Timing Chain Life Expectancy?

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MoparLifer

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2014 Ram 1500 5.7L, 120,500 highway and interstate miles. Easy life for a truck, synthetic oil changes every 4000 miles or 6 months since new. Idle time kept to minimum. NO RUST. MDS was turned off with tuner in December 2014.
After 10 years there should be enough data out there about average life expectancy of timing chain. Does anyone have any input on what they are seeing currently?
I would like to go ahead and replace it BEFORE a catastrophic failure happens AND replace oil pump with high volume hellcat or Melling oil pump to avert hemi cam and lifter failure at the same time. ALSO a bit worried about original water pump still installed....and just replace it all as a group assembly. Thats getting into some $$$$$.
Economy, inflation, new truck prices are insane. I want to keep this truck for another 10 years rather than buy a new one so I am willing to sink the money into this one.
Does anyone have an educated opinion on service life of timing chain / VVT/ Tensioner. When should i pull the trigger on this?
Am I correct in assuming 5.7L is a "Interference Engine"?
Thanks
 
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ramffml

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2014 Ram 1500 5.7L, 120,500 highway and interstate miles. Easy life for a truck, synthetic oil changes every 4000 miles or 6 months since new. Idle time kept to minimum. NO RUST. MDS was turned off with tuner in December 2014.
After 10 years there should be enough data out there about average life expectancy of timing chain. Does anyone have any input on what they are seeing currently?
I would like to go ahead and replace it BEFORE a catastrophic failure happens AND replace oil pump with high volume hellcat or Melling oil pump to avert hemi cam and lifter failure at the same time.
Economy, inflation, new truck prices are insane. I want to keep this truck for another 10 years rather than buy a new one so I am willing to sink the money into this one.
Does anyone have an educated opinion on service life of timing chain / VVT/ Tensioner
Am I correct in assuming 5.7L is a "Interference Engine"?
Thanks

I don't know about the chain but there are enough reports of guys at 250k+ miles on original one. I'd continue to run OEM oil pump, you don't need to run high volume or melling as the engine does not have a lubrication flow issue; the one scientific report which studied a failed cam said that there was enough oil getting to it, if anything it pointed more towards the wrong oil being used. The high volume thing came from a guy on YT and it got traction on forums but with no scientific backing to support his theory.
 

Wild one

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2014 Ram 1500 5.7L, 120,500 highway and interstate miles. Easy life for a truck, synthetic oil changes every 4000 miles or 6 months since new. Idle time kept to minimum. NO RUST. MDS was turned off with tuner in December 2014.
After 10 years there should be enough data out there about average life expectancy of timing chain. Does anyone have any input on what they are seeing currently?
I would like to go ahead and replace it BEFORE a catastrophic failure happens AND replace oil pump with high volume hellcat or Melling oil pump to avert hemi cam and lifter failure at the same time. ALSO a bit worried about original water pump still installed....and just replace it all as a group assembly. Thats getting into some $$$$$.
Economy, inflation, new truck prices are insane. I want to keep this truck for another 10 years rather than buy a new one so I am willing to sink the money into this one.
Does anyone have an educated opinion on service life of timing chain / VVT/ Tensioner. When should i pull the trigger on this?
Am I correct in assuming 5.7L is a "Interference Engine"?
Thanks
If you're going into it that far,you might as well replace the cam and lifters to. The 5.7 doesn't benefit from the HV pumps as much as the 6.4's do,the 6.4's employ piston squirters which are a built in internal oil leak,while the 5.7's don't utilize the piston squirters.Being as how your truck is a 14,you'd be better off upping the idle rpm to 750 with a tuner,you'll get the same or more oil pressure as you will with the high volumn pumps with the stock 550/600 idle rpm,plus the benefit of more oil flung off the crank that might make it onto the cam lobe. There is no pressurized oil fed to the cam lobe or lifter roller,they still rely on crank splash to lubricate the lobe and wheel.
I'm amazed at how Re-ignited seems to have generated a "cult" following about his theory on the high volumn pumps preventing lifter failure,when they don't put any more oil onto the actual parts that have the failure issue,the cam lobe and lifter roller,you'd be better off replacing the wore out valve springs instead of a still good oil pump.Not once has he addressed the fact the valve springs fatigue and wear out over time,and subsequently allow the lifter to start to bounce,which can lead to camshaft delamination,which will kill a lifter roller in short order.
So if you're hung up on doing the chain and oil pump as preventive maintence,you might as well do the whole shebang with new cam/lifters/valve springs etc.
 
