Hemi Tick-2003 5.7L 2500

[NotHappyHemi]

On cold start up my truck makes a loud "tapping" sound. While sitting and idle the tapping fades and can barely be heard. One trip around the block and the tapping is back. Could it be the lifters or the oil pump? Would an engine flush help?

I have heard various stories, Hemi "tick" is due to shorter lifters, maybe the injectors, or that it is a normal Hemi thing. It just doesn't sound like something functioning normally. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

 

[The motor guy]

Here read this:

It has something to do with the somewhat horizontal position of the roller lifters.

http://www.realworldautomotive.com/shopt...noise-t459.html

 

[SteveSRT8]

Interesting after 6 plus years of beating like a [censored] stepchild my car makes none of these 'ticks'. That's with a 6600 rpm rev limiter setting.

I just helped my friend with a Charger 5.7 change his cam and lifters, pushrods, etc., and his engine was whisper quiet before and after.

The OP is probably experiencing roller lifter noise caused by one lifter bleeding down. This can happen on any car. Normally I would expect it to fade out after oil pressure comes up.

If it doersn't you will have excessive clearances and something will eventually give.

 

[bradepb]

We have a 2003 2500HD dodge only 25,000 miles at work for our parts/plow truck.
It has a bad case of the "Tick" , it is very loud sometimes no matter what 30 weight oil I use. If it was my own truck it would drive me nuts having that noise.
It is not injectors or other "normal" noise it sounds like an old pushrod v8 with a sticking lifter but just a little deeper and more rotational than a lifter, almost like someone with a few marbles in there hand and rolling them around but apparently is "normal"

It is the worst when hot at idle, if it is sitting at our gas pumps idling you can hear it in the garage 50 feet away. This truck gets run hard in the winter and hasn't failed yet though.

 

[NotHappyHemi]

Thank you for getting back to me. I checked out the website and it sounds like this "tapping" noise is common for a lot of Hemi owners. I have been doing a little experimenting just from different things I have noticed.

When I park my Hemi uphill in the driveway, it taps like a beast when I start it up in the morning. If I back it into the driveway to where the front end is pointing downhill, I don't hear anything, or the noise is so faint it is almost unnoticable?? Any ideas?? My other question is, why would some Hemi 5.7 motors make the tapping noise and other's don't if it is a "common Hemi thing"?

Any thoughts?

 

[Texan4Life]

very common in 5.7 hemi's. Most have it while some do not. Reports of different oil/filter and weight combos are reported to help.

From what I have read it does not affect reliability/durability of the engine. just freakin annoying.

my 05 has "the hemi tick"

 

[bradepb]

Sure as heck has to hurt the resale, I would not buy our 2003 truck the way it sounds even if it is "normal"