Does your 6.4 Hemi eat lifters?

[ScottG]

This is a little bit of a stretch for tow vehicles but since the Ram's have the 6.4 Hemi option it kinda fits.

I have a Challenger 392 SRT with the 6.4 and it developed a tick at 24K miles (believe it or not, it's been babied). From my research before buying, this engine does not normally suffer from the infamous "Hemi tick" that the 5.7 does.
My tick ended up being one badly worn lifter. While they were in there, they found two more on the opposite bank that we're also worn. Cam was inspected and found to still be fine only because we caught it early. I'm told that sometimes this takes out the cam as well on this eng.
Dodge ended up replacing all 16 lifters under warranty (and had it three weeks because there were 5000 lifters on B/O).

The truck has a very different eng tune but has anyone heard of or had lifter issues with their 6.4?

[BurbMan]

Reminds of 15 years ago when my truck was new, people were losing their minds over "piston slap". Mine still rattles like a diesel when it's started cold, but 180k miles later and the motor has never been opened. It still uses a qt of oil every 3k miles just like it did when it was brand new! Well, actually it's a little more now that the pan gasket is leaking, but that keeps the frame oiled and the rust in check!

[Blazing_Zippers]

Darn! We have what I thought is the "hemi tick." 24,000 miles and it's been going on for a couple thousand miles or so. Thanks for the heads up--now if Fiat can also get the recall issues out of the way, we'll go back to enjoying the truck.

[Lynnmor]

FishOnOne wrote:

Again... 0W40 is required for the 6.4 Hemi and requires to have a special mopar specification.

Well how's that working out? Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result is the definition of what? If it were my engine, I would set the requirements and choose something that I thought had a chance of improving the situation.

[FishOnOne]

Grit dog wrote:
0W40 isn't "required" in a Hemi. What Dodge guy says is true. The 20W oils were specd for CAFE standards. Been running valvoline blue 15-40 or whatever other diesel oil was on sale in the wife's old srt charger for years now. At about 140kmiles now, the car runs like a top. The extent of repairs or maint to the engine have been oil changes, new spark plugs around 100k and.....that's it.
However I don't believe 0w20 necessarily lubricates measurably worse either.
Have run several trucks on the reccomended 0W20 oil. Granted not real high miles, but there's millions of cars running lightweight oil and they're not eating lifters or bearings.

Again... 0W40 is required for the 6.4 Hemi and requires to have a special mopar specification.

[FishOnOne]

blofgren wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
And to add. In my professional opinion, as a tech. Since the 5W20 use has started across all manuf, the engine issues have risen. I believe it has to do with the thin oil that is spec’d for fuel mileage! Had an 07 Chrysler T&C and it used a quart of oil every 1500 miles between oil changes using the factory recommended 5W20. I switched to 5W30 and it used only a 1/2 qt every 3500miles. The only change to thinner oil was due to lower CAFE standards.

My Excursion is also supposed to use 5W20. After pulling into a campground for the night and starting it the next morning it would rattle for 5 seconds on startup due to oil drain back. Too much and unnecessary. I again switched to 5W30 as the previous motors used and it makes no noise and uses no oil, at least not by the stick! And it has had M1 since I’ve owned it with 17k miles. I do 4K mike oil changes.

0W20 and 5W20 while good for mileage leaves a lot to be desired for lubrication.

I agree with your theory. Saying that my wife’s 2005 Acura MDX is silky smooth and quiet at all times on dino 5W20, even at start up. And it has 110k miles and has never used a drop of oil.

And my wifes 2014 Edge Sport runs 10k mile OCI on 5W20 and doesn't use a drop either with 60k miles. The lighter weight oils are not a problem if the engine was properly designed for it.

