HEMI Start-Up Tick

[Danno]

Just curious, can post #5 by @clinebarger fully explain post #18 by @pantygnome?

If i understand this correctly, extended sitting is better than a short drive ... Doesn't a short drive get the oil moving at least vs. sitting for long? Maybe under one scenario there are more air pockets in oil which contributes to issues explained in #5? Just a wild guess.

Extended sitting does not make the situation better, I have heard many new Hemi Rams being started that hadn't moved since being parked after delivery from the factory.
Quite a bit of loud engine noises for the first minute or 2 of start. More than just a lifter tick.

 

[Silver]

Extended sitting does not make the situation better, I have heard many new Hemi Rams being started that hadn't moved since being parked after delivery from the factory.
Quite a bit of loud engine noises for the first minute or 2 of start. More than just a lifter tick.

It's ok, as long as the crank stops grinding against the bearings before the bearing is completely gone!

 

[CKN]

"Other causes could be if the vehicle is unused for an extended period of time, incorrect oil, extended oil changes or extended idling. If the engine continues to tick or if the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) comes on, see the nearest authorized dealer."

So this ticking is a problem if you do those things, but not if you don't do those things. I guess the tick knows what you've been doing and proceeds to tick for different reasons.

Geez.

Do you think the engineering team ever even sees these manuals, or are they strictly written by lawyers that have never seen the engine?

There are no warning lights that come on...and dealers say it's normal.....................

 

[pantygnome]

Just curious, can post #5 by @clinebarger fully explain post #18 by @pantygnome?

If i understand this correctly, extended sitting is better than a short drive ... Doesn't a short drive get the oil moving at least vs. sitting for long? Maybe under one scenario there are more air pockets in oil which contributes to issues explained in #5? Just a wild guess.

I personally wonder if there is something the ECU "does" at a certain RPM, and if you dont hit that RPM during a drive cycle, it leaves it in a state that leads to the noise on next startup (maybe VVT or MDS related?).

I tried the Viper SRT filter on my engine and it seemed to make the issue go away but eventually it happened again (so maybe I didnt line it up just right when I was testing).

Basically I just drive the truck around the block if all I need to do is move it in the driveway.

 

[JTK]

I try to listen carefully to every startup of my 2019 Ram 1500 hemi. Thankfully I've yet to hear a tick or tap, but I'm only at ~27K miles. Maybe it's my combination of ultra high quality Supertech synthetic 5w30 instead of recommended 5w20, the use of MoS2 or Lubeguard biotech and the $2 oil filters I use. Never more than a 5K miles OCI. A guy can dream I guess. LOL

 

[Silver]

I personally wonder if there is something the ECU "does" at a certain RPM, and if you dont hit that RPM during a drive cycle, it leaves it in a state that leads to the noise on next startup (maybe VVT or MDS related?).

Excellent question. It's alive! But destroying itself!

 

[OilReport99]

Always warm up until the rpm comes down to 6-700, then take off to work. Luckily, I don’t hit heavy traffic and can drive it...how to put it?...spirited driving! Whatever that means.
I do over 50% highway and during the last OCI (9924 miles) even more. Round trip from Central Florida to Dallas doing... I’ll keep that to myself
No ticks or knocks at 45K. Fingers crossed.

 

[The Critic]

I try to listen carefully to every startup of my 2019 Ram 1500 hemi. Thankfully I've yet to hear a tick or tap, but I'm only at ~27K miles. Maybe it's my combination of ultra high quality Supertech synthetic 5w30 instead of recommended 5w20, the use of MoS2 or Lubeguard biotech and the $2 oil filters I use. Never more than a 5K miles OCI. A guy can dream I guess. LOL

Mine will occasionally tick when cold or rattle when cold; probably less than 20% of the time. I have only used PP 5W-20 and Mopar filters, and the longest oil change interval has been 4500 miles.

 

[demarpaint]

I try to listen carefully to every startup of my 2019 Ram 1500 hemi. Thankfully I've yet to hear a tick or tap, but I'm only at ~27K miles. Maybe it's my combination of ultra high quality Supertech synthetic 5w30 instead of recommended 5w20, the use of MoS2 or Lubeguard biotech and the $2 oil filters I use. Never more than a 5K miles OCI. A guy can dream I guess. LOL

My buddy owns a 2015 Ram 1500 Hemi, he has about 90K on it and there are no ticks or taps coming out of his engine either. He is uses Mobil 1 5w30 in it. His 2010 had about 150K on it when he sold it and it had no issues either. He ran that on Mobil 1 5w30 as well. He changes his oil every 7,500 miles and adds Rislone ZDDP additive to it, one ounce/qt. of oil. A mutual Chrysler A tech friend turned him onto that.

 

[OVERKILL]

Like the 5.4 V8 and 5.8 V8? And 4.6 V8?

Absolutely. On the Modular 4.6L, 5.4L and 6.8L engines. The 5.8L Windsor went hydraulic roller sometime in the late 80's/early 90's (the GT40 in our Supra is roller), the 302 went roller in '85 IIRC in the cars (fuel injection in '86), but it was later in the trucks, just like GM.

 

[OVERKILL]

Mine will occasionally tick when cold or rattle when cold; probably less than 20% of the time. I have only used PP 5W-20 and Mopar filters, and the longest oil change interval has been 4500 miles.

Ours goes "click, clack" on a cold start sometimes, then is immediately quiet. The 6.4L makes no noise, ever.

 

[kstanf150]

The sounds like the same thing the guys on
ram forum talk about. Redline 5W-30 seems to be fix for the majority of those guys.

