question for ya'll. i was wondering if it would be worth it to to tear into the engine and clean/ replace a few things. at 125k the engine has the annoying hemi tick. from what i've heard 6.1 pushrods will eliminate the problem. my plan was to order moes cam swap package that includes 6.1 springs/rods and a comp 260. would it be worth it to take the heads off and clean the engine and check for sludge? what would this include? obviously i would re'gasket the heads but is there anything else i should do to refresh the engine? i'm trying to postpone any crazy machine work, just wanna do this in the summer with about $1000 or preferably less.

also would it be worth it with the cam swap to get the xv intake?

 

Mexico,
Man I like that manifold. But have been told OEM setup is good to about 450hp. My thoughts on pulling the heads are, if you do pull them either replace them with a pair that have been worked or have a valve job and mill done on the originals. Sounds like you have a good plan. As we know 03's can be a bitch....

 

Id pass on that manifold, there are quite a few extras that will be needed to get it to work right but everything else sounds good to me

 

I'm going to work on the transmission on mine and then go forward onto the heads myself. Keep us posted on what you do.

Some say the tick never goes away. I am interested on your experiences with a different cam, though. I want to go through and just change the springs and rods just to get rid of the HEMI tick -- but weed got it in my head that if I'm going that far might as well do a cam... makes a lot of sense except for the whole wallet thing.

I would probably look into having something down with the valves like redtruck said, seems that's a lot of the probs -- in 04 on the durangos I hear a lot of broken blocks due to the rods falling into the engine. yum.

 

is this for performance sake or do they need too be rebuilt to spec? i don't know much about valve train stuff but i'd imagine theres not much to be done to them unless you want performance. honestly i want a little more oomph but i dont really care right now... all i want is to make sure she keeps running like a top until i have the money for a stroker

also what cam should i be looking at in order to avoid the need for a tuner? again i'm not looking to build a race car.. just a lil more oomph, and a nice souding exhaust lope

 

From weed-- comp cams 260 or sidewinder fsi -- if you find out more on either let me know. I briefly looked on comp cams website and I coudln't find a definitve cam that said it didn't need a tuner. Sidewinder I haven't really looked at -- there are a bunch of posts on youtube, tho.

I think the main problem with the valve train -- from what I gathered from the net is that the valve stem would break, allowing the rod to drop into the cylinder, thus pushing the piston through the block.

But -- I've never taken an engine apart, so this is all coming from reading and reading and reading.

 

There are "push rods" that operate the valves and "connecting rods" that the pistons are mounted to that connect to the crank. I am not use to hearing "push rods" refered to as rods. The term "rods" to me are connecting rods. The reports I have heard are the "connecting rod" being thrown not a "push rod". Now if a valve is dropped into the cylinder it will destroy the piston and possibly (likely) the cylinder walls and head as well. It may bend the "connecting rod" and basically destroy the engine. I have also heard the hemi-tick problem cured by working on the valve train. Personally I think the hemi-tick is related to lifter/ push rod combo. Change the cam, push rods and valve springs and only the lifters remain and the geomentry has been altered enough that the hemi-tick is gone. Mexico, if you don't currently have any issues and are saving for a stroker motor I would wait and when you are ready just go for it. No sense in spending money on parts that will be replaced with the new motor. Good luck.....

 

over 190k on my 05 hemi and I still have the slight hem tick (I was never worried about it)... I did my first cam swap based on alot of reading as well (never teared into a motor before this)...over 25 cam swaps later (heads too) for others it's not that hard at all... for an 03 I know the 6.1, 260 and sidewinder will work well with a handheld tuner and canned tunes. I don't think I've had a 'smooth' idle in a long time..hehe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0y89ueP64I

 

Like I said -- I would really have to get my hands inside an engine to know the correct terminology and what to call everything -- I'm just making sense of it for me.

 

the stroker is mostly tongue in cheek for now. unless the engine catastrophically fails I dont see myself getting into a stroker until i have a different car to drive which will be quite a while. to be honest i just want to prevent the common problem of broken valve springs. since the tick is already there Im not too worried, i just figure i might as well nip it in the bud.