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5.7 Top End Clatter

chtampa

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I have an 06 rebuilt long block 5.7 Gen3. First start and it has oil pressure, AMSOIL Synthetic. There was a lot of clatter coming from the motor, sounds a lot like lifter issues. The rebuilder says the lifters can take a long time to pump up and to run it for a while. Had it going for 30 minutes when I started it up again yesterday and it still sounds like every lifter is still empty. It runs smooth and has good response. My technical knowledge on the 5.7 is very limited. It sounds worse than a SBC with a solid cam and loose rockers that I had at one time. Sounds like a diesel when it idles.

MSD Hemi 6
MSD Atomic EFI on MP Intake
Non VVT
No EGR
Stock, used Ram Truck cam


Is this something easy to fix or does the engine need to come back out?
 
Last edited:
Used cam in a fresh rebuild? Why?
 
You need to set aside the old rules when building a late model engine. The hard and fast rule of always use a new cam and lifters does not always apply. Roller tipped lifters and a hollow stock cam are the common thing for the 5.7 Hemi engines.
 
I would never cheap out and use old lifters , roller or flat tappet. ... nor would I ever ever reuse a cam , but that's just me...
 
Can we can get back on track?
Pretty sure we haven't gotten off track.
Your original complaint, the one you're asking for opinions on:
"There was a lot of clatter coming from the motor, sounds a lot like lifter issues."
Well, obviously valvetrains start at the cam and lifters, which in this case are not new, so....?
 
Pretty sure we haven't gotten off track.
Your original complaint, the one you're asking for opinions on:
"There was a lot of clatter coming from the motor, sounds a lot like lifter issues."
Well, obviously valvetrains start at the cam and lifters, which in this case are not new, so....?
It didn't sound like you were making a specific diagnosis, my mistake. What have you done when you ran across this problem on the Gen3 5.7 Hemi?
 
How long did the lifters sit before being reinstalled into the engine and did you put store them in a container of oil while they were waiting to be reinstalled. That generally helps but even on a regular old school engine, it's no guarantee. I found out the hard way on my very first engine build.
 
A video would be very helpful, early gen 3 Hemis were prone to a “ticking” noise. It’s hard to diagnose from just a word being used to describe it ya know.
 
How long did the lifters sit before being reinstalled into the engine and did you put store them in a container of oil while they were waiting to be reinstalled. That generally helps but even on a regular old school engine, it's no guarantee. I found out the hard way on my very first engine build.
The engine sat together for about a year while I was working on the accessories. The builder mentioned something about having them full when assembled. If it is worth mentioning I had it upside down for a little while working on the pan change and waiting for parts to arrive and painting.
 
A video would be very helpful, early gen 3 Hemis were prone to a “ticking” noise. It’s hard to diagnose from just a word being used to describe it ya know.
I post pictures but don't know how to do videos. When running it sounds just like being next to a diesel. Clattering away, not ticking. It is almost scary to let it remain running for the 30 minutes I did.
 
I posted the video of the lifter replacement so you might check what they did. I noticed oil holes in the sides and if there's anyway they could be installed wrong? I've never had one of these apart, just throwing ideas out there.

Member @5.7 hemi might have some input.
 
Beginning back in 2003 when these 5.7 hemi's came out, there's always been the controversy of the "hemi tick", seems like.
I've owned five (5) vehicles with the 5.7 (including my beloved '04 Ram and our current '12 Charger R/T) and a couple of them would "talk" a little bit.
My Ram has always had a tick at idle since new; turns out on that one, it's the fuel injection on it. She has 165k+ miles on her and runs as good now as she ever did new.
The '06 (first year of MDS, remember?) led to a big outcry of hemi tick issues, I remember.
As you may or may not recall, part of the cylinder deactivation process the PCM goes through on those is dropping oil pressure to the lifters in the cylinders the computer wishes to deactivate.

At one point, Mopar even issued a "recall" on the issue way back then, so there was at the time the relief that Ma at least acknowledged something was supposedly going on.
I'll see if I can dig up the STAR document on the procedure they went through attempting to "cure" ticky tocky valvetrains; it's a pretty simple procedure if I recall correctly, although I remain dubious about the whole thing even today.

Funny situation on my Ram - once while she was in on an unrelated air bag recall, the dealer called to inform me that the infamous "hemi tick recall" procedure hadn't been performed on her and wanted permission to do so.
My immediate answer was "hell no - don't you so much as clean the dust off that engine."
When they were persistent about it, I told the guy that whatever they did to my engine, I was gonna do to HIM - sans any
Mopar-approved tools.
They left it alone.... :)

Bottom line is, without any of us being there, it's going to be very difficult to "diagnose" anything from afar, especially without at the least a video.
 
I posted the video of the lifter replacement so you might check what they did. I noticed oil holes in the sides and if there's anyway they could be installed wrong? I've never had one of these apart, just throwing ideas out there.

Member @5.7 hemi might have some input.
I wasn't there when he assembled it. I got it as a long block plus gingerbread. He does a lot of Gen3 rebuilds but he could have been careless though.

And I haven't ever posted a YouTube video either. Is it possible to take a video on my phone and attach it directly to a post?
 
I wasn't there when he assembled it. I got it as a long block plus gingerbread. He does a lot of Gen3 rebuilds but he could have been careless though.

And I haven't ever posted a YouTube video either. Is it possible to take a video on my phone and attach it directly to a post?
PM me I’ll send you my cell number you can send me the video I’ll upload it to YouTube
 
I wasn't there when he assembled it. I got it as a long block plus gingerbread. He does a lot of Gen3 rebuilds but he could have been careless though.

And I haven't ever posted a YouTube video either. Is it possible to take a video on my phone and attach it directly to a post?

I believe there might be some programs out there to do it straight from your phone but I don't know myself.

On my phone, I just bring up the video, click on share, select YouTube, give it a title and it uploads. Then I can share it wherever. It's been awhile but you might want to download the YouTube application first.
 
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