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Clicking sound in 5.7 Mopar 10?

15K views 59 replies 29 participants last post by  runner2go 
#1 ·
Help? My new Mopar 10 Hemi makes a ticking sound like a clock, very audible at idle. I pulled up to the bank and McDonalds drive thru and could hear a distinct regular ticking sound. Like a fast clock. Is something wrong?
It's not an engine 'knock', just a ticking sound.
Please help if you know of this or if this is normal. Thanks in advance..
 
#3 ·
My new Challenger has it a little... but its more noticeable in the wife's 300c

To me it sounds very similar to my 74 Challenger, which has a set of Rhodes Lifters in it.
Rhodes lifters = the original Variable Timing lifter.
So I haven't worried about it too much...

But I'm sure some of the mechanic's on here will chime in with the a more detailed explanation.
 
#4 ·
My R/T had a similar noise when it was new. After I changed to synthetic and put 3500+ miles on her, it's now around the Hemi noise parameters. One thing for sure, your not going to take it in to the dealership and let them tear your motor apart for this! Give it time, you still have plenty of warranty time and if by chance it does go bad, then they would have to fix it right.

Be careful about some technicians at Chyrsler. One told me I didn't let the motor break in because I used synthetic at 1200 miles.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the tips. I'll monitor the situation, change to Mobile 1 at 3000 miles and see how he is.
 
#6 ·
Roller lifters in it. And wait until about 6K to go to synthetic. Let the rings seat first.
 
#7 ·
mine ticks too have 3k on it runs amsoil 0-20 also have a jeep commander and it has the tick also. mine almost sounds like an exhaust leak but its not.
 
#16 ·
Heck, I used to be one of the guys playing on stage - that is loud!

But the ticking is barely audible standing beside the car at idle but when I pull up next to a building, such as a drive thru, It seems pretty loud. I only have 1200 miles on mine so I'll watch (or listen) it closely.
 
#15 ·
Mine is at the dealer now to have bubbles in the grille surround and under hood panel fixed. Grille surround is being replaced. I think they are repainting the under hood piece.

Anyway, since the warranty is running out this year (2nd owner on 2009 gave me balance of 3 years) I asked them about the tick. Mine used to do it all the time, which was embarrassing at times. Starting in December - colder weather? though it seems counter-intuitive - it now only does it when the car is cold. It's quite loud and gets louder at lower RPMs. If, after a cold start, you wait for the engine to slow down, then put the car into gear, hold the brake and slip the clutch to slow it further, you can really hear it. It disappears at higher RPMs. Or maybe you just can't detect it then.

The folks at the dealer took days to investigate. I'm very lucky to have a dealer I trust. I've worked with the same service manager for years and their mechanics seem quite capable. They said that after further investigation and talking with Chrysler, they'd recommend not tearing down the engine to check for the source. They said they could not find anyone who knows what causes it or how common it is. They want to check other cars like mine - 5.7 6-speed - and see if they do it too. If not, they will go exploring if I want them to to try to find the cause while I still have warranty left.
I expect to be trading for a 392, so probably will ignore it unless there's some magical fix in the LX forum.

Suggestions or other info appreciated.
 
#18 ·
I am so glad to read this thread. I have been telling hubby for months that i hear this ticking noise, to which he thinks Im crazy. I hear it mostly when I start the car up in the garage, in a parking garage, a small semi-enclosed area... and at lower rpms.

Thanks for confirming im not nuts!
 
#20 ·
It's not the fuel injectors. I hear those too, once the engine warms up and the "Hemi-tick" is quieter or goes away entirely.

This past summer, the tick was continuous, warm or cold. Now it's only after the cars been sitting over-night until it warms up, for which I am thankful. The dealer heard it and investigated for several days. No idea what's causing it. Says Chrysler thinks it's normal and not worth pursuing. If you Google "Hemi tick cause" you'll find lots of other ideas. The only one that seems to work for the largest number of folks seems to be to change to the 6.1 exhaust pushrods, if you have the 5.7 engine, and longer aftermarket exhaust pushrods for the 6.1. Looks like that gives you about an 80% chance of success, though some that said this was an initial fix also said the tick returned later but was not as loud.

This seems to have some validity to me because with my Blastin' Bob's setup, I can actually hear the tick in the left side exhaust tip. The dealer did as well.

