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Clicking/Ticking Sound

51K views 25 replies 15 participants last post by  crzynickratkllr 
#1 ·
My 3 week old '13 RT has a clicking or ticking sound that varies with engine speed. Been there since the begining. I bought it through a broker so I never took it for a test drive or I would have asked about it. Anyone else experiencing this and have any idea what it is? Thanks.
 
#2 ·
This is more than likely the "Hemi Tick". It's normal, and you'll especially hear it in colder weather and cold start.
 
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#3 ·
You're going to get responses all over the place. If you search (and even google) for 'Hemi Tick' you'll get an idea what I'm talking about. My 2013 R/T does it too and did it from day one. It seems to get better, but certainly did not disappear when I switched to Mobil 1 (synthetic), which I did at 500 miles (I now have over 5,500). The racket also seems to get lower as the car gets older and comes and goes for no apparent reason. It's audible below 2,000-2,500 RPM, while driving, and is RPM-dependent. Too loud for injectors. As for that 'all Hemis' do it line you'll get, my Charger didn't. At all.
Your guess is as good as mine, unfortunately. :dunno: Planning to put my mechanic on the case, but I'd rather not do what some did: have the car opened up to replace the lifters and still get the ticking.
 
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#5 ·
I think it's a case of tolerance stacking, which would explain why some do and some don't while all seem OK. I'm still going to have this checked, and not by a Dodge tech (they all repeat the same party line that it's normal).
 
#8 ·
It's the normal valve train noise. Was even louder on my SRT-10 V10. Nothing is wrong or broken and it doesn't hurt anything. When you hear it just imagine all of those lifters and pushrods in there working hard so that you can have a silly grin on your face. If it bothers you, get a good catback exhaust so you listen to engine music instead of the valve train. Thankfully it isn't going to ever sound like a Buick!
 
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#9 ·
I think:

1) It's the injectors or the valve train ( normal). Mine does it and high end cars my friends have do it too.

2) Phil really hates Buicks.
 
#12 ·
This is an explanation that I previously posted on 1/10/10:

On the chargerforums web site there was a interesting discussion about what causes the "ticking' sound in modern Hemi engines and how it can be quieted. Here is the post:

Many here know what we do to stop the Hemi Tick, but we figured that since there are so many new faces here, they may not have heard that you don't have to have it in your engines.

We have discussed previously that there are 3 culprits that cause the "Hemi Ticking" that is heard in idle and just off idle.

1) Intake and exhaust valves do not have any kind of cushioning from the fuel. Fuel usto have higher amounts of sulfur and tetra ethyl or tetra methyl lead to lubricate and cushion intake and exhaust valves in the old days. When EPA decided to go to unleaded fuels, hardened valves and seats were produced trying to deal with the lack of lubricant. This was adequate at best, but did allow engines to live longer than if they had soft valves and seats. However, when they went to ethyl alcohol, that all changed. Alcohol absorbs moisture and strips lubricity. That was bad enough, but when they reduced the sulfur content from 130 parts per million (ppm) to 30 ppm, it really produced a perfect storm. Both the intake and exhaust valves are now hitting against the valve seats with no cushioning at all. This causes wear, and then of course....noise or TICK.

2) Fuel injectors depend on at least 70 ppm of sulfur to stay alive. When EPA went to the ethyl alcohol and less than 30 ppm, they have no cushioning allowing them to click or tick also while building up gum and varnish. This restricts the flow of fuel and turns the vaporized spray pattern into an atomized spray pattern. Atomized fuel doesn't burn as well, and helps wash down into the cylinders and wipes out the detergents and dispersants much faster. This is the second part of the Hemi Tick.

3) Because the Hemi has a very short skirt and thin rings with virtually no land area, the piston wants to rock in the bores. This is another reason for the moly piston skirt coatings. It is designed to cushion the short skirt. The problem is that as miles rack up, the moly is worn off and a louder engine or tapping noise begins to occur. This is the third part of the Hemi Tick. This part actually contributes to more aluminum in your oil analysis. An oil analysis is always important to do on any engine you want to take care of as a baseline, and then every 3rd oil change, do one just to be sure nothing is leaking or causing problems.
 
