Hemi tick??

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Aelwulf

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Then he rambled on about that he wished Dodge had modernized the 360/5.9 engine for trucks and that the Hemi was never meant to be a truck engine....
I would second this. My first truck was a '99 Ram 1500 Laramie SLT 4x4 with the 5.9L 360 Magnum. I bought it used around 2005 with about 30k miles, sold it in 2017 with about 132k miles. Clearcoat was starting to get patchy and it probably needed the seals redone but overall I'd had a couple of mechanics remark on how good the shape of the engine was. It's in the background in my avatar picture.

I think if they had updated that, and done a good job of it, the Magnum could've gained at least as good of a reputation as the Hemi. Possibly better as a dedicated truck engine.
 

HEMIMANN

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Well yeah, the HEMI is the Daytona race engine for high rpm naturally-aspirated reduced pumping loss. It's like a 2-s t r o k e cross-charged engine. They even named it "Crossfire" at first, but that marketing name didn't catch on, so they tried "Hemi", short for Hemispherical Cylinder Head, and the legend was born. Heck, today's Gen III Hemi isn't even a hemispherical head - it's some funky pentagon roof shape that's easier to cast / machine.

But the old cast iron magnums have their own drawbacks - less efficient, heavier, etc. As far as spark-ignited gasoline engines go, the 6.4L truck Hemi is pretty darned good. Forged steel crank, sodium-filled valves, dual non-waste spark plugs, etc. I like it better than any other S.I. engine out there. More cost-effective than turbo w h i z motors, too.
 

British Bulldog

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I have had three 5.7 hemis now including this one, 900 mls , month and half old.
Each one of them occasionally at start up did the ‘empty lifter’ thing. This one did it this morning and I freaked out.
I am 63 been driving since 16 and never in my long line of cars had this lifter noise, unless the lifters were shot. I have tried all the options on here, red line, purple filter etc and now I have learnt to ignore it and hope nobody except me hears!
Literally hundreds of cars out there with hydraulic lifters. Do all the brands do this? They do not!
I had a BMW 5 series with 200,000 miles in it that I drove all over Europe and it never once had rattling lifters( although it was definitely bottom end rattle prone. I keep my trucks about 5 years so I am not that worried.
The first 2014 Sport, brand new did it. Dealers told me FCA will not fix any engine noise unless it is there after warm up and at operating temp. Then you can do the warranty thing.
as I mentioned before I think I’m another thread I had piston out of round on 2017 Longhorn and they happily replaced the whole lump without issue. So they will do what’s needed.
 

JohnnyBandit

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I would second this. My first truck was a '99 Ram 1500 Laramie SLT 4x4 with the 5.9L 360 Magnum. I bought it used around 2005 with about 30k miles, sold it in 2017 with about 132k miles. Clearcoat was starting to get patchy and it probably needed the seals redone but overall I'd had a couple of mechanics remark on how good the shape of the engine was. It's in the background in my avatar picture.

I think if they had updated that, and done a good job of it, the Magnum could've gained at least as good of a reputation as the Hemi. Possibly better as a dedicated truck engine.
I had a 94 and a 96 Dodge Ram with the 360 in it..... Great engines... The downside was fuel mileage...
Not that I ever really cared.....
 

Aelwulf

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I had a 94 and a 96 Dodge Ram with the 360 in it..... Great engines... The downside was fuel mileage...
Not that I ever really cared.....
Yep. Mine was ok considering, usually 12-14 for the time. But it was down to around 8 on average by the time I sold it. So now with the 6.4L & 4.10 gears, even an average of 11-12 in LA traffic and daily hills is decent. Regular & hwy is better so I'm good.
 

Ramman68

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I have had 4 hemi’s now 2006, 2014, 2010 5.7ls and my current 19 6.4l so far not a single cam or lifter issue. My dad has a 17 6.4l, my brother has a 2014 5.7l, a buddy of mine has a 08 5.7l, his dad has a 05 5.7l with 300k on it and I have another buddy with a 2014 5.7 and not a single one of us have had a issue with cam or
Lifers. My 2010 went to my brother in law and he’s cracked 200k biggest issue was busted manifold bolt. Take care of it change the oil and keep a good filter on it and it will treat you right. Someone out there will get a bad egg but that happens to every manufacture. You also have to be careful on the forums because people come here to either show off there cool stuff or get help with broken stuff your average guy doesn’t show up on the forums just to say my trucks stock and I have no problems.
My truck is stock and I have no problems...(sorry, I had to do it lol) but it is stock. One question I do have on the "tick". If they replace all the parts needed to alleviate this issue (cam, lifters, etc), what's to prevent it from coming back?
Are they upgrading components? Just changing lube strategy after the rebuild? I have a slight "tick" in mine but haven't been worried about it enough to go hunting for a cause. I've got 142k on it now and it's 2010. Just wondering in case my truck does come down with the Hemi virus or if someone I know does and mine gets infected too.
 

