and mine was really bad im sure i have needle bearings at the bottom of my pan ahahah still runs great.
 

anchorsaweigh

Senior Member
Military
Joined
May 2, 2014
Posts
222
Reaction score
328
Ram Year
2018
Engine
5.7 Hemi
If you really love the truck and don't want to spend a gazillion dollars for a new one, JASPERIZE it!
 
Top