2005 Durango Limited with Hemi put into service September 2004, now has 130k miles.

Three weeks ago I started it one morning at 15 deg. I heard what sounded like two metal gears colliding in the worse possible way. I backed off the key and tried again thinking it was the starter. Click, Click, Click is all it did.

My mechanic tried another starter, same thing. Removed starter and tried to turn by hand and it will turn just a few degrees and feel like something internal stopping it. Let it warm up in the garage overnight, took the belt off, same thing happened. Tried to turn it in reverse, it went all the way around backwards. Once he turned it backwards 360 he was able to turn it forward 360. Now it starts and runs.

I'm worried we don't know what the true issue is. Possible bent rod or valve where the spring didn't return it to its proper position? If that is the case, its going to fail soon if I don't address it.

Thank you for your insight,
Jason

 

I think the 2005 Hemi dos have a problem with the valve springs dropping.

 

To drop a valve wouldn't the spring have to break and if the spring broke wouldn't the engine either not run or make a rough rattling?

 

Here's something you may not have heard.... HYRDOLOCKING! That's what it sounds like to me! That's the cause of many a poor hemi throwing a rod. Theres nothing wrong with the Hemi rods, they are 10x stronger than a small block chevy design, its HYRDOLOCKING causing your problem.

Have you taken it through a car wash or had rain or any type of water hitting the hood? If recently before this count on replacing intake gaskets before you throw a rod!. And do it with copper permatex along with new intake gaskets. Those gaskets get old & flat over time and fail to seal.

The most likely cylinder that will throw a rod will be #7 or #8 because that's where the cowl leaks water onto the engine on a Durango, even with the updated cowl, water still passes through the windshield wiper holes in the cowl and leaks on the back of the engine.

The reason turning the engine backward 360 degrees worked, is because you weren't trying to compress water that doesn't compress and it exited via the backwards roation either through the intake or exhaust.

Discontinue use until you can get the gaskets replaced or if you must, just avoid washing, puddles and RAIN. Here's the fix, put copper permatex into the intake manifold gasket groves then place the new intake gaskets into those permatexed groves, when the intake is seated & torqued down it will create a triple seal on the manifold thus making it much harder for water to get in if not impossible. You'll notice this problem is most common on 03-06 Durango's because of the cowl design leaking water onto areas near the #7 & #8 runners. The updated cowl helps but does not cure all, the problem is the gaskets losing their seal over time and allowing water to be sucked in, and lets face it, engines are going to get wet, theres no two ways around it, engine fans can suck up & blow water onto the motor, so the only real fix isn't the Chrysler updated cowl, but a better intake gasket seal.

This is a silent killer for every Durango with a 5.7 Liter Hemi, even 5.7 liter hemi Ram engines could be affected but its not as common in them because of the engine sitting further back under a much better designed cowl.

 

Thank you Josh! That sounds like it could be it. I wonder if you can test a leaking intake manifold with a spray bottle at idle.

 

JoshSlash,
I had a 2007 Hemi Durango for close to seven years and for 6 months out a year it sat outside (my Coronets are garaged) and I never had a problem with the engine. I believe that some are prone to problems such as hydrolocking, but not every Hemi Durango as you stated. I would often take it to the spray wash to get the salt off it during the winter months or pressure wash it in my warehouse again without a problem. Something else must be to blame or maybe a certain model year.

 

By 2007 they updated the cowl panel, My parents 05 had it installed by the previous owner (was recalled by chrysler but never acknowledged as the cause for thrown rods just as "better run off") it cuts down on most of the rain water run off but still leaks through the wiper blade holes and probably cuts down on most cases of hemi's with blown rods, but given enough rain those wiper blade holes still leak right where #8 & #7 intake runners are.

I literally researched the heck out of this before my parents bought their Durango, because of all the jerks saying that the hemi's were junk and throwing rods. I read many online reviews of hemi's with thrown rods & found a pattern...After Car washes, Rain Storms or puddles these Hemi's threw rods. I even went as far as to check the weather history for areas that these Hemi's had blown rods in. The water can sit in the spots by the #7 & #8 cylinders for up to a week as I've personally taken note of on my parents Durango.

In my experience the brake cleaner or ether intake spray to find leaks is never accurate because seals do different things in different weather such as expanding & contracting so you may spray on a good day and its sealing. Its much like the old 360 Dodge Plenum gaskets, when in doubt CHANGE IT!.

Its easy to do, probably a 2 hour job...3 hours for a novice. The Hemi is extremely easy to work on. That is literally the first thing they did when they bought it was have me redo the intake gaskets.

 

You're welcome! Just replace the gaskets, its not worth it to even test them, if its over 80,000 miles change em!. Kinda like spark plugs, if they passed a certain mileage replace them and have piece of mind. The intake gaskets alone are $9 and the permatex is $7 so its a cheap fix for piece of mind. The intake comes off super easy on these Hemi's and is pleasant to work on. The thing you'll have the most trouble with is probably the engine intake tube & air hat. What makes the job easier is to take one side of the spark plug wires off & flop the assembly on to one side of the engine to get a complete view of the intake.

Have you ever noticed sputtering or misfires after a rain or car wash? that would be the first symptom that water is getting into the engine via the intake gaskets.

 

This dodge fan is starting to look at other makes. Perhaps my next car will be a Volvo. An obvious issue yet they won't repair it. I waiting for the dealer to give me a price on the new Cowl Panel. I'm also fighting with electrical issues on my 2006 1500.

 

Good luck with the Volvo...

I'd get the new intake gaskets before the cowl panel, but that's just me. Water gets splashed up from the road onto engines across the globe all the time and an engine should be able to handle decent amounts of that short of crossing a river...and the Hemi can and will handle it with the proper intake gasket fix. Other than this issue, the 5.7 Liter Hemi has proven itself to be a work horse.