Ram hemi engine tap

/ Ram hemi engine tap #21  
My 2015 Ram 1500 is at the dealership now where it has sat all weekend. It has an intermittent tap/tick at startup which in the past went away within a few seconds.
Then I went on vacation and let the truck sit for ten days. This time the tap took a full ten minutes to go away. Ten minutes...I let it idle, revved it slightly, no change, drove slowly to the barn, and just after ten minutes on my watch the noise went away.

The dealership's response to this, and I have brought this up to them three times already, so it's on file, is that this engine needs to be started regularly. Really?
And does that explain ten minutes of tapping? Of course not.

I know they will call me today and tell me NPF, no problem found. There are lots of posts about hemi tap/ticks online. None seem to say the engine blows up, and if this was only for a few seconds, I would just ignore, despite not liking it. But ten minutes tells me I have a blockage I believe of some sort that finally cleared. And of course there are no codes thrown off to tell anyone anything.

This hemi is electronic, has variable valves, cylinder shut down, lots of complexity that adds to this issue. I was told the older hemis did not have this problem at all, so I think it's something in the new valve train that is causing the problem. A plugged oil orifice perhaps. But there is no way I'm pulling my rv with this truck wondering if some part is not getting enough oil.

What would you guys do if this was your truck? I love the truck, air bag suspension, very comfortable, powerful, and had intended to keep it.
I had a VW Golf diesel once and boy am I experienced in having dealers lie to me. VW is the worst, lied to me twice, this is a company without morality.
So I'm not confident FCA/Ram would fess up here if they had a problem until they had to.

Do any of you with late model hemis have this problem?
Can you suggest a solution other than selling the truck?
I'm about ready to go buy a new F150 with no other solution.
thanks
Drew
I own a 2016 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 hemi engine.Mine sets 2-3 weeks I have the slight tick on start up.18,000 miles on the OD with no issues.Use quality oil and filter.My truck requires 7 quarts of full syn.oil 0w-40 I run redline oil with royal purple oil filters.
 

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/ Ram hemi engine tap #22  
this is why despite the jacked up price I like to let the dealer put their oil in when they do the change, if they stock it and put it in, must be ok, right?
I hear you, surprising info. Strange oil, 0-40 or something like that.
Part of the challenge is the engineers looking for max efficiency may spec something that does indeed operate more efficiently
but has side effects that they must consider acceptable.
Like using more than a quart of oil between oil changes that has some cars on an avoid list.

I wish I could trust FCA to be honest here but I can't. The dealership thankfully is outstanding. If they come back and say we put a new lifter in, or whatever...,
I will be satisfied until the next time it taps for more than three or four seconds. And I guess I have to start it once a week.

Dealer does mine also. Just easier to let them take care of it.
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap
  • Thread Starter
#23  
no call yet today, they said up to tomorrow.

Lot of very passionate folks when it comes to motor oil. I used Mobil 1 for over 20 years in everything, early adopter but switched to Pennzoil.
Mostly due to price. I use no name TSC synthetic oil in the small engines. They seem just fine.
If I had a serious machine, a muscle car or something high performance, I'd pay extra for cutting edge oil.
But I don't think I need it based on my use. I'd like to see the Redline ad saying Cures Hemi Tap!

Coobie, I sure could have used that front bar when I hit a adult black bear at 50mph last Fall.
Pitch black night, came out of road ditch, never saw him.
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap #24  
no call yet today, they said up to tomorrow.

Lot of very passionate folks when it comes to motor oil. I used Mobil 1 for over 20 years in everything, early adopter but switched to Pennzoil.
Mostly due to price. I use no name TSC synthetic oil in the small engines. They seem just fine.
If I had a serious machine, a muscle car or something high performance, I'd pay extra for cutting edge oil.
But I don't think I need it based on my use. I'd like to see the Redline ad saying Cures Hemi Tap!

Coobie, I sure could have used that front bar when I hit a adult black bear at 50mph last Fall.
Pitch black night, came out of road ditch, never saw him.
I hear ya,installed it after hitting a 7 point buck going 70 MPH on the highway with only 8,000 miles on the truck.Lucky me drove the truck home 100 plus miles only took out the front grill,bumper and headlights but never got into the paint..LOL
 

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/ Ram hemi engine tap #25  
Had this one on my 2011 ford F250..I was trying to be cheap at first trying to not install one on my new ram.Lesson learned..
 

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/ Ram hemi engine tap
  • Thread Starter
#26  
I hear ya,installed it after hitting a 7 point buck going 70 MPH on the highway with only 8,000 miles on the truck.Lucky me drove the truck home 100 plus miles only took out the front grill,bumper and headlights but never got into the paint..LOL

ouch. Mine was over three grand, but thankfully did not trip airbags because bear was down low, one inch below sensor they said.
Body shop did really nice job; dealer said they absolutely could not tell the truck had been repaired. :thumbsup:
But they did have to paint the flexi plastic valence that goes from side to side. Said once it flexes back that severely, the paint will
likely crack in the future. Maybe they were running up the bill, I don't know. I was more concerned about getting my truck back without driving issues
and asked them to make sure they aligned the front end, which they did. Truck runs perfectly except for this tap.