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MoparLifer

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Interesting. You are spot on in mentioning Reignited. Powell Machine Inc mentions exactly how cam and lifters get lubrication...last in line and crank splash.
I have a tuner and it would be easy to set idle speed to 750 rpms. I suppose 750 should not affect stopping ability very much.
I do worry about life of timing chain, guides and tensioner....but there I go, may as well do ALL of it as you mentioned. If I go that far, for a few dollars more I may as well buy a factory reman short block! LOL Thank you for making me aware of differences 6.4 pistons oilers and 5.7 not having them so no use for HV oil pump. Guess I wont worry about high mileage timing chain until I start hearing noise right? Great information, Thank you.
 

CanuckRam1313

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If you're going into it that far,you might as well replace the cam and lifters to. The 5.7 doesn't benefit from the HV pumps as much as the 6.4's do,the 6.4's employ piston squirters which are a built in internal oil leak,while the 5.7's don't utilize the piston squirters.Being as how your truck is a 14,you'd be better off upping the idle rpm to 750 with a tuner,you'll get the same or more oil pressure as you will with the high volumn pumps with the stock 550/600 idle rpm,plus the benefit of more oil flung off the crank that might make it onto the cam lobe. There is no pressurized oil fed to the cam lobe or lifter roller,they still rely on crank splash to lubricate the lobe and wheel.
I'm amazed at how Re-ignited seems to have generated a "cult" following about his theory on the high volumn pumps preventing lifter failure,when they don't put any more oil onto the actual parts that have the failure issue,the cam lobe and lifter roller,you'd be better off replacing the wore out valve springs instead of a still good oil pump.Not once has he addressed the fact the valve springs fatigue and wear out over time,and subsequently allow the lifter to start to bounce,which can lead to camshaft delamination,which will kill a lifter roller in short order.
So if you're hung up on doing the chain and oil pump as preventive maintence,you might as well do the whole shebang with new cam/lifters/valve springs etc.
Oh the piston squirters...
My old 300 SRT8 with her 6.1 had that most harmonious whine when her squirters liked to announce themselves...

As this was just a summer only car, I upgraded to a premium synthetic 20W50 oil and all the whine went away. I did have to wait until full operating temps before I spanked her though, but she liked the 20W50.
 

Wild one

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Interesting. You are spot on in mentioning Reignited. Powell Machine Inc mentions exactly how cam and lifters get lubrication...last in line and crank splash.
I have a tuner and it would be easy to set idle speed to 750 rpms. I suppose 750 should not affect stopping ability very much.
I do worry about life of timing chain, guides and tensioner....but there I go, may as well do ALL of it as you mentioned. If I go that far, for a few dollars more I may as well buy a factory reman short block! LOL Thank you for making me aware of differences 6.4 pistons oilers and 5.7 not having them so no use for HV oil pump. Guess I wont worry about high mileage timing chain until I start hearing noise right? Great information, Thank you.
Back in the days of carbs,it wasn't uncommon to have idle rpms at 900+,and we still had no issues with stopping,lol
Re-ignited was the one who started that rumour about the high volumn pumps being the cure-all,and somehow he's developed a cult following of guys that got suckered in by his theory,lol.
The only video of his that i really agree with is the one about whether mds is damaging your engine,that video is spot on.
This video is worth spending 16 minutes to watch to the very end.

