Poll: How many Hemi owners actually experience the tick?

[Randyklok]

Engine replace at 55k miles because of Cam/Lifters. While at it, Dealer replaced both manifolds. All under warranty. Oil change every 5k miles with full synthetic religiously.

 

[Burla]

But we're missing the millions that don't have any issues though Mike.
I'm not putting much stock in this poll,as we're a pretty small group,and alot of owners didn't hunt up the site until they had issues,and all the owners with no issues have never found the page

I certainly hope your right, because we can agree that is a ridiculous result.

 

[MontanaHandyman]

But we're missing the millions that don't have any issues though Mike.
I'm not putting much stock in this poll,as we're a pretty small group,and alot of owners didn't hunt up the site until they had issues,and all the owners with no issues have never found the page

Yup... if it wasn't for this site I woulda just ignored any ticking, since "they" said it's normal for the hemi.

 

[Lsujker]

That's why I suggested a new poll, this thread has all kinds of people talking about startup chatter and manifolds. There is no way 33% of respondents had lifter/cam failure.

Probably right. That and little clatter is over exaggerated stimming from the fear of failure. My 6.4 is loud at times and quiet others. Cold starts, long idles makes noise worrisome when standing outside. Quiet inside. You people get me so worked up!

 

[Marshall]

I have had 3 of these, one new, one low milage used , and the current 2014 new.
no ticks, none ever got high milage on them , never any service ,just standard services like oil, filters, tires.

 

[WaltKowalski74]

Voted YES, however, tick sound is heard only on cold engine start up. Then vanishes and runs as smooth as a Pelosi insider trade.

 

[Snowchief]

03,06,09 5.7 Hemi 22 6.4 Hemi No Ticks except for lots of wood ticks!

 

[Spree]

2017 No ticks at 176,000 miles. Still runs strong, no noises or leaks.

 

[Burla]

I had many v8's in this life, several 351w's and many others Chevy 350's in muscle cars, etc. I have NEVER HAD A SINGLE TICK OR START UP CHATTER. NOT ONCE

 

[U&A]

My “old” 6.4(‘18 with 67,000) started rattling…new engine! My understanding is it lost a lifter and sent metal through the engine! I drove it 45 minutes at all speeds to the dealer! Warranted!

No tick in the new motor!

Ran 0w 40 Amsoil with Amsoil filter from day one! No issues with pressure except at idle of course!

I don’t remember exact idle percentage, but it was quite high! My dog rides everywhere with me! Idles with heated seat for her in the winter, and in the summer with AC and ventilated seats! Service manager at the dealership said it wasn’t a problem!?!?

View attachment 565917View attachment 565918

Thats the way it should be man. My dog loves truck rides!

 

[U&A]

2017 No ticks at 176,000 miles. Still runs strong, no noises or leaks.

DANG !!

176,000!

Im at almost 99,000 and im terrified

I pray to the oil gods, Hemi gods, lifter/cam/needle bearing gods that my 6.4 will go that long with no issues

Probably 80,000 of the trucks life it has been on redline or amsoil. In the very beginning it was on PUP0w40 but that did not last long.

 

[Udy2554]

Thats the way it should be man. My dog loves truck rides!

Apricot has been glued to my side for about 6 years now! She was my ex’s dog! She chose me in the divorce!

 

[John Schmidt]

The key takeaways:
1) thicker oil will not harm your engine (VVT/DOD systems etc)
2) thicker oil can extend your engine life

There are all kinds of images of hemi cam lobes in various states of deterioration and delamination. Yes, thicker oil is going to help in these cases. We have no real proof that we can prevent it, but thicker oil can help mitigate at the very least.

Why is anyone still running a 20 weight?

I watched the oil geek's video. It was good to hear him confirm/reiterate what many of us have assumed all along - that the move towards lower viscosity oil is purely due to the EPA and trying to boost mpg - at the risk of shorter useful life of the engine. I also heard him state that higher viscosity oil is specified for the exact same engine - in other parts of the world - where the EPA doesn't dictate. Kind of files in the face of the "just blindly follow what the manual/oem says". Does anyone know if this is true for the 5.7 hemi? Is higher viscosity oil recommended for the 5.7 outside of the US?

