Considering a Hemi Powered 2500

[Tad Marko]

I'm currently in a 2019 F-150 that has had a few issues it shouldn't have had: cam phasers; some weird electrical problems

It's current running well, but I no longer trust it. I'm thinking about getting back into a Ram 2500 after 8 years away. I'd love a diesel, but I just cannot justify the price and maintenance. I'll never pull any thing heavier than a 9,000# travel trailer, and then only occasion. The rest of the time it's daily driver or a utility trailer to Home Depot. It seems that a Hemi powered one makes the most sense.

I'd like to plan to keep the truck for 10 to 15 years, but I'm concerned about the lifter issues. Have they ever fixed it, or is that a problem that is always lurking out there?

 

[tron67j]

The lifter problem is more discussion than high number of people with actual problems, based on the very few people who actually post that they had that diagnosis. I feel that more people ask about it because they heard about it than know someone with it, to be honest. Regular oil changes are highly recommended. I love my 6.4 2500, would be a good truck for you. Good luck.

 

[leftchevybehind]

I don't think I've met anyone who had a lifter issue, mostly random people on youtube or some older gen model.

 

[nlambert182]

The Hemi would do well for your needs. I agree with the above posters also. My old boss had a lifter failure with his Hemi (5.7) in his 2011 1500, but the truck had almost 200k miles when it went and he wasn't the best at keeping up with maintenance. Aside from that I can't think of any other time I've personally known anyone who had the issue.

If you like the truck I wouldn't hesitate to go for it.

 

[KYPOTLICKER]

Same as the above posters. Truck would fit the needs you describe, keep on top of the routine maintenance and it should serve you well.

 

[BadHemi2014]

I had lifter failure in my 2014 5.7 1500 at around 110K miles.
However I would not hesitate to purchase another Ram, especially a 2500 with the 6.4 hemi and the 8spd. No other truck brand compares, IMO, in terms of comfort, utility and general reliability.

 

[diymirage]

Get the 6.4 hemi

Lifter issues seem to be more common in the 5.7 and to be honest, the 5.7 is the bare minimum I'd want in a truck and feels a little underpowered in a 2500

 

[Choupique]

Get it. I'm of the opinion that the cam and lifter failures predominantly affect fleet vehicles with high idle times. I wouldn't worry about it. If you are going to worry about it, get something else. Unfortunately there isn't an HD truck option out there that doesn't have something to worry about.

 

[rzr6-4]

Only person I know personally to have a lifter go was in a 5.3 chevy. If you like the truck get it and just deal with it should you be that unfortunate.

 

[Choupique]

I know of quite a few of them, mostly 6.4's. They are all fleet trucks though and they idle a whollleeeeeeeeee lot. And they don't all crap out either, it seems random. The trucks are all used exactly the same and we haven't been able to correlate it to anything specific.

I can't imagine any privately owned truck being used in that manner. They get 30k+ miles a year and run at least 12 hours a day every single day. Even with the out of warranty failures and engine replacements, the bean counters are still saying the 6.4 rams are the most cost effective option for the job for trucks under 10k lbs, and that should be doubly true for private ownership assuming you don't lose the build quality lottery.

 

[Tulecreeper]

The lifter issue was in the 5.7, and actually very few of those in the grand scheme of things. But you know how it goes. A few people in a short period of time have the same problem and all of a sudden everyone is worried about it when the odds are thousands to one that it will happen to them.

Get the 2500 with the 6.4. I've only had mine a bit over a year, but it purrs like a kitten and I can pretty much tow anything I have mind to. I actually just finished a 2000 mile run cross-country pulling a 5000# cargo trailer. I kept a CDL for 30 years before I retired and I know that 5000# is nothing for this truck, but after the first couple hours I didn't even know that trailer was back there.

 

[Zoe Saldana]

I'm currently in a 2019 F-150 that has had a few issues it shouldn't have had: cam phasers; some weird electrical problems

It's current running well, but I no longer trust it. I'm thinking about getting back into a Ram 2500 after 8 years away. I'd love a diesel, but I just cannot justify the price and maintenance. I'll never pull any thing heavier than a 9,000# travel trailer, and then only occasion. The rest of the time it's daily driver or a utility trailer to Home Depot. It seems that a Hemi powered one makes the most sense.

I'd like to plan to keep the truck for 10 to 15 years, but I'm concerned about the lifter issues. Have they ever fixed it, or is that a problem that is always lurking out there?

get the 6.4L with 4.10 gears ... Don't ask about MPG.

 

[joesstripclub]

get the 6.4L with 4.10 gears ... Don't ask about MPG.

I was just about to comment on gas mileage. Truck pulls strong but man it likes to drink the go juice.

 

[Choupique]

Yea, no 7500 pound 4x4 truck with a huge gas burner and the aerodynamics of a pallet of bricks will be good on fuel. My '18 6.2 Ford would do as good as 18 mpg if I babied it enough, but 15 was about all you could ask of it unloaded. That's as good as I've ever seen from a gasser HD truck.

I wouldn't worry about it. You can buy a wholeeeeeeeeeee lotta gas for what that cummins costs, and it burns fuel too...

 

[ramffml]

Lifter failures affect the 6.4 as well, they don't sell as many 6.4's in comparison to 5.7's so it's natural that we hear more failures with the 5.7.

As for power, I'd agree to look for a 6.4 and pass on the 5.7 in the 2500.

 

[BadHemi2014]

Get it. I'm of the opinion that the cam and lifter failures predominantly affect fleet vehicles with high idle times.

Agreed! Mine was an ex fleet vehicle and has over 4700 idle hours

 

[Zoe Saldana]

Lifter failures affect the 6.4 as well, they don't sell as many 6.4's in comparison to 5.7's so it's natural that we hear more failures with the 5.7.

As for power, I'd agree to look for a 6.4 and pass on the 5.7 in the 2500.

PUP 0w40 and lubeguard - no issue with lifters.

 

[Axm900]

I’m in my 3rd 2500 with a 6.4. The first was a 2014. I traded it with 145,000 miles and never had any issues. I bought a 2018 and just traded it for a 24 Ram 2500. It had 209,000 miles. No motor issues with than truck either. I use Mobil 1 and change it when it comes up on dash or at 10,000 miles. I towed up to 15,000lbs. I would not hesitate to buy a 6.4.

 

[1stindoor]

On my second 2500. First (2018) had 116K when I traded it. Never gave me a single problem. Scheduled maintenance every time. Traded it for my current one. In town I average about 11-13 mpg, on the highway, I've had as good as 16.9 on average for a full tank, but probably normally average about 12-15. Pulling the boat I get about 10

 

[DILLIGAF]

Get the 6.4 hemi