During an oil change visit the Napa auto care manager commented that he was not used to seeing 2003 HEMI trucks with 260,000 miles and asked if it was the original engine. Response of course was yes and he said what happens is the early hemi's like to break valve springs. Do I need to worry? This work truck is all highway and spends 5 days a week toting me and my tools to airports. Anything I can do to make sure I'm not a victim?

 

Common problem in the '03 and early '04 Hemi is weak valve springs. These were replaced fairly early in the '04 model year with stouter ones. A lot of people swap 'em out for the stronger ones as they are not expensive.


A broken valve spring doesn't always do in the engine, although it could depending on how fast you're going and how fast you can shut it down.


If these are the original springs at 260,000 miles, I honestly wouldn't worry about it unless you want to make a weekend over-haul project out of it. I mean at a quarter million miles it a basic over-haul wouldn't be a bad idea anyway...

 

x2 ^^^

 

I'm at 140,000+ on my originals, you are damn near twice that. As stated, at that mileage some replacements wouldn't be a bad idea even for newer springs.

 

If it ain't broke. Leave it alone. Keep doing what your doing, it's obviously working.

 

We see many with high mileage.


The biggest mistake people make with the Hemi valve springs is not recognizing what it is, throwing parts at it, at the same time running the crap out of it while totally unaware they're doing more damage.

 

Can they be changed without pulling the heads off? I have the perfect candidate for performing the job.

 

I guess I am worried. A new vehicle is in order but funds are being absorbed by kids schools.
Wonder what replacement engines run

 

Of course. Just need some shop air, a compression gauge hose minus the schrader valve, and a valve spring compressor.

 

Absotively. Mine broke the #6 exhaust spring @ 122K. It broke while the engine was idling, so no damage, fortunately. I did the valve stem seals and push rods while I had it apart. Not the easiest job, but not the nightmare I had feared.