14hemiexpress

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My truck is stock and I have no problems...(sorry, I had to do it lol) but it is stock. One question I do have on the "tick". If they replace all the parts needed to alleviate this issue (cam, lifters, etc), what's to prevent it from coming back?
Are they upgrading components? Just changing lube strategy after the rebuild? I have a slight "tick" in mine but haven't been worried about it enough to go hunting for a cause. I've got 142k on it now and it's 2010. Just wondering in case my truck does come down with the Hemi virus or if someone I know does and mine gets infected too.

Nothing will stop it from potentially having problems again. The big fix would be to put solid valve train form let’s say the 6.1 srt with no mds and get MDS tuned out. But honest opinion at 142k is to keep driving it keep good oil In it and not to worry. Lots of Hemi’s with stock valve train going well over 200k. Some die at 20k most don’t.
 

Treburkulosis

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For whatever it is worth......I am just saying what a guy with a lifetime of engine work experience and I trust very much told me

I very briefly spoke with the guy that does my auto work before I bought my 2021.... His family has been doing my family's auto work since before I was born.... He has a four door, eight bay shop in the center of town.... Well respected from basic maintenance and tires to engine builds and re builds, mods lifts, etc. He stays super busy but handles emergencies quick....
He does all makes and models... But he is really known as the "truck guy" in town.... And we are not a small town.
Before I bought I asked him F150 5.0 versus the 5.7 Ram 1500.... He said the 5.7 Hemi was the better motor for a guy like me... ( I maintain them well but drive them like I stole them) He only said other thing he said was do not get talked into a 3.21 rear end. Get the 3.92. Dodge should not even be offering the 3.21 with the Hemi in the 1500.

So I bought my Ram... I love it.... I have added some accessories and swapped tires... I am two oil changes in.... He has done everything but the initial nerf bar installation and the spray in bedliner....

I joined this forum.... I hear more and more about the hemi tick..... I kept asking him..... He finally said.... Look... Do you still drive like you did when you were young? Like a bat out of hell with your hair on fire? I said pretty much.... Except when my wife is with me..... And she still says that I drive like a D*^$ since I got the new truck......

His response was- GOOD, Keep driving that hemi like that.... The Hemi was developed as a muscle car and street drag engine..... He rambled on about drag cars and dirt track cars he and my father built in the 1960's and early 1970's.... Then he rambled on about that he wished Dodge had modernized the 360/5.9 engine for trucks and that the Hemi was never meant to be a truck engine.... Then he came back to SOME things I understand.... He said the Hemi works well the way it is tuned for trucks. As long as it is geared and driven properly...... Back again to things I do not understand....Push rods, pistons etc......I am not a motor guy....
Then he said.... The Hemi has been modernized..... They have tried to improve fuel mileage... Transmissions have changed.... But the Hemi is still the Hemi..... It wants to run... and run hard....
IF someone is worried about fuel mileage.... The should never get a Hemi.... if someone wants to lope along and not push the engine.... They should go V6 or Diesel..... The Hemi design with always want to run... And will always do best with people that want it to RUN....

He knows I do a lot of off road driving..... I was already putting it in tow/haul mode.....But he also told me to and to not let the RPMs run under 1500 for any long period of time... even if I had to use the gear limiter on the steering wheel.....

He left me with.... Run that sick B%^ like you stol't her and you will not see any issues.....If you do and get a tick, I will fix it on me.....




I am not saying he is correct....I am NOT a mechanical or engine guy.... I only run them. I do know that he found an engine flaw/issue on a Saturn my first wife had that Saturn had den ALL I am saying is he is a 75 year old truck, engine, and racing guy that has been in this all of his life...... And he told me what he thinks and put his money where his mouth is..