[Grit_dog]

0W40 isn't "required" in a Hemi. What Dodge guy says is true. The 20W oils were specd for CAFE standards. Been running valvoline blue 15-40 or whatever other diesel oil was on sale in the wife's old srt charger for years now. At about 140kmiles now, the car runs like a top. The extent of repairs or maint to the engine have been oil changes, new spark plugs around 100k and.....that's it.
However I don't believe 0w20 necessarily lubricates measurably worse either.
Have run several trucks on the reccomended 0W20 oil. Granted not real high miles, but there's millions of cars running lightweight oil and they're not eating lifters or bearings.

[dodge_guy]

Yes, the Hemi’s have tight toloerances. But I still believe the oil is still to thin for extended intervals and longevity.

[FishOnOne]

dodge guy wrote:

mudfuel07 wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
And to add. In my professional opinion, as a tech. Since the 5W20 use has started across all manuf, the engine issues have risen. I believe it has to do with the thin oil that is spec’d for fuel mileage! Had an 07 Chrysler T&C and it used a quart of oil every 1500 miles between oil changes using the factory recommended 5W20. I switched to 5W30 and it used only a 1/2 qt every 3500miles. The only change to thinner oil was due to lower CAFE standards.

My Excursion is also supposed to use 5W20. After pulling into a campground for the night and starting it the next morning it would rattle for 5 seconds on startup due to oil drain back. Too much and unnecessary. I again switched to 5W30 as the previous motors used and it makes no noise and uses no oil, at least not by the stick! And it has had M1 since I’ve owned it with 17k miles. I do 4K mike oil changes.

0W20 and 5W20 while good for mileage leaves a lot to be desired for lubrication.

I thought one of the reasons for switching was the tighter clearances in the engine as well. A thicker oil would not get by and lubricate.

Some yes and some no. My 07 T&C with the 3.8 was specd for 5w20. The 05’s (I think) were specd at 5W30. Everything in the motor stayed the same, the only change was the oil.

The 6.4 requires 0W40 synthetic oil.

[dodge_guy]

mudfuel07 wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
And to add. In my professional opinion, as a tech. Since the 5W20 use has started across all manuf, the engine issues have risen. I believe it has to do with the thin oil that is spec’d for fuel mileage! Had an 07 Chrysler T&C and it used a quart of oil every 1500 miles between oil changes using the factory recommended 5W20. I switched to 5W30 and it used only a 1/2 qt every 3500miles. The only change to thinner oil was due to lower CAFE standards.

My Excursion is also supposed to use 5W20. After pulling into a campground for the night and starting it the next morning it would rattle for 5 seconds on startup due to oil drain back. Too much and unnecessary. I again switched to 5W30 as the previous motors used and it makes no noise and uses no oil, at least not by the stick! And it has had M1 since I’ve owned it with 17k miles. I do 4K mike oil changes.

0W20 and 5W20 while good for mileage leaves a lot to be desired for lubrication.

I thought one of the reasons for switching was the tighter clearances in the engine as well. A thicker oil would not get by and lubricate.

Some yes and some no. My 07 T&C with the 3.8 was specd for 5w20. The 05’s (I think) were specd at 5W30. Everything in the motor stayed the same, the only change was the oil.

[mudfuel07]

dodge guy wrote:
And to add. In my professional opinion, as a tech. Since the 5W20 use has started across all manuf, the engine issues have risen. I believe it has to do with the thin oil that is spec’d for fuel mileage! Had an 07 Chrysler T&C and it used a quart of oil every 1500 miles between oil changes using the factory recommended 5W20. I switched to 5W30 and it used only a 1/2 qt every 3500miles. The only change to thinner oil was due to lower CAFE standards.

My Excursion is also supposed to use 5W20. After pulling into a campground for the night and starting it the next morning it would rattle for 5 seconds on startup due to oil drain back. Too much and unnecessary. I again switched to 5W30 as the previous motors used and it makes no noise and uses no oil, at least not by the stick! And it has had M1 since I’ve owned it with 17k miles. I do 4K mike oil changes.

