Hemi engine noise question

[eagleguy]

New guy here.

Question for you Dodge truck guys with the 5.7 Hemi. The new 2021 one I liked had a noticeable ticking noise at start up when went away after a moment. Is this normal as that's what the salesman stated?

 

[Fast69Mopar]

New guy here.

Question for you Dodge truck guys with the 5.7 Hemi. The new 2021 one I liked had a noticeable ticking noise at start up when went away after a moment. Is this normal as that's what the salesman stated?

It could be considered normal if the truck had been sitting for an extended period of time. Over time when the engine hasn't been started the engine oil drains back into the pan and the lifters will bleed down over time. If that is the case then a ticking noise on startup is normal as long as it goes away after a very short period especially in a new motor.

My all of my 5.7's are the same way if I let them sit without starting them so I would not worry.

 

[eagleguy]

The one I am referring to was brand new on the lot with 5 miles on it.

 

[Treburkulosis]

It’s a very common issue. Ticking can be and will be resolved with a good synthetic oil and filter. There are tons of threads about the Hemi tick. Just search it.

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Is it a light tinny sound when its warming up, I believe one or a few lifters aren't pumped up by cold thick oil, It goes away when warmed up.

 

[eagleguy]

Truck is in Florida, brand new on dealer lot and yes it sounded like noisy lifters on start yp. Was not expecting any noise.

 

[Fast69Mopar]

Truck is in Florida, brand new on dealer lot and yes it sounded like noisy lifters on start yp. Was not expecting any noise.

I have been starting cold HEMI's since 2002. If they are new with the typical 3-5 miles on them and they sit on the lot or showroom floor for an extended period of time they will make noise on startup.

All of my 5.7's are the same way. If I let one of mine sit for a long weekend I hear the lifters ticking for a brief moment on startup.

 

[RandomRam]

The Hemi is a loud engine. Nothing unusual there at all.

 

[PoMansRam]

Truck is in Florida, brand new on dealer lot and yes it sounded like noisy lifters on start yp. Was not expecting any noise.

There's no way of knowing unless you cold start another new 2021 sitting on that dealer's lot.

Compare the 2 or 3 and go from there.

My 2019 Ram 1500 classic w/hemi was a previous rental. I can cold start it at 10degF after sitting for 3 days and it does not tick.

I do run synthetic 5w30 (walmart supertech) in it though and have since I bought it with 15K miles on it. I'm at ~29K currently.

 

[Musky Mike]

Mine doesn't tick on start up even if I don't start it for 2-3 weeks. The only time I had lifter noise on start up was when I didn't drive it for 6 weeks, on start up I had lifter noise for 2 or 3 seconds. It wasn't one lifter tick, it sounded like all the lifters. That was the only time I had it happen.

 

[GeometryFletch]

ah..now I know what that tick is! lol

 

[Halligan]

Two types noises are being described here in this conversation. First type would be what the OP did not likely hear and that’s s the normal Hemi tick. Which is sort of faint, but sometimes a little louder than faint, especially in the winter when the engine is cold started, but then goes back to a faint tick once warmed.

What I think the OP did described is the bled down lifter clatter that happens occasionally and lasts about 3 seconds until the lifters pump back up. I've experienced this on my last two Hemi's, one being a 5.7 and the other a 6.4, both in 2500's. I've found the easiest way to recreate this condition is to start your truck cold, let it run for no more than 20-30 seconds then shut it off. Here's two examples, start up truck and move it out of wife's cars way so she can leave to run errands and shut truck off. Or, dealer lot attendant starts truck to quickly move it and shuts it back off. The very next time the truck is started there is a very high probability it it will clatter. Don't ask me why they do it, I have theories as to why, but they're just that, theories.

That being said I'll tell you the sound was normal. If you should hear the brief loud clatter again while looking at truck as long as it goes away after 2-3 seconds no worries. Test drive the truck and after test drive shut it off and then restart after a minute or two. It shouldn't clatter after being driven and warmed up and if it does clatter bad once warmed up then the truck has an issue.

Remember, don't confuse normal frequent Hemi tick with occasional normal lifter clatter. They are two different animals.

 

[SOL-man]

You probably already have this sorted, but for others who have this - I had a 2015 Jeep GC with the 5.7L engine, same as the 1500. If the tick is coming from the passenger side of the engine, it's a broken exhaust manifold bolt. As the engine warms up, the metals expand and stop the ticking after a few minutes. The service rep told me it's a known issue with this particular engine and fixed it under warranty.

 

[Tach_tech]

You probably already have this sorted, but for others who have this - I had a 2015 Jeep GC with the 5.7L engine, same as the 1500. If the tick is coming from the passenger side of the engine, it's a broken exhaust manifold bolt. As the engine warms up, the metals expand and stop the ticking after a few minutes. The service rep told me it's a known issue with this particular engine and fixed it under warranty.

Broken exhaust studs is quite common to happen on both sides of the engine. Being as this was a brand new vehicle the OP was talking about, it was likely a bleed down lifter.

To an untrained ear the lifter noise and broken exhaust stud noises sound very similar.

 

[Justin Stafford]

There's no way of knowing unless you cold start another new 2021 sitting on that dealer's lot.

Compare the 2 or 3 and go from there.

My 2019 Ram 1500 classic w/hemi was a previous rental. I can cold start it at 10degF after sitting for 3 days and it does not tick.

I do run synthetic 5w30 (walmart supertech) in it though and have since I bought it with 15K miles on it. I'm at ~29K currently.

You spend big dollars on ram truck and then cheap out on Walmart oil.......

 

[barr0208]

You spend big dollars on ram truck and then cheap out on Walmart oil.......

i use penzoil ultra platinum 5w20 havent had a lifter tick yet and my truck sometimes sits for a week or 2 even in cold weather no tick.

 

[PoMansRam]

You spend big dollars on ram truck and then cheap out on Walmart oil.......

Yet my hemi is smooth as butter and doesn't make a tick, tap or any other odd noise between my ~5K mile oil changes.

I have been adding a bottle of either Lubegard bioTech or Liquimoly MoS2 with each oil change and are probably wasting my time/money with that as well. I've got 3-4 bottles left of each and plan to use those until they're gone.

I also run ~$2 Champ oil filters.

Been there and done that with name brand and fancy oils and filters.

 

[Burla]

Maybe phone cant see poll results, if so access this thread on computer to see poll.

redline kill hemi tick

lubegard kill hemi tick

There are features of these products that use additives to leave a "film" or plate when the oil isn't there, the oil industry uses this product, but these products have much higher ppm that seams to be the golden ticket to quiet many hemi ticks.

When it comes to "cheap" oil, the argument is been settled, unless it is a zero winter rated oil then cheap oils like kirkland can be the same quality as expensive group 3 oils. api regulations have been equalizing formulas for twenty years, there is only so much that an oil company can add to make it "better".. And viscosity index numbers that reveal base oil quality on cheap oil are as good as anything, cheap doesn't mean low quality anymore, like it once did. As long as you have 60ppm moly or better, cheap synthetics are as good as anything, and in fact are likely better for the hemi then more expensive oils that omit moly.

 

[Justin Stafford]

i use penzoil ultra platinum 5w20 havent had a lifter tick yet and my truck sometimes sits for a week or 2 even in cold weather no tick.

I use the same oil in my hemi. Been using it for 7 year of its 9 year life.. its got 257000 kms now. No lifter noise