Elusive! and apparently has been for decades!

Now... I'm wondering, if I get the 392, is it going to also have the genetics to inherit the tick? We'll see.
 
#21 ·
I USE to get the tick when I first started it until the oil pressure come up and fills the lifters. I wouldn't even worry about it. I don't hear it now that that it has a few more miles on it.
 
#22 ·
I used to not hear it at all. Started at around 14k miles making the sound any time the engine was idling, but now, at almost 18k is not as bad and no longer occurs after the car warms up. Different oil maybe? I used to use Castrol's synthetic blend and, in an effort to "cure" the tick switched back to their non-synthetic (what do you call regular oil, organic?") just to see if there was a difference.

I've heard valve train noise due to lifters that have leaked down and maybe the ones in these cars sound different, but it doesn't sound at all like lifters to me. And, I can hear it at the end of the left exhaust pipe. I don't think lifter noise would travel that far.

I tried to record it on my iPhone, but too much background noise and you could just barely hear it if you knew what to listen for. I might try to rig a better recorder somehow, capture it, and post here to see if we're all talking about the same noise. Folks with normal cold lifter noise think that's what we're talking about, and I don't think it is.
 
#23 ·
Well, I've got 1200 miles on it and standing outside the car at idle, I can only hear it if I listen for it. Barely audible. The best place to hear it is at McDonalds drive thru next to the building. It's not as loud now so I'm gonna chalk it up as a Hemi Sound. Hemi is why I bought the car so I'd better start to like the 'tick' even though it is diminishing.
Thanks for all the comments - I'm glad I'm not crazy (well, I am, but I am hearing things too... )
 
#27 ·
Hey now, McDonalds has some very healthy meals (can't think of any right now)....:scratchhead:

But I hear it at bank drive thrus too. I guess you're gonna get me on those too. Personally, I'd like to see them outlaw drive thrus at fast foods. Think of all the gasoline wasted in a long line. I only go to hear how the 'tick is doing'..... :cowtounge:
 
#26 ·
The tick is quite common. My 03 Ram ticks all the time and my 06 300 and 09 Challenger tick sometimes. My wife's Aspen, with cylinder deactivation, does not tick.

Over the years, I've heard several good explanations...but nothing definite. Don't worry about it.
 
#31 ·
Tick Tick tick..we all are

Eating at Micky D's?? I once knew a young health nut worried about eating "healthy" . He one day was crossing the street and dropped dead. I say live life to make u happy and these cars and all the greasy food u want certainly fall into that catagory!:guiness:
 
#32 ·
Ok, I think old memories came to me. Back in the days of the muscle car Hemis, some people didn't want them because they said one had to always keep the lifters adjusted. They were called 'Solid' lifters and they definitely made a 'ticking' sound like mine does (although it is better).

Question> Do todays Hemis have 'Solid' lifters? If so, I know where the ticking is coming from.
I'm pretty old and even the very first Hemis in the 50's. I hope someone can answer this one.
Thanks to all - including the McDonalds lovers...:guiness:
 
#33 ·
No. The lifters are hydraulic. Though, I think they're much improved over the old hydro lifters to allow higher RPMs without getting "squishy."
My old "ironhead" Sportster (bought new in '76) has solid lifters and even with the rather loud exhaust, you can hear them, especially if the gap gets too wide. Also, my 98.5 Cummins 2500 has them. They've been adjusted once at 150k miles, per the manual. Paid the dealer to do it (24 valves = 24 lifters?). I don't think I can hear them, but you can't hear much of anything with the hood up and the diesel running - love it! LOL
I like the fish sandwich.
 
#35 ·
Well, I started all this and now guess what? Yep, the loud ticking is gone at 1400 miles. I guess this thread will now die a fast death from to many quarter pounders, frys, and diet cokes.
If it should start again, I'll start a new thread and hopefully won't venture into our eating habits.
But some of you guys are right. After buying Amsole filters, Mobile One oil, high octane gas, etc, who can afford anything to eat except fast foods.
RIP....:sleep:
 
#37 ·
Doesn't seem to be a problem at all, just normal engine noise. My exhausts (soon to be changed) are super quite so I can hear the engine real good and I think its ok. Now that I've said it, watch it start again.....
 
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