0W20 and 5W20 while good for mileage leaves a lot to be desired for lubrication.

I thought one of the reasons for switching was the tighter clearances in the engine as well. A thicker oil would not get by and lubricate.

[blofgren]

dodge guy wrote:
And to add. In my professional opinion, as a tech. Since the 5W20 use has started across all manuf, the engine issues have risen. I believe it has to do with the thin oil that is spec’d for fuel mileage! Had an 07 Chrysler T&C and it used a quart of oil every 1500 miles between oil changes using the factory recommended 5W20. I switched to 5W30 and it used only a 1/2 qt every 3500miles. The only change to thinner oil was due to lower CAFE standards.

My Excursion is also supposed to use 5W20. After pulling into a campground for the night and starting it the next morning it would rattle for 5 seconds on startup due to oil drain back. Too much and unnecessary. I again switched to 5W30 as the previous motors used and it makes no noise and uses no oil, at least not by the stick! And it has had M1 since I’ve owned it with 17k miles. I do 4K mike oil changes.

0W20 and 5W20 while good for mileage leaves a lot to be desired for lubrication.

I agree with your theory. Saying that my wife’s 2005 Acura MDX is silky smooth and quiet at all times on dino 5W20, even at start up. And it has 110k miles and has never used a drop of oil.

[dodge_guy]

And to add. In my professional opinion, as a tech. Since the 5W20 use has started across all manuf, the engine issues have risen. I believe it has to do with the thin oil that is spec’d for fuel mileage! Had an 07 Chrysler T&C and it used a quart of oil every 1500 miles between oil changes using the factory recommended 5W20. I switched to 5W30 and it used only a 1/2 qt every 3500miles. The only change to thinner oil was due to lower CAFE standards.

My Excursion is also supposed to use 5W20. After pulling into a campground for the night and starting it the next morning it would rattle for 5 seconds on startup due to oil drain back. Too much and unnecessary. I again switched to 5W30 as the previous motors used and it makes no noise and uses no oil, at least not by the stick! And it has had M1 since I’ve owned it with 17k miles. I do 4K mike oil changes.

0W20 and 5W20 while good for mileage leaves a lot to be desired for lubrication.

[BenK]

Am very curious and might play with an architectural discussion am having over at another forum

Are these engines deactivated during stuck in traffic/stop-sign/etc moments and turns OFF...to then turn back on when the throttle is touched?

IMHO...more of an issue with high pressure parts vs journal bears, like the crank to block vs valve train

Discussion is that during that short off and the high frequency they see...might the parts go metal to metal while waiting for traffic to move again?

Lots depends on many other things...engine oil film strength a biggie...

A tiny, tiny movement while metal to metal and dependent on the film strength of the oil to not allow it to go metal to metal

It is well documented that a high percentage of ICE wear (have seen numbers up to 60%) occurs during the first start after sitting over night...metal to metal wear...

They why of engine oiler kits so you start the ICE....AFTER...you run that engine oiler for a minute or two...

Just curious if these are part of that self stop/start to save the OEMs a tiny fraction in fuel usage

[gopherslayer]

Shaneo wrote:
I don't post a whole bunch, really enjoy reading through the forums though. This particular topic got my blood pumping 🙂

I have a 2016 Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi w/ 4.10 rear end. All oil changes have been through the dealer along with other maintenance items. I am on my THIRD set of lifters. Each time replacing cams and all lifters. The dealership has never been able to pinpoint the specific cause of the problem.. I will be taking it in again during the August/Sept. time frame because the rattling has returned. I will have discussions with the dealer on what can be done through Ram, I don't have high expectations they will be willing to help though.

I am not towing heavy and it is a daily driver truck. I have right about 53,000 miles....... I 'm counting down the days until I can just leave this truck at the dealership and drive a Duramax home.

Sounds like you have a dealership that diagnoses just like Ford did with the 6.oh nos. There’s more going on than just replacing the lifters.