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Finally after 9500 miles, HEMI tick!

28K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  moparized 
#1 ·
'13 6 speed 392 with 9500 miles. First two oil changes with Pennzoil, next two Mobile 1. Seemed to have a faint tick if any at all from day one, and I mean faint. I changed my oil and filter 30 or so miles ago and after driving the car for about an hour, pulled into the driveway and got out to move something, I hear it. I said to myself dam, to good to be true for it not to happen. Coming from both wheel wells and under the hood. Only thing I can think of is I know the car takes 7 full quarts, when I did the change it took about 6 1/2 to 6 3/4. I checked it on level ground after about it sitting for thirty mins. So could 1/4-1-2 quart make a difference? I doubt it. I just can't believe all these f-Ing motors do this. Guys on here have bought theirs to the dealer and have had lifters changed and reported back that the sound quieted a little. Just a little? Is it even worth it? How long do these lifters last. What am I going to have all 16 of them replaced at 50,000 men's? This blows.
 
#6 ·
Loud enough for my wife, who knows nothing about cars, to ask me with a perplexed look on her face, what that noise is? But then in the same breath she came closer and said it doesn't sound bad. So I don't know. To me it sounds almost like a sewing machine. What I'll do is take a video and post it tomorrow and see if you guys think it's bad.
 
#3 ·
check what I wrote on noisy lifters
http://www.challengertalk.com/forums/f37/hemi-tick-378226/

see below cut paste from the Dealer Service Manual / mine can be super noisy when I drive like an a hole around the city and the oil is super hot etc...though constant abuse at the track makes it better

if you have a catch can i would inspect your oil caught;

i would not worry about it unless at 2000/3000 or above the tick persists and becomes a clap clap clap noise then you have something wrong

my tick goes away the second I reach 1k rpm and pressure reaches in the high 30's 40's and above

if you dont drive the car often I would not be surprised the lifters are not filling with oil thus their noisy operations

--------------------------

09 - Engine, 6.4L / Engine Block / LIFTER(S), Hydraulic, Roller / Diagnosis and Testing

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - HYDRAULIC ROLLER LIFTERS

Before disassembling any part of the engine to correct lifter noise, check the oil pressure. If the vehicle has no oil pressure gauge, install a reliable gauge at the pressure sending-unit. The pressure should be between 207-552 kPa (30-70 psi) at 3,000 rpm.

Check the oil level after the engine reaches normal operating temperature. Allow 5 minutes to stabilize oil level, check dipstick. The oil level in the pan should never be above the FULL mark or below the ADD OIL mark on the dipstick. Either of these two conditions could be responsible for noisy lifters.


OIL LEVEL


HIGH

If oil level is above the FULL mark, it is possible for the connecting rods to dip into the oil. With the engine running, this condition could create foam in the oil pan. Foam in oil pan would be fed to the hydraulic lifters by the oil pump causing them to lose length and allow valves to seat noisily.


LOW

Low oil level may allow oil pump to take in air. When air is fed to the lifters, they lose length, which allows valves to seat noisily. Any leaks on intake side of oil pump through which air can be drawn will create the same lifter action. Check the lubrication system from the intake strainer to the pump cover, including the relief valve retainer cap. When lifter noise is due to aeration, it may be intermittent or constant, and usually more than one lifter will be noisy. When oil level and leaks have been corrected, operate the engine at fast idle. Run engine for a sufficient time to allow all of the air inside the lifters to be bled out.


LIFTER NOISE DIAGNOSIS

1.To determine source of lifter noise, crank the engine with cylinder head covers removed.

2.Feel each valve spring or rocker arm to detect noisy lifter. The noisy lifter will cause the affected spring and/or rocker arm to vibrate or feel rough in operation.







NOTE:


Worn valve guides or ****ed springs are sometimes mistaken for noisy lifters. If such is the case, noise may be dampened by applying side thrust on the valve spring. If noise is not noticeably reduced, it can be assumed the noise is in the lifter. Inspect the rocker arm push rod sockets and push rod ends for wear.



3.Valve lifter noise ranges from light noise to a heavy click. A light noise is usually caused by excessive leak-down around the unit plunger or by the plunger partially sticking in the lifter body cylinder. The lifter should be replaced. A heavy click is caused by a lifter check valve not seating or by foreign particles wedged between the plunger and the lifter body. This will cause the plunger to stick in the down position. This heavy click will be accompanied by excessive clearance between the valve stem and rocker arm as the valve closes. In either case, lifter assembly should be removed for inspection and cleaning.

