I have an '06 Ram with the 5.7 liter Hemi and pretty much since I have owned the truck the engine has been "noisy", i.e. alot of tapping and such; sometimes it almost sounds like it has a rod knocking or something like that. I have had it to a Dodge service center 5 times and have been told everything from "Oh that's the mechanical fuel pump" to "that's carbon buildup" (the truck didn't have 10,000 miles on it at the time) to "I don't hear nuthin". I have a friend that has the same truck from the same year and he told me his has sounded the same way from day one. But I have listened to several others and they don't sound like that. A guy I work with use to be work at a Nissan garage and he told me that I should stop using 5W-30 oil and switch to 10W-30 and also try a can of Lucas oil treatment. He said the only reason they use that lighter oil in new engines is because it's less resistance to the rotating mass in the engine and they can claim higher gas mileage numbers. So my wife takes it to get the oil changed yesterday and tells the guy to use 10W-30. He says there is something in a Hemi that will clog up and ruin the engine if you use the heavier oil. So now I don't know what to do. The engine has always ran great but has always been noisy. So should I try the heavier oil? Is there any truth to something in the Hemi clogging up with a heavier oil? Does anyone else have a noisy Hemi?

 

My Chevy 6.0 did it, my Hemi will do it ever so slightly if I let it warm up by idling.

I had a remote start on my Chevy, I do not plan to remote start my Ram. Start it, drive easy and when my truck is up to full temp.....I never hear it.

I use 0w-20 Mobil or Amsoil. Truck has 29,000 miles. Bought it with 20,000.

Too much idling.....Drive it !

 

EVERYBODY has the "Hemi Tick" to some degree. DO NOT RUN ANY OTHER OIL THAN 5W-20 IN AN MDS HEMI!!! For once, "the guy" at the oil change place is correct!
The tolerances are that tight. There is a service bulletin that states if you have an engine failure and ANY other weight other than 5w-20 is found in there, they will NOT cover it under warranty.
If you get a tuner and turn off MDS then I'd maybe go 5w-30, but that's about it... For those running a "premium" synthetic, 0w-20 cross references and should be fine. However, and this is BIG, if you are running Amsoil, DO NOT EXCEED about 6,000 miles between changes, NO MATTER WHAT AMSOIL TELLS YOU! The reason Amsoil holds it's protective properties is because over time, as it's heated and cooled, the viscosity actually gets thicker. Independent tests have shown that 0w-20 can actually measure a viscosity of 20w-40 at as little as 10k miles. Something to really consider if you have an MDS engine...

 

^^^I agree with hammer. Thicker oil won't solve your ticking issue's and may cause problems elswhere. Ticking is in the valve guides and thicker oil won't help at all.

I ran Synthetic soon after my ticking started which was at 400miles. I tried the Lucas Synthetic oil stabilizer with one oil change and it did help a tiny bit, but the noise was still there and the Synth. Lucas was $16 so that's not gonna happen every oil change. I have mds turned off and run 5w-30 because it's what Advance Auto had on sale at the time, but I won't run any thicker oil than that. 10w means it's thicker when cold than 5w. the 30 means how thick it is when fullly warmed and is why 5w-30 is too thick for MDS engines which you have.

 

Okay now I'm really confused. Dirtydog you say that 5W-30 is too thick for an MDS Hemi. 5W-30 is what the Dodge service centers have alwas put in my engine. Are you saying I should use a lighter oil?

 

To my knowledge DODGE dealers should ONLY be getting 5w-20 in bulk, any other weight and synthetic are NOT coming from Mopar and you usually see them pouring it from bottles.

I would be shocked that a Dodge dealer is putting 5w-30 in an MDS engine since Chrysler makes such a big fuss about NOT using any other viscosity. But YES YOU SHOULD ONLY USE 5w-20 unless you cut your MDS off...

 

I say it's too thick because you COULD have mds problems. Not that it just won't work, there have been plenty of reported problems about thicker viscosity oils than the 5w-20 that is reccomended regarding the mds activation. You could run it and be fine, but I'd stick to 5w-20 as whats reccomended. If they have put in 5w-30 either they are mistaken or you are because my local dodge dealer only sells bottles in 5w-30 to the service dept and 5w-20 by the qt. on tap from the pump because most chrysler vehicles take 5w-20 and not 5w-30. Just as Hammer has stated.

 

I have friends that have both the MDS Hemi and non-MDS Hemi and both run 5w-30. I believe Dodge only started the 20 weight thang for MDS motors.

30 weight should be fine for non-MDS motors.

I don't really run more than 6-7k miles with Synthetic.

 

are u sure these guys are a dodge dealership? lol did they lose there title because alot of places have. I'd be pissed if they were dumping the wrong oil in my truck of all people. you should tell them how to do there job cus there sucking at it.

 

"Mechanical fuel pump!?" What a bunch of idiots! 10W-30 won't hurt the motor, but it isn't what you should use.