Do I need to worry?
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Rookie
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: North Georgia
Do I need to worry?
During an oil change visit the Napa auto care manager commented that he was not used to seeing 2003 HEMI trucks with 260,000 miles and asked if it was the original engine. Response of course was yes and he said what happens is the early hemi's like to break valve springs. Do I need to worry? This work truck is all highway and spends 5 days a week toting me and my tools to airports. Anything I can do to make sure I'm not a victim?
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: South Georgia/East Florida
Common problem in the '03 and early '04 Hemi is weak valve springs. These were replaced fairly early in the '04 model year with stouter ones. A lot of people swap 'em out for the stronger ones as they are not expensive.
A broken valve spring doesn't always do in the engine, although it could depending on how fast you're going and how fast you can shut it down.
If these are the original springs at 260,000 miles, I honestly wouldn't worry about it unless you want to make a weekend over-haul project out of it. I mean at a quarter million miles it a basic over-haul wouldn't be a bad idea anyway...
A broken valve spring doesn't always do in the engine, although it could depending on how fast you're going and how fast you can shut it down.
If these are the original springs at 260,000 miles, I honestly wouldn't worry about it unless you want to make a weekend over-haul project out of it. I mean at a quarter million miles it a basic over-haul wouldn't be a bad idea anyway...
Site Moderator-Dodge Tech
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Nashville, Tennessee
We see many with high mileage.
The biggest mistake people make with the Hemi valve springs is not recognizing what it is, throwing parts at it, at the same time running the crap out of it while totally unaware they're doing more damage.
The biggest mistake people make with the Hemi valve springs is not recognizing what it is, throwing parts at it, at the same time running the crap out of it while totally unaware they're doing more damage.
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Rookie
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 60
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From: North Georgia
Common problem in the '03 and early '04 Hemi is weak valve springs. These were replaced fairly early in the '04 model year with stouter ones. A lot of people swap 'em out for the stronger ones as they are not expensive.
A broken valve spring doesn't always do in the engine, although it could depending on how fast you're going and how fast you can shut it down.
If these are the original springs at 260,000 miles, I honestly wouldn't worry about it unless you want to make a weekend over-haul project out of it. I mean at a quarter million miles it a basic over-haul wouldn't be a bad idea anyway...
A broken valve spring doesn't always do in the engine, although it could depending on how fast you're going and how fast you can shut it down.
If these are the original springs at 260,000 miles, I honestly wouldn't worry about it unless you want to make a weekend over-haul project out of it. I mean at a quarter million miles it a basic over-haul wouldn't be a bad idea anyway...
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Rookie
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: North Georgia
Wonder what replacement engines run
All Star
Joined: Dec 2012
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Of course. Just need some shop air, a compression gauge hose minus the schrader valve, and a valve spring compressor.
Champion
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,702
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From: N. Florida
Absotively. Mine broke the #6 exhaust spring @ 122K. It broke while the engine was idling, so no damage, fortunately. I did the valve stem seals and push rods while I had it apart. Not the easiest job, but not the nightmare I had feared.