#14 ·
Is this normal

My engine tick has become so loud that it sounds like a diesel truck. I have the Mopar cat back exhaust and I can still hear the ticking/tapping sound. When I pull into my garage the sound is magnified, it used to sound like a muscle car, now my car sounds like a "Jalopy". I dont have any codes or check engine lights on, the engine just sounds bad. I have a video attached tell me does this sound normal for the 5.7 Hemi engine with 35,000 miles on it.

I love my Challenger but I hate the "Hemi Tick"
 
#15 ·
My engine tick has become so loud that it sounds like a diesel truck. I have the Mopar cat back exhaust and I can still hear the ticking/tapping sound. When I pull into my garage the sound is magnified, it used to sound like a muscle car, now my car sounds like a "Jalopy". I dont have any codes or check engine lights on, the engine just sounds bad. I have a video attached tell me does this sound normal for the 5.7 Hemi engine with 35,000 miles on it.

I love my Challenger but I hate the "Hemi Tick"
I don't see the video?

An exhaust leak can sound like a very bad tick, perhaps you have a leaking exhaust manifold gasket, cracked exhaust manifold, etc.

Whatever the case, you should still have the powertrain warranty. Ever take it to your dealer and have them look into it?
 
#16 ·
Sorry just figured out how to attach the video so now here is my "Hemi Tick"

My engine tick has become so loud that it sounds like a diesel truck. I have the Mopar cat back exhaust and I can still hear the ticking/tapping sound. When I pull into my garage the sound is magnified, it used to sound like a muscle car, now my car sounds like a "Jalopy". I don’t have any codes or check engine lights on, the just sounds bad. I have a video attached tell me does this sound normal for the 5.7 Hemi engine with 35,000 miles on it.

IMG1440 - YouTube
 
#19 ·
OK, read on this site about products from BND Automotive that are supposed to help ameliorate the hemi tick: Aces IV gasoline formula and Quantum Mineral Synthesis Base Oil. They are expensive but I decided to give it a try. They arrived today. I put in the fuel additive right away. No time for an oil change today. And it works! An immediate reduction in click/tick by - in my estimation - 75-90% Its still there but it is significantly reduced. Enough that it now doesn't bother me! I'll follow up and let you know if the oil produces any additional benefit.
 
#20 ·
Then it sounds like your tick was coming from the injectors, the fuel additive won't change anything else.

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#23 ·
I am on the fence about the hemi tick.

My hearing is bad (thanks to F-4 jets) so I hadn't noticed it really. One day I knelt the side of the car and I could hear it plain as day.

I immediately think of lifter lash. All solid cam have the tick. If you heard it on hydraulic lifters, then you think the lifters need adjusting as the valve lash is too loose. Bad for the valve train. Better loose than tight, but not good either way.

Now a bad hydraulic lifter may not be pumping up and cause lifter tick.

I was not aware that injectors can cause a tick. I have heard the exhaust leak ticks many times and this ain't it.

So, if there is a lifter problem it will become worse over time if not corrected.

I instinctively what to blame it on the 5w20 oil. I want to go to 5w-30 oil for a few reasons, this being one of them.
 
#24 ·
Keep in mind that the "HEMI tick" has existed for many years, before the Challenger, before the 5w20 standard, and people have logged hundreds of thousands of miles on engines with the "tick" and have had no problems whatsoever. It doesn't get worse, the engine doesn't fail. It is simply a harmless tick that some have and find annoying. It's a problem that doesn't need a fix in order to ensure engine longevity.

Since you have a 6-speed then you should be able to run 5w30 without issue if you want. I run 5w20 Mobil 1 EP and my engine is very quiet, as I said before the injectors are the noisiest part under the hood. Some others have found Mobil 1 to help their tick, some haven't.

Personally, I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about it.
 
#26 ·
Mine ticks also. Sounds like exhaust. Of course the reply from the dealer is, "We couldn't duplicate the problem." Or, "we don't hear it." Same with my door panels vibrating along the upper area somewhere with the stereo turned up. They can't hear it or duplicate it. Do they do this until your out of warranty so you will be unable to pursue it after time?
 
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