4.The valve train generates a noise very much like a light lifter noise during normal operation. Care must be taken to ensure that lifters are making the noise. If more than one lifter seems to be noisy, it's probably not the lifters.
 
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#5 ·
U should be checking oil by dipstick and not anything else. That very question was asked of the SRT engineering team in one of their sit down sessions and they specifically said to go by the dip stick and not the 7 quart fill.
 
#7 ·
Well I'd say the sewing machine sound is normal. I get that once in a while. It's not that loud to be annoying to me. Don't panic bro. I'd drive it for a little while more to see if anything changes. When you first noticed the sound, was the car at full operating temps? Did the sound change at different RPMs? Did you fill the oil filter when you changed the oil?


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#16 ·
Operating temps, yes, I didn't check different RPM however today is going to be the first day I'm driving it so I'll listen more intently. I always fill the oil filter, soak in, then fill again until that soaks in before installing it.
 
#8 ·
"The valve train generates a noise very much like a light lifter noise during normal operation."


I have said for years that this noise is due to the geometry of the hemi's. I will take it a step farther and suggest that the sloppy American car manufacturer tolerances only exasperate the issue.


That being said, I have heard many attempts to explain this sound as injector noise. Nonsense... I hear my injectors at idle. It's as plain as the nose on your face. Its more of an electrical ticking sound and not mechanical. My issue, and many others hear a very defined, although subtle, mechanical tick at or around 1200 RPM's through 2000 RPM's give or take. This sound always sounds like its coming from the passenger side of the engine. When I test drove the car I bought I heard it on the test drive. Before settling on my car, I test drove 5 other SRT's (all 392's) and I could hear that sound in all of them in that range. I consider that noise to be "normal" as described in the aforementioned quote. Although many would disagree with my assessment. And many more never actually hear the sound. But make no mistake, its there if you know what to listen for.


What you are describing is a change in sound and at idle no less. I wouldn't consider that normal and have it looked at.
 
#10 ·
"The valve train generates a noise very much like a light lifter noise during normal operation."


I have said for years that this noise is due to the geometry of the hemi's. I will take it a step farther and suggest that the sloppy American car manufacturer tolerances only exasperate the issue.


That being said, I have heard many attempts to explain this sound as injector noise. Nonsense... I hear my injectors at idle. It's as plain as the nose on your face. Its more of an electrical ticking sound and not mechanical. My issue, and many others hear a very defined, although subtle, mechanical tick at or around 1200 RPM's through 2000 RPM's give or take. This sound always sounds like its coming from the passenger side of the engine. When I test drove the car I bought I heard it on the test drive. Before settling on my car, I test drove 5 other SRT's (all 392's) and I could hear that sound in all of them in that range. I consider that noise to be "normal" as described in the aforementioned quote. Although many would disagree with my assessment. And many more never actually hear the sound. But make no mistake, its there if you know what to listen for.


What you are describing is a change in sound and at idle no less. I wouldn't consider that normal and have it looked at.

Don't ever listen to a new Porsche then, they sound like a box of rocks while running LOL

To the OP, your car is likely just fine. I don't feel like I have had abnormal ticking on any of the 3 SRT Hemis I have owned. Maybe I'm just lucky...I dunno.
 
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#9 ·
The Hemi tick has been around since 2003. I heard it on my 2005 5.7L Ram, my 2014 5.7L Challenger and I can every so slightly hear it on my 2015 392.

Other than an occasionally broken rocker, these engines just don't grenade.

I never let my 2015 A8 go into MDS. I did for the first few thousand miles, but stopped. If I keep the car long enough, I would eventually like to replace the lifters and turn off MDS permanently.

The "sewing machine" tick is what most people report. I can hear it instantly on most Hemi's. Other ticks / knocks are definitely different.
 
#11 ·
I have the same noise. Not thrilled with it, but I am learning to live with it. I have a 2013 392 SRT with a 6 speed manual. The ticking, as described by several above, is most prevalent between 1,500 to 3,000 RPMs. The sound comes from the passenger side. I took it to the dealer about a month ago. They replaced the lifters on the passenger side of the engine. The sound is still there, albeit quieter. My dealer even had a Chrysler rep in to listen to the ticking. He acknowledged that it was there, but could not say if it was normal or not. After replacing the lifters, my dealer and Chrysler rep said that if the ticking gets louder, then bring it back in and they will see what they can do. I do appreciate the fact that my dealer has been very helpful and good to work with. I have read some unfortunate posts on the Forum about Chrysler and their dealer not helping and being a pain in the butt.