 
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MoparLifer

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I do enjoy this forum and thanks to everyone who took time out to reply. If you ask 10 people about anything mechanical or oil you'll get 8 different opinions.
Thats what is so great about it. Sometimes a guy needs to bounce questions off others to keep himself in check. My problem is...i love my truck and refuse to buy a new one.
Its a 2014 regular cab Express, short bed, 395 hp, garage kept and it actually fits. Tall, short, light and fast. I see now how quickly I can get sucked down rabbit hole with going too far with "unnecessary preventative maintenance." The only thing I am in disagreement with most folks is MDS. I understand how it works and nothing good can ever come of that idea. Plus, it sounds like crap. Out of control C.A.F.E standards are to blame. Forcing engineers to get blood out of turnips = failure
 

Wild one

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I do enjoy this forum and thanks to everyone who took time out to reply. If you ask 10 people about anything mechanical or oil you'll get 8 different opinions.
Thats what is so great about it. Sometimes a guy needs to bounce questions off others to keep himself in check. My problem is...i love my truck and refuse to buy a new one.
Its a 2014 regular cab Express, short bed, 395 hp, garage kept and it actually fits. Tall, short, light and fast. I see now how quickly I can get sucked down rabbit hole with going too far with "unnecessary preventative maintenance." The only thing I am in disagreement with most folks is MDS. I understand how it works and nothing good can ever come of that idea. Plus, it sounds like crap. Out of control C.A.F.E standards are to blame. Forcing engineers to get blood out of turnips = failure
You should post some pics of the truck,you might say i've got a soft spot for the little RCSB's,lol.
The red one used to give Hellcats fits at the track,lol
 

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CanRebel

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I do enjoy this forum and thanks to everyone who took time out to reply. If you ask 10 people about anything mechanical or oil you'll get 8 different opinions.
Thats what is so great about it. Sometimes a guy needs to bounce questions off others to keep himself in check. My problem is...i love my truck and refuse to buy a new one.
Its a 2014 regular cab Express, short bed, 395 hp, garage kept and it actually fits. Tall, short, light and fast. I see now how quickly I can get sucked down rabbit hole with going too far with "unnecessary preventative maintenance." The only thing I am in disagreement with most folks is MDS. I understand how it works and nothing good can ever come of that idea. Plus, it sounds like crap. Out of control C.A.F.E standards are to blame. Forcing engineers to get blood out of turnips = failure

I agree with everything @Wild one wrote in his first post. not so much in the second one.

If you have tune already. increasing the idle time should be easy, and help more than anything else all those youtube people are babbling.

As per your top post. You have very low mileage for 10 year old truck, Leave it alone.

But if you are bored and have extra money. I would inspect lifters, and/or cam , etc... Or just replace the lifters for fun.
 

jws123

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My 2011 had 230k on orig timing chain and tensioner i wouldnt worry about it the older hemis had timing chain/tensioner issues.
 

Zoe Saldana

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2014 Ram 1500 5.7L, 120,500 highway and interstate miles. Easy life for a truck, synthetic oil changes every 4000 miles or 6 months since new. Idle time kept to minimum. NO RUST. MDS was turned off with tuner in December 2014.
After 10 years there should be enough data out there about average life expectancy of timing chain. Does anyone have any input on what they are seeing currently?
I would like to go ahead and replace it BEFORE a catastrophic failure happens AND replace oil pump with high volume hellcat or Melling oil pump to avert hemi cam and lifter failure at the same time. ALSO a bit worried about original water pump still installed....and just replace it all as a group assembly. Thats getting into some $$$$$.
Economy, inflation, new truck prices are insane. I want to keep this truck for another 10 years rather than buy a new one so I am willing to sink the money into this one.
Does anyone have an educated opinion on service life of timing chain / VVT/ Tensioner. When should i pull the trigger on this?
Am I correct in assuming 5.7L is a "Interference Engine"?
Thanks

Add some Lubegard to your oil.

Also, some Lucas or Marvel Mystery Oil to your gas.

You'll thank me.
 