I mostly know that I trust him.... He would never risk his reputation with my large family by giving me bad information.... And I know he has found an issue on a Saturn I owned that my first wife drove and found an issue on a Lincoln that my folks owned that were denied..... And after he got through both manufacturers not only covered the claim and more but also provided courtesy cars..
I agree here. I run mine. I don’t idle anymore then I have to. I use good oil and filters along with lubeguard. I have had 3 hemi vehicles. Only my ram briefly ticked and I resolved it quickly before any damage was done. I’m 70k down the road and no issues. My Durango R/T 2017 and my 19 Charger R/T get got Castrol edge and a puralator boss.
 

Musky Mike

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For whatever it is worth......I am just saying what a guy with a lifetime of engine work experience and I trust very much told me

I very briefly spoke with the guy that does my auto work before I bought my 2021.... His family has been doing my family's auto work since before I was born.... He has a four door, eight bay shop in the center of town.... Well respected from basic maintenance and tires to engine builds and re builds, mods lifts, etc. He stays super busy but handles emergencies quick....
He does all makes and models... But he is really known as the "truck guy" in town.... And we are not a small town.
Before I bought I asked him F150 5.0 versus the 5.7 Ram 1500.... He said the 5.7 Hemi was the better motor for a guy like me... ( I maintain them well but drive them like I stole them) He only said other thing he said was do not get talked into a 3.21 rear end. Get the 3.92. Dodge should not even be offering the 3.21 with the Hemi in the 1500.

So I bought my Ram... I love it.... I have added some accessories and swapped tires... I am two oil changes in.... He has done everything but the initial nerf bar installation and the spray in bedliner....

I joined this forum.... I hear more and more about the hemi tick..... I kept asking him..... He finally said.... Look... Do you still drive like you did when you were young? Like a bat out of hell with your hair on fire? I said pretty much.... Except when my wife is with me..... And she still says that I drive like a D*^$ since I got the new truck......

His response was- GOOD, Keep driving that hemi like that.... The Hemi was developed as a muscle car and street drag engine..... He rambled on about drag cars and dirt track cars he and my father built in the 1960's and early 1970's.... Then he rambled on about that he wished Dodge had modernized the 360/5.9 engine for trucks and that the Hemi was never meant to be a truck engine.... Then he came back to SOME things I understand.... He said the Hemi works well the way it is tuned for trucks. As long as it is geared and driven properly...... Back again to things I do not understand....Push rods, pistons etc......I am not a motor guy....
Then he said.... The Hemi has been modernized..... They have tried to improve fuel mileage... Transmissions have changed.... But the Hemi is still the Hemi..... It wants to run... and run hard....
IF someone is worried about fuel mileage.... The should never get a Hemi.... if someone wants to lope along and not push the engine.... They should go V6 or Diesel..... The Hemi design with always want to run... And will always do best with people that want it to RUN....

He knows I do a lot of off road driving..... I was already putting it in tow/haul mode.....But he also told me to and to not let the RPMs run under 1500 for any long period of time... even if I had to use the gear limiter on the steering wheel.....

He left me with.... Run that sick B%^ like you stol't her and you will not see any issues.....If you do and get a tick, I will fix it on me.....




I am not saying he is correct....I am NOT a mechanical or engine guy.... I only run them. I do know that he found an engine flaw/issue on a Saturn my first wife had that Saturn had den ALL I am saying is he is a 75 year old truck, engine, and racing guy that has been in this all of his life...... And he told me what he thinks and put his money where his mouth is..


I mostly know that I trust him.... He would never risk his reputation with my large family by giving me bad information.... And I know he has found an issue on a Saturn I owned that my first wife drove and found an issue on a Lincoln that my folks owned that were denied..... And after he got through both manufacturers not only covered the claim and more but also provided courtesy cars..
Funny, "Hemi was never meant to be a truck engine" The modern Hemi (5.7) was first installed in trucks starting in 2003 and the first car in 2005, and not into the Challenger until 2009. Originally, Hemi, sure...hi po car engine, but the modern Hemi was designed as a "do all" engine with hi performance versions added.

 
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JohnnyBandit

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Funny, "Hemi was never meant to be a truck engine" The modern Hemi (5.7) was first installed in trucks starting in 2003 and the first car in 2005, and not into the Challenger until 2009. Originally, Hemi, sure...hi po car engine, but the modern Hemi was designed as a "do all" engine with hi performance versions added.

Well the third generation Challenger did not come on to the scene until the 2008 Model year.... And all of those had the 6.1 Liter Hemi.
 
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