So, someone tell me what I need to know about the feared Hemi tick. Is there anything I can do to prevent it?

 

There are so many theories, sometimes it's the valvetrain, sometimes it's injector(s), sometimes it's an exhaust leak. What I can tell after owning three 5.7's and a 392 with a couple hundred thousand miles between them is, they ALL do it to some degree. I think it's just a factor of mass production. My 392 does it the least and my 2005 Magnum the worst. All of them run like raped apes and all have been modified to some degree. Honestly I think the 392 does it the least because it has the most powerful oil pump and runs the highest oil pressure of the bunch. People clam to have solved it with certain oils, oil weights, etc. Only one I've ever heard that didn't tick was a specific engine a buddy of mine did; I think because of the better tolerances it just worked better.