Hemi Time Bomb

[anchorsaweigh]

If you're waiting for FCA to do something about it, don't hold your breath.

 

[Whatthehell]

Brand New hemi ram limited, sat in garage for 1 wk. Start up sounded like no oil, turned off ,checked, restarted and let it idle out of horrible noise. The last time i heard this noise the engine seized up. Took to dealer they claimed there's nothing wrong and shared no reason. I haven't experienced noise again..lDK, Not Good

 

[Whatthehell]

I've had Chevy, Gmc,ford, a titan and now this New Ram limited. I've never had to worry about long idling, buying extended warranties or being particular about oil filter or oil type. I have NEVER experienced this noise with any of these other engines and they sat longer than a week. So Chrysler has a problem that they haven't addressed.
Love this Ram but don't need a headache. IT'S GOT TO GO. I'm now retired and thought this would be my last vehicle, apparently not !

 

[chri5k]

Most of the crap you here is just that crap. The people that get on these forums to complain about the Hemi are the small few that have had some type of issue. In the real world it's not so, out of the hundreds of thousands out there only a very very very small amount of problems occurs . Just from real world experience of my own I have owned an 09,10,13,15 and now a new body style 2019 with 29k on it so far. The four other trucks I mentioned were driven to over 130,000 each with absolutely zero issues and went to the dealership for oil changes and tires only. The oil changes were done at the end of each month due to the mileage I put on the trucks so oil was changed twelve times per year. I had to buy two sets of tires for each truck because including the original tires that came on the trucks I needed three sets to make the miles I put on them before tradeing for a new one. I have never ever had an issue with the Hemi or the Ram truck in general and most everyone I know can say the same. Don't worry about your truck, just keep the oil and filter changed regularly and do the required service when called for. You will get many miles from your Ram!

Actually, back in 2016 the Gen III Hemi production numbers were up to 3 million. The engine was introduced in 2003. So in only took 13 years to reach that number. So yes, a very very very small amount with issues.

 

[hemirunner426]

2007 Megacab hemi with 300 thousand KM,makes noise still running.I run the bag of it.2016 Ram 1500 Hemi,160 thousand Km.No noise,runs perfect.

I am beginning to think there could be trolls on this site.

 

[jcurryii]

Have owned many vehicles in my 74 years, most all would tick a little at cold startup especially after sitting several days.
There may be some legitimate complaints here but with the number of engines manufactured versus the number of failures, I would not let that stop me from buying a Hemi if I wanted one. My ‘02 Ram has a 4.7 that ticks at startup but it has a right as it has 207,000 miles on the clock. My ‘11 2500 has near 90,000 and makes all kinds of noise at startup but Cummins all do. Love my Rams have owned five so far. Other brands have problems too.

 

[Dr. Righteous]

Lots of guessing and conjecture about the cause of lifter failures. I saw the Uncle Tony video (Tony Defeo) and his explanation is 100% conjecture.
Tony is a old school car guy 100%. So old is better with him. (not hard to determine this from watching his videos) Some of the things he says leaves me scratching my head but a real eye opener was when Tony and some of his buds built a engine to be sent to Nick's Garage( another Youtuber) for a dyno run.
When dynoed, the engine turned out to be junk.


Tony made excuses that they were in too much of a hurry, etc, etc. Sad, It was a massive fail for such a well known MoPar guy.

The most solid evidence I'm seeing (factory service bulletins state the same) is less than great quality control of the lifter themselves; coming from the parts vendor.

 

[El Guapo Phil]

Have not had a problem with my 2016 1500 Quad Hemi with 55k miles. Purrs and goes. All things said, it is a great truck with a power engine.

 

[John D Martin]

I'm sure this topic has been addressed, but I just became aware of this Hemi disaster. I have a 2016 Ram 1500 with 16k miles...I only use it for recreational purposes & use my 2000 5.2 Ram for a daily driver...If the 16 Ram sits for a period of about 2-3 weeks I get a bad lifter noise at start for about 3-5 minutes at idle, then it goes away...Using the truck daily is fine no noise.... Now I find out that the design of the engine is the cause starving the cam & lifters of oil. Something about a cast baffle part of the block preventing the splash of oil to the cam....I also heard the dealers are plagued with failing Hemi's with both cars & trucks. Disappointment is an understatement...My question....What are other members experiencing? Is Chrysler doing anythng about it?...Would greatly appreciate any input....Thanks.....

I have an 04 Ram 5.7 Hemi with 240k. I was hearing the obvious 'Hemi tick' and was told numerous times it was my lifters. I went ahead and pulled the heads off to change the lifters, only to find out they were fine. It was the push rods woren on the ends. These rods operate on an angel against the lifter. All I had to do was remove the rocker arms and change the push rods. Keep this in mind before you do all the extra work and cost of removing the heads.