My car only has 3,300 miles on it, so it ticks me off (no pun intended) that my car makes this noise. I did test drive a 2014 SRT Core with also 3,300 miles and it has a slight tick as well. The ticking is loudest when first driving the car. It does seem to get quieter as the car is used later in the day. I am hoping for a miracle and that it eventually goes away, but I am confident that I will not be that lucking. At this point, I am just hoping that the noise doesn't get worse/louder.
 
#17 ·
You see that's just it. I don't want to drop the car off at the dealer, have them remove and replace what they think is broke, only to get it back with it sounding "a little better". I guess it's normal. I'll drive the **** out of it today and take a closer look.
 
#12 ·
So it's a tick or the sewing machine? After my engine being very quiet for the first couple thousand miles, I am starting to hear the sewing machine occasionally. It normally doesn't bother me but sometimes it is noticeable and I don't like it but what can you do? If it was a constant rythmic tick then you could say lifter or valve spring but when the whole engine clatters not sure what to say. Might try a thicker oil next time, it's a 6-speed manual and no MDS.


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#13 ·
Teddy......You describe the "tick" as "faint", are you sure it's not the fuel injectors making the normal noise??
 
#14 ·
I've been listening more intently since I changed filters and oil a week ago. I went from the stock MO-899 to the SRT filter and from Mobil 1 to Pennzoil Ultra. Idled the quietest I've ever heard right after the change, but then a couple days ago I heard a faint tick while going through the drive thru at the bank. By the time I got home, listening in the garage, it was gone. So at least with mine, I can still hear a faint ticking at idle (goes away above idle) occasionally. Not sure why it would be intermittent but you'd think if it was injectors, you'd hear it all the time. I still think it's valvetrain. Maybe on occasion, they just somehow get a little bubble of air in the lifters or something? Or just the right type of driving beforehand causes the slightest amount of "play" in some of the lifters.

Don't really know but if all I get is this faint tick once in a while, I'm certainly not worried about it. I'm only going to worry if it progresses to the louder "knock" type sound I've heard on some clips here.

Mike
 
#19 ·
Well I had the car out today for the first time since what I thought was a pronounced ticking. First thing I did was check the oil after it had been sitting for 2-3 days on level ground. No if you remember from my first post I changed the oil using Mobil One and SRT filter and noticed the tick after about 30 miles. So anyway checking the oil and it's about 3/32- 1/8" ABOVE the top safe zone, no more. I know over fill is just as detrimental as under. Could that little bit be cause for concern? Could that give the tick? Now to really make things more interesting, when I started the car all was fine, no tick. Drove the car on the highway for about an hour and in town for about 30 mins. When I pulled in the drive at home, checked next to rack wheel well and under the hood, it was purring like a kitten and ran like a beast. No pronounced ticking that I could hear. Hmm, Racing O did say these lifters do need to be pumped up with oil so maybe that's what happened on the highway drive. I'll keep this updated.
 
#20 ·
My Hemi has been chattering like the proverbial sewing machine since I got it. Occasionally when starting it up it really clatters like a collapsed lifter until the oil pressure builds. Sounds worse at idle with the AC on. After decades of listening of engines rattle, chatter and clunk I'm not worried about it at all.
 
#22 ·
Well I've driven the car a few more times since my ticking episode and I'm happy to say I can not duplicate what I originally heard! That being said I think the "Hemi Tick" can be categorized into two groups;

1. An inherent trait of this motor where as the lifters do not fill with oil completely thus not giving that "hydraulic lifter" enough shock compression rolling off of the cam shaft therefore hitting said camshaft a tad bit harder resulting in the metal ticking noise, and;

2. An actual defective from the factory or broken lifter not able to fill with oil at all.

I'm guessing the large majority of the "tick" is the first group and comes and goes under different variables such as; engine oil temp, oil pressure, which is a direct result of how the car is run, type of oil and filter. It's amazing because when I started this thread I was 90% sure I had a broken lifter from the 392 sewing machine I was hearing under my hood!

So that leaves just a small minority that actually get lifters changed. I do suppose they are broke, but if you read about these cases, the owners say they still hear some type of ticking after the work has been performed which then places them back into the first category above.

This of course is my observation form reading here on Challengertalk, the net, and talking with others. I hope others with the "tick" will read this and note how I went from a completely quiet motor to a obvious tick, back to quiet and know that it is most likely normal and no need for panic.
 
#23 ·
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