I am the proud owner of a 2003 Dodge Ram with the 5.7 Hemi. I have never had any problems with this truck until last weekend. I started it up at my father-in-laws and the engine drug out while starting. After it started it started with a slight knock. I drove it home (which is around 45 miles) and when I got home the knock was signifiacntly more! I checked the oil and it barely hit the tip of the dip stick.... Coming home I never lost oil pressure and or oil light didn't come one. The motor never ran hot either.!!! So move forward to this week. I brought it to a local mechanic that I got to for mostly everything. He put the diaognistics on it and tells me the Lower end is gone!!! I'm not mechanic but his recommendation is to put a rebuilt one in or a used one....... Should I get a second opinion? I've been told by another gentlemen that the 03-05 Hemi's have a common problem with the "valve springs" and that he could troubleshoot and rebuild it for me...... I'm lost in what to do.... Any suggestions? Thanks and oh the truck only has 96500 miles on it. I'm just puzzled on what to do.

Chad

 

The only way to know for sure what is wrong with it is to take it apart. It is possible one of your springs went, dropping a valve into a piston. Is that all the first guy said, the lower end is gone? That doesn't exactly narrow it down...I hear about how 2003's have all these problems, and I just don't see it. My 03 is over 115,000 miles and only let me down once, and that was because the negative terminal had come loose and the battery wasn't charging.

 

The first guy "which still has my truck" only told me they were waiting on quotes for a used Hemi engine because"the lower end is gone". He didn't tell me what they did to determine this. Just told me they were waiting on quotes. Which I've been waiting since Tues for them to tell me something. Finally on Friday around 3:30 I decided to call to find out what's going on!!!!!!

So I proactively start calling around myself and asking what are my options and a co-worker said he has a motor guy that can fix it without having to buy a used motor or rebuilt on!!!! I'm just confused on what to do!!! I purchased this truck brand new with on 3 tenths of a mile on it!!

 

I think you need to have him tell you what "diagnostics" he did to determine that the lower end is gone and what he things is really wrong with it. A second opinion is good, but I wouldn't recommend driving it with the knock. You don't want a bad piston to do any damage to a cylinder wall.

I've you've had this truck from day one and have taken care of the engine, I would definitely recommend rebuilding it if that ends up being the case.

 

Alright everyone, I picked up my truck yesterday after being at the mechanic's shop for almost a week. They pulled the diagnostic code and put a stehascope on the engine block. They determined it was a bad lower rod bearing.... All without pulling the oil pan!

Well as of this evening the truck is a reptabile motor mechanic close to my house. I had the truck towed to the shop. The gentleman said he should have me answer by tomorrow afternoon on what the true problem is.

Please pray it's not as bad having to put a new rebuilt motor in it. I'd rather have him rebuild the motor back....maybe I can suggest to put a different cam in it!!! We'll see. Thanks for all the help and views!

 

Your first mistake was after the initial cranking and starting and hearing it slightly knock was that you didnt shut it down right then and check. Even then though the damage was already done but would not have been as worse.

But it doesnt take much to hear the bottom end is gone. Especially if you checked the oil and it barely had any one the stick. Thats a dead give-away.

The engine will have to be pulled either way. It needs to be put on a stand and the oil pan removed. The entire engine will need to be disassembled to remove the crank and pistons/rods. More than likely you will only need to have the cylinder bored out and the crank turned.

You are correct though that now is the time to put in a different cam.