 

[RLS1]

I am having the issue, but to me as an experience engine builder, the tone of the noise does not sound like a lifter or rocker. It sounds like a piston and is coming lower than the head area. Mine does it, anytime the engine is off for more then a couple of hours, horrendously. When you drop it in gear, it amplifies it. The Dodge tech told me it was my A/C compressor and took it upon himself to drain the Freon. Funny thing is it still makes the noise and getting worst even though the compressor is no longer engaging. What kind of idiots work at my dealership!!!! I took a video so there was a record of the noise and that is when the dealership diagnosed as lifter noise, from a cell phone video. After 4 months of waiting for parts I had a friend, who is a Dodge mechanic, listen to it and he agreed it sounds like a piston (stethoscope). I told that to the Service Manger and they decided to bring it in to diagnose it. NOT impressed with our local dealership. Thursday I will find out what they say.

 

[Big3MG]

I have a 2014 Charger 5.7L 76k mikes no issues; 2017 Jeep GC 5.7L with 40k miles no issues; 2020 RAM 1500 5.7L with 10k miles no issues. I previously owned a 2004 Durango 5.7L I sold with 150k miles no issues, and current owner I’m in touch with who has driven it to Colorado and back owing a trailer, no issues to date with 200k miles now. I see no problem with the 5.7 as I’ve owned 4 from 2004-2020. The old Durango had a tic for about a minute when it just started after sitting a few days but no noise after that initial start up. All used Mobil1.

 

[RaptorHD]

I have a diesel, but all my cars are gas (with exception of my wife's TDI) nothing can replace good oil and a good filter. I would not worry about the lifter noise after sitting, just do not drive the vehicle until after the engine has warmed up, this give the lifters and valve train time to get lubricated properly and for the metals to expand etc.

If you are the type of person that starts a vehicle and immediately puts it in gear after turning the key, expect repairs,,,warming a vehicle up before driving it will save the vehicle in the long run.

 

[Rocketjam]

I’ve read sooo many threads regarding this issue, why has there never been a class action suit to solve and resolve this issue with all of us ram owners. I’ve owned a 69 with a 318 that sounded like a sewing machine and would add a quart of tranny fluid to oil to quiet it down, now people pay huge $$$ for a truck or car with hemi and still have to worry about lifter noise and catastrophic failure. My newer Ram just hit 100k and I can’t afford to put another engine into her, with everyone on this site can’t we just challenge them to replace/ upgrade defective parts before failure?

 

[dwsdad]

I have a 2013 RAM 1500 with 131,000 on it with no issues. If it's a ticking noise, it may be the manifold exhaust gaskets. I had a ticking noise I thought was a lifter issue because it would go away after a while. After doing some research, I took it down and had the gaskets replaced. They found 3 broken manifold bolts. The ticking is now gone and has been for around 20,000 miles.

 

[TimboRam77]

2019 limited 21000 miles
I’ve documented the classic HEMI tick on a repair order just in case. It occurred only after the truck sat for days. Recently I’ve been daily driving the truck and longer drives. Engine sounds great. These trucks like all motor vehicles need to be driven not sitting. The more I drive it the happier it is. My biggest engine concern is that tiny oil filter. If I didn’t have the mopar lifetime I’d run the older bigger filter. Truck is totally stock and I’m giving Ram zero reasons for denying a warranty claim down the road. But that filter for a 5.7 liter engine is so puny. My garden tractor has a filter 3 times that size.

 

[Tadpole]

Da Smith solved the issue! Just change you oil every month and get a new truck at 130k miles.

Sorry but my cam ate a lifter at 114k miles. I had to search for a week to find a stock cam and eventually had to buy Melling lifters because the stock lifters were indefinitely out of stock. Why? Because there is a design failure in these engines. True story, no crap here.

 

[jon Dixon]

I'm sure this topic has been addressed, but I just became aware of this Hemi disaster. I have a 2016 Ram 1500 with 16k miles...I only use it for recreational purposes & use my 2000 5.2 Ram for a daily driver...If the 16 Ram sits for a period of about 2-3 weeks I get a bad lifter noise at start for about 3-5 minutes at idle, then it goes away...Using the truck daily is fine no noise.... Now I find out that the design of the engine is the cause starving the cam & lifters of oil. Something about a cast baffle part of the block preventing the splash of oil to the cam....I also heard the dealers are plagued with failing Hemi's with both cars & trucks. Disappointment is an understatement...My question....What are other members experiencing? Is Chrysler doing anythng about it?...Would greatly appreciate any input....Thanks.....

 

[jon Dixon]

I have a 2016 5.7. Went to full synthetic
020W and wic oil filter. Hemi tick sent away.

 

[Bomber1955]

I have a 2019 Ram 1500 with the Hemi engine. I do not drive it every day. When it sits for a few days I get the knock that everyone is talking about. I only have a little over 3000 miles on it at this time. I'm leasing the truck. I was planing on keeping it after the lease is up but what I'm reading here it sounds like its a really bad idea. If I understand what everyone is saying there is no recall for this problem. I guess what I'm asking is should I turn this in when the lease is up? I'm a disabled veteran and can not afford a new motor. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Toothy waters]

8900.00 later I have new engine from dealer # 5 cylinder went down 2013 1500 5.7 Went with dealer to gain better wart. I drive all over the place and out of state, 3 weeks after work was done I was out of town for 7 days came Home started truck dry lifter sound. Has happened twice since then. Dealer at a loss, I can’t leave the truck there cause as most of us I need it. Old block had 120k on it new one less than 5k. Have thought about putting a pre Oiler pump in but have not done any research to see if it could or would help problem