I've got a 03 ram 1500 5.7 hemi.
When i try to start my truck, the engine will turn over but there is some clanking and it immediately dies. is there a way I can tell if it's the timing chain without tearing everything apart?

 

Timing chains usually have a considerable life span. How many miles?

 

I just past 126000 miles

 

I'm at 180K on the original--no problems

 

I would say you need to do some further investigation. The newer vehicles very rare to have issue with timing chains. Maybe rod or bearing issue.

 

Unless it's been abused, that chain has another 80K at least. Maybe it broke a valve spring and swallowed a valve?

 

I'm gonna get into it tomorrow to try and diagnose it better. But one of the things that I don't understand is I had gone on a drive for about two and a half hours with no signs of any problem, then I had the engine off for about 10 minutes and when I tried starting it back up it wouldn't go.

 

I wouldn't say it's been abused but it does have some hard miles on it with regular maintenance, and I did have the valves redone at about 75000 miles.

 

I am having the same problem on my 06 Ram 5.7L V8 hemi 4x4 186,000 miles. I ran the truck one morning, turned the truck off and it would not turn over. I have replaced the spark plugs and have the ignition coils on order. I have 3 codes that all lead to bad or misfiring ignition coils/spark plugs. Ill keep yall updated. Good luck

 

Sounds like the dreaded 03 broken valve springs. Pull the valve covers and have a look around.