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MoparLifer

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Great input and thanks again. It seems consensus is...its fine just leave it alone. I do wonder about lubegard quite often and maybe thats is what I should be doing at this point.
I shy away from it because Im NOT a lube oil scientist. Im not sure how well it mixes with additive package in my synthetic oil that I use (valvoline 5W20) So, because I dont know for sure, I just change the oil more often than necessary. Sometimes Ill change it as soon as 1,600 miles if Im going on a road trip. It may seem (and my wife thinks so) that Im a nut and worry myself to death about cam and lifter failure. I am a retired Aircraft Mechanic mechanic and all I know + all my training is Preventative Maintenance. I have to catch things BEFORE they happen (Turbine engine failure + nowhere to pull over at 26,000 ft = Bad Day) I will post pics of truck soon as weather gets better...its dirty everyday with a lot of rain here lately.
 

Jeepwalker

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178k mi on my tk. PO used synthetic (from the oil-change place), and I use PUP. There's been guys who've listed over 350k mi on their Hemi's, here (and still going). Nobody can say for sure what/when/where something might happen to the engine. I say continue to stick with good syn oil, enjoy and stay focus on keeping the vehicle maintained, just like you're doing. Avoid long idle's as you know.
:waytogo:
 
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MoparLifer

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178k mi on my tk. PO used synthetic (from the oil-change place), and I use PUP. There's been guys who've listed over 350k mi on their Hemi's, here (and still going). Nobody can say for sure what/when/where something might happen to the engine. I say continue to stick with good syn oil, enjoy and stay focus on keeping the vehicle maintained, just like you're doing. Avoid long idle's as you know.
:waytogo:
I know youre right and appreciate your supportive reply. Ive got 3500+ hours and 490 hours idle time. I hate that idle time is that high but after 10 years i guess it just adds up. I did read an article about hemi fleet vehicles (police, fire, etc) with 4000+ idle time 5000+ run time....and these are mostly the ones that are failing spectacularly.
 
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MoparLifer

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Add some Lubegard to your oil.

Also, some Lucas or Marvel Mystery Oil to your gas.

You'll thank me.
Will marvel hurt converters and O2 sensors? I know a oil burning engine will harm these items. Id be using marvel mystery oil in my gas if I wasnt so worried about putting additives in gas. Cats are Expensive! Refuse to get burned anymore by aftermarket cats or parts that play important roles. Mopar or nothing for me lol
 
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MoparLifer

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You should post some pics of the truck,you might say i've got a soft spot for the little RCSB's,lol.
The red one used to give Hellcats fits at the track,lol
Cool trucks huh! The white one and the red looks awesome. I love mine and can tell you do the same. Ill get some good pics of mine on here soon. Mine is (PAR) Maximum Steel in color. Virtually unmolested.
 

BenchTest

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Will marvel hurt converters and O2 sensors? I know a oil burning engine will harm these items. Id be using marvel mystery oil in my gas if I wasnt so worried about putting additives in gas. Cats are Expensive! Refuse to get burned anymore by aftermarket cats or parts that play important roles. Mopar or nothing for me lol
I have 100's of thousands of miles with Marvel onboard. No issues to report.
 

Dave2015Hemi

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I'm in the same boat with the lifter issue now as my cylinder #3 is gone. 213000 miles on my 2015 Hemi and never one issue until a misfire a month ago and now it's going to be $14,000. Although what Reignited makes sense on more oil would be better the bigger issue I saw was from another engine builder that showed the relationship of the cam to the crank and casting and the cam not getting oil spray and when you look at the block you can see exactly what he's talking about. Had I known about all the lifter issues a month ago I would have had someone do a cam lifter job with what one long thread here mentioned the 6.2l lifters with the larger needle bearings. Love my RAM but wish I knew about the lifter issue sooner. Back when I bought mine there was no real knowledge of it like there is now 10 years later. The idle thing seems weird to me because now I'm down south but previously upstate NY and almost EVERYONE has remote start for there vehicles now and idling to warm up is commonplace there! From what I see now Johnson lifters are the only ones with oil that flows through to the roller which would be the best and had I known earlier that would have been my pick for lifters with a cam job. Best of luck on your engine as what I've seen the 2014 was one of the worst years but can't always go by all reports. Most engines I find are between 150 and 200,000 miles so no sense in me spending 3 grand on one of those not knowing history and ending up with the same issue so I will go with a new one unless I get super lucky searching the next few weeks.
 
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