Though I would like adaptive cruise...spoiled by my Outback. I think it would be really helpful while pulling an rv, life in the right hand slow lane, as you plod along
with the other heavies. Many of them are on adaptive cruise already, pacing themselves.
This truck pulls a 7400 pound rv with ease even with the unfortunate economy rear this one has in it.
No problems keeping up with traffic at stop lights. Try saying that to most motorhomes...this hemi has serious grunt.
Heated steering wheel, cooled seats, rather rare color in super dark green, out darned tick!
Did I mention marvelous exhaust bellow? ;)

Wouldn't you think anything longer than five seconds is a fail?

I think if I didn't get it back today, they were waiting for parts.

Perhaps I can get them to drop in a 6.4
more power to the people
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap #27  
ouch. Mine was over three grand, but thankfully did not trip airbags because bear was down low, one inch below sensor they said.
Body shop did really nice job; dealer said they absolutely could not tell the truck had been repaired. :thumbsup:
But they did have to paint the flexi plastic valence that goes from side to side. Said once it flexes back that severely, the paint will
likely crack in the future. Maybe they were running up the bill, I don't know. I was more concerned about getting my truck back without driving issues
and asked them to make sure they aligned the front end, which they did. Truck runs perfectly except for this tap.

Though I would like adaptive cruise...spoiled by my Outback. I think it would be really helpful while pulling an rv, life in the right hand slow lane, as you plod along
with the other heavies. Many of them are on adaptive cruise already, pacing themselves.
This truck pulls a 7400 pound rv with ease even with the unfortunate economy rear this one has in it.
No problems keeping up with traffic at stop lights. Try saying that to most motorhomes...this hemi has serious grunt.
Heated steering wheel, cooled seats, rather rare color in super dark green, out darned tick!
Did I mention marvelous exhaust bellow? ;)

Wouldn't you think anything longer than five seconds is a fail?

I think if I didn't get it back today, they were waiting for parts.

Perhaps I can get them to drop in a 6.4
more power to the people
Love my 6.4 but mileage kinda sucks best is 18.2 driving 55-60 mph but anything over 75 mph is 15.8 mpg. figured that going in though before my purchase.Funny snip it my good friend and I were heading back from bow hunting camp when we hit the 7 point he was sleeping when it struck the truck I told him we finally got our buck..We laughed our a$$es off.
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap
  • Thread Starter
#28  
Dealer called late Friday, truck was ready, replaced all the hydraulic lifters on left side of engine.
Hopefully....
I'll let you know if the "normal" hemi tick goes away.
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap #30  
Dealer called late Friday, truck was ready, replaced all the hydraulic lifters on left side of engine.
Hopefully....
I'll let you know if the "normal" hemi tick goes away.

What oil and filter do you use? Not trying to start an oil thread!!!
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap
  • Thread Starter
#31  
What oil and filter do you use? Not trying to start an oil thread!!!

Pennzoil Ultra and a premium filter, but so far the dealership has changed the oil. I just asked for full synthetic and that's what the bill
says. I'll ask them on Monday when I go to get the truck what they use. First ten thousand on dealer conventional oil, full synthetic since.
22k now, usually every 5 to 7K miles.
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap #32  
Strangely, daugen mentioned Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO)...
I had/have the same ticking problem in my '97 Chevy 5.7L. All of the oil additives that I tried worked to no avail, other than MMO. Put in new lifters - that helped for about 200 miles, then the ticking was back after sitting up for a couple of days. A few ounces of MMO quiets the ticking.

One possible problem is a slightly out of round lifter socket; I sure don't know. But MMO does quiet the problem down and has for over 100K miles. Absolutely no difference in the way it runs, but the MMO gives me peace of mind. I've wasted too much of my limited mental power trying to find the source of the ticking, and have resolved to simply ignore it. If it blows - it blows.
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap #33  
Strangely, daugen mentioned Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO)...
I had/have the same ticking problem in my '97 Chevy 5.7L. All of the oil additives that I tried worked to no avail, other than MMO. Put in new lifters - that helped for about 200 miles, then the ticking was back after sitting up for a couple of days. A few ounces of MMO quiets the ticking.

One possible problem is a slightly out of round lifter socket; I sure don't know. But MMO does quiet the problem down and has for over 100K miles. Absolutely no difference in the way it runs, but the MMO gives me peace of mind. I've wasted too much of my limited mental power trying to find the source of the ticking, and have resolved to simply ignore it. If it blows - it blows.


In the older GM 350's the ticking sound indicated a bad cam.
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap
  • Thread Starter
#34  
is not the ticking/tapping a contact sound? some two metal parts hitting? Assuming it's not the exhaust issue.
All my experiences tell me that is not a good sound to have, even if it eventually goes away.

Now they replaced all the hydraulic lifters on one side. I don't think they have any idea
but did all of them as the most likely first course of action, and I agree.
They did not come back to me and say lifter 7 is bad.
I'll find out more tomorrow.
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap #35  
I have a 2007 Ram 1500 with 192000 miles that has had the ticking sound for so long I can't remember when it started, but sure it started well before the 50000 mile mark.
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap
  • Thread Starter
#36  
I have a 2007 Ram 1500 with 192000 miles that has had the ticking sound for so long I can't remember when it started, but sure it started well before the 50000 mile mark.

the ticking goes away in how many seconds?
thanks
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap #37  
About 10 to 15.
 
/ Ram hemi engine tap #39  
Hydraulic lifters leak down when sitting.
I had a pushrod 3.9L Chevy Impala and the only time it made noise was startup after I had it parked for 6 months.
 

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