 

[Harley Harrold]

I purchased my 2007 Quad Cab 1500 used in 2013 with 57K miles on the odometer. It has the tick when idling, even when I purchased her, and now she has 105K miles on the odometer, with no change. In 2014 I installed a performance tune, 180° Jet Thermostat, run 93 octane fuel, and AMSOIL 5W20XL synthetic engine oil.

 

[ramffml]

I watched the oil geek's video. It was good to hear him confirm/reiterate what many of us have assumed all along - that the move towards lower viscosity oil is purely due to the EPA and trying to boost mpg - at the risk of shorter useful life of the engine. I also heard him state that higher viscosity oil is specified for the exact same engine - in other parts of the world - where the EPA doesn't dictate. Kind of files in the face of the "just blindly follow what the manual/oem says". Does anyone know if this is true for the 5.7 hemi? Is higher viscosity oil recommended for the 5.7 outside of the US?

Previous owners manuals (2014?) recommend using 5w-30 in the 2500 5.7 when towing near GCWR. Other versions of the manual "allow" 5w-30 when 5w-20 isn't available.

But the other thing to remember (which is mentioned in the video) is that viscosity is temperature dependent. 5w-20 is much thicker at -20C than 5w-50 is at 70C. In other words, the engine already sees wides swings in viscosity as oil temperatures go from deathly cold to melting hot. Your engine already sees the result of running 5w-30, just at slightly different temperature than it would see it at 5w-20.

 

[Lsujker]

I had many v8's in this life, several 351w's and many others Chevy 350's in muscle cars, etc. I have NEVER HAD A SINGLE TICK OR START UP CHATTER. NOT ONCE

My 1998 350 vortec is quite noisy after sitting for a month. Takes about 2 minutes to calm down.

 

[Sherman Bird]

If you do some research cop vehicles with the hemi have a pile of cam issues,due to the amount they idle.

After watching cops in my world abuse these cars, I postulate that idling is most certainly NOT the only cause!

 

[David Tree]

The number 1 topic on Ram forums seems to be Hemi ticks. It's enough to scare all owners, but yet my last hemi went 120k and no issues. Many others report the same, yet a good number report ticks.

So what might help us all could be to learn how often the tick really occurs? Maybe a poll can offer perspective as to what % of hemi owners experience it.

Do 50% of owners experience it or is it more like 5% etc?

We shall see.

As of April 2025 i am in my first 5.7 HEMI = 2022 non-eTorque

My friend has a 2017 5.7 HEMI and his 1500 has the HEMI tick at 117k.

He doesn't hear hit it for these 3 reasons:

#3) he does not care
#2) he does not want to know = $$$
#1) his RAM 1500 runs great otherwise

My main concern with my 2022 RAM 1500 (5,600 miles) is the clicking sounds i hear from the trans when going from Park to Drive.

 

[Wild one]

I watched the oil geek's video. It was good to hear him confirm/reiterate what many of us have assumed all along - that the move towards lower viscosity oil is purely due to the EPA and trying to boost mpg - at the risk of shorter useful life of the engine. I also heard him state that higher viscosity oil is specified for the exact same engine - in other parts of the world - where the EPA doesn't dictate. Kind of files in the face of the "just blindly follow what the manual/oem says". Does anyone know if this is true for the 5.7 hemi? Is higher viscosity oil recommended for the 5.7 outside of the US?

Check out the note at the bottem,this used to be in the big 700 page printed manuals up till about 2017.

 

[reece]

The number 1 topic on Ram forums seems to be Hemi ticks. It's enough to scare all owners, but yet my last hemi went 120k and no issues. Many others report the same, yet a good number report ticks.

So what might help us all could be to learn how often the tick really occurs? Maybe a poll can offer perspective as to what % of hemi owners experience it.

Do 50% of owners experience it or is it more like 5% etc?

We shall see.

My 2012 Ram 1500 started ticking about 150,000 miles. At 240,000 got bad miss. Disassembled the 5.7, front lobe of cam worn practically off. Everything else in great shape. Doing total rebuild because of milage. Three of the exhaust manifold bolts were broken off on both sides. These cause a tick sound also.