 

[MParr]

I try to listen carefully to every startup of my 2019 Ram 1500 hemi. Thankfully I've yet to hear a tick or tap, but I'm only at ~27K miles. Maybe it's my combination of ultra high quality Supertech synthetic 5w30 instead of recommended 5w20, the use of MoS2 or Lubeguard biotech and the $2 oil filters I use. Never more than a 5K miles OCI. A guy can dream I guess. LOL

You are on to something. A good friend of mine is Hyundai Certified Master Tech and he is also certified to work on Chrysler products. He owns a 2011 RAM Laramie 5.7 and a 2018 Rebel 5.7. Both of his get nothing but Mobil 1 5W30 original. Why? Because of all of the 5.7 tickers coming into the dealership. His don’t tick.

 

[OilUzer]

I personally wonder if there is something the ECU "does" at a certain RPM, and if you dont hit that RPM during a drive cycle, it leaves it in a state that leads to the noise on next startup (maybe VVT or MDS related?).

I tried the Viper SRT filter on my engine and it seemed to make the issue go away but eventually it happened again (so maybe I didnt line it up just right when I was testing).

Basically I just drive the truck around the block if all I need to do is move it in the driveway.

why not drive to the roundabout at the end of your street (post #18) and burn rubber?
Tell the neighbors and police you are fixing the hemi tick and they'll understand.

So what's the solution/conclusion on the Ram website? Thicker oil with moly ... or is it a never ending discussion?

 

[doublebase]

I like how Chrysler has it covered...

This can happen when you start the vehicle, short trip and then start it again. Or a long time sitting. Or extended drain intervals. Or extended idling (usually we all go straight to hell for this). Or when you use the wrong oil. Or when there’s a lunar eclipse. Or when Santa switches to decaf. Or when you stub your toe at 6:00am because your kid left the vacuum cleaner attachment in the middle between the counter and kitchen island. Or when you’re shoveling snow and the wind blows it right back in your face. Or if you clog a toilet. Or if the easter bunny stops using Amsoil.

But there’s a TSB on all of this being revised next year, so relax.

 

[jhs914]

I have owned two Hemi's in the past and neither suffered from the Hemi tick. The first was 2005 Dodge Magnum 5.7 with MDS that I put over 100,000 miles on. The second was a 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT 6.4, manual trans (no MDS) that I traded with 32,000 miles. Both cars were tuned and driven hard.

I used mostly Motorcraft 5W-20 semi-synthetic with Motorcraft FL1-A filters in the Magnum with OCIs of 5-6,000 miles. In the Challenger I used Mobil 1 or Castrol Edge 0W-40 and either Mopar or Fram Ultra filters with a 5,000 mile OCI. Despite all of the Chrysler product bashing you read on the internet, I can say both were great cars. I never had a single problem with the Challenger other than an air bag recall. The Magnum had to have a liftgate latch replaced and a front suspension arm bushing in 100,000 miles. I wish I still had the Magnum.

 

[ofelas]

And here I thought Redline was the answer...

 

[wag123]

I experience the same thing with my 16 from time to time.

For the longest time I had broken exhaust manifold studs and thought I was hearing lifter noise, but even now that they are fixed I still get an occasional tick if I crank it just to move it then come back in a few hours and start it again.

Most of the cold start ticking I have heard coming from the 5.7Ls have been exhaust manifold leaks. It is very common.

 

[pantygnome]

why not drive to the roundabout at the end of your street (post #18) and burn rubber?
Tell the neighbors and police you are fixing the hemi tick and they'll understand.

So what's the solution/conclusion on the Ram website? Thicker oil with moly ... or is it a never ending discussion?

The biggest hangup is "what is hemi tick?'

There are 3 that I know of: one is the loud knock type noise that I hear in a specific situation, one is broken exhaust manifold bolts and the third is some form of lifter tick.

The loud knock type noise I know how to avoid so I dont ever hear it.

The broken exhaust manifold bolts are common, but I have never had it happen (yet). It seems the biggest indicator of those is that the noise will go away after a certain amount of run time (think minutes, not seconds)

Some form of lifter tick - well, every vehicle I own has some form of lifter tick at startup. My old Frontier would tick for 30 seconds on every dang startup....new oil, old oil, sat overnight, sat for 10 minutes. It didnt matter. My Hemi actually makes less lifter noise at startup than the Frontier. Is it a bit noisier while running? Yes, probably. Ive had various levels of "loud" while running depending on the oil used. PYB was one of the quietest, but with short trips and cold weather, I prefer a synthetic. PUP was one of the LOUDEST, which was unexpected. RedLine was the quietest, but I drive the truck 6K miles per year....Id rather change the oil twice a year and use something less expensive and easier to obtain. QSUD seems to be working out well, but hard to tell 100% because I dont drive with the windows down when its 20 outside

Note that I run 5W-30 just because I feel better about the heavier weight. I know thats a huge debate in itself, but all the research Ive seen indicates there were no changes to the engine between 2016 and 2017 (I have a 2017)....if you read the 2016 manual, it says 5W-30 is allowed/acceptable. The 2017 manual does not have that note....but if the engine didnt change, somehow I think it will be just fine. With how warm (hot?) FCA seems to have set the truck to run, I figure Im better protected with slightly heavier oil at the 215 degrees it seems to like to run at.

 

[OVERKILL]

why not drive to the roundabout at the end of your street (post #18) and burn rubber?
Tell the neighbors and police you are fixing the hemi tick and they'll understand.

So what's the solution/conclusion on the Ram website? Thicker oil with moly ... or is it a never ending discussion?

I'm using a 0w-40 with ZERO moly. What is this fascination with moly? It's not the only AW/FM out there nor has it been in any way proven to have ANY impact on noise in this engine.

Most HEMI engines that tick have leaking exhaust manifolds, that was the case for EVERY SINGLE ONE of our trucks at work. ALL of them that made noise. That's not to be confused to a start-up rattle or quick clatter that goes away.