5.7 Hemi's Throwing rods?!

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greenmonsta79

greenmonsta79

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Hey guy's I have noticed a alarming trend lately, I own a Towing and Auto repair business and I was over at another shop in town dropping of a car for a customer and the guys that run the shop showed me what was left of I believe the #7 Rod and piston in a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500, piston had cracked in half and had snapped rod in half, I have seen alot of 5.7 Hemis for sale on Ebay that have cracked blocks and have bent rods, and I did some checking and most don't have that many miles one was a 2004 Durango with 53,000 miles another was 75,000 and I guess most vent the block. This is a serious downer for myself as I was wanting to build one for my 1971 Challenger, But if this is the reliability of this motor I don't want it!!! I am Mopar to the core and hate to hear about this, Can anyone shed anymore light on this subject??
 
I would be very interested in hearing about this too. I was thinking about one for my 67 Barracuda. I would understand some going beyond their factory limits and causing a problem. If this is the case it would be good to here about what has to be upgraded to withstand beyond factory horse power levels and abuse. Remember these things are still built to a budget from the factory
 
not sure if it even matters, but aren't the made in Mexico??
 
Get on Youtube and look up "Hemi Tick" Sounds terrible!? I did a search on the NHTSA and there were a stunning amount of reports on the 5.7's dumping rods out the block on low mileage vehicles and alot of the people said Chrysler would do nothing unless they had every single receipt for oil changes since new, And there were people saying the ticking noise was from cracked exhaust manifolds but the ticks sounds that come and go?!!!
I am thinking I might just stick with the old standards! I know every inch of a LA,B,RB!!!! And yes I believe these motors are made in Mexico (terrible!!!)
 
Well they are a mass produced engine and are put into almost every vehicle Chrysler builds.

I'm sticking with my modern motor and if it dies there are enough of them to find another.

Riddler
 
Riddler, I don't think you get it I was asking if anyone has seen or had a problem or heard of someone that has, Im not bashing the 5.7 if it has a problem I would like to find out, I'm not a "Oh well if it blows I will buy another!" type of guy I don't have a money tree growing in the backyard as I imagine most people don't (except for you) If the 5.7 Has a inherent problem no big deal no sweat off my brow, I have a whole barn full of Mopar small blocks and Big blocks ripe for building and they are tried and true motors with years of reliability behind them! But if they find a problem and fix it good and I hope they do because I really want one!
 
I read something a few years ago about hopping up 5.7 and the expert said that the rods were weak link. They are made from some composite metal process and were not good for more HP. That was when HP was down with the original engines. He said that forged H-beam rods are needed.
 
greenmonsta79 said:
Riddler, I don't think you get it I was asking if anyone has seen or had a problem or heard of someone that has, Im not bashing the 5.7 if it has a problem I would like to find out, I'm not a "Oh well if it blows I will buy another!" type of guy I don't have a money tree growing in the backyard as I imagine most people don't (except for you) If the 5.7 Has a inherent problem no big deal no sweat off my brow, I have a whole barn full of Mopar small blocks and Big blocks ripe for building and they are tried and true motors with years of reliability behind them! But if they find a problem and fix it good and I hope they do because I really want one!
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Has anyone heard if the 6.1 has the same problem. And not to hijack this thread, but does anyone know if a 3rd gen Hemi fit an A body, 67 Barracuda, better than a 440.
 
greenmonsta79 said:
Hey guy's I have noticed a alarming trend lately, I own a Towing and Auto repair business and I was over at another shop in town dropping of a car for a customer and the guys that run the shop showed me what was left of I believe the #7 Rod and piston in a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500, piston had cracked in half and had snapped rod in half, I have seen alot of 5.7 Hemis for sale on Ebay that have cracked blocks and have bent rods, and I did some checking and most don't have that many miles one was a 2004 Durango with 53,000 miles another was 75,000 and I guess most vent the block. This is a serious downer for myself as I was wanting to build one for my 1971 Challenger, But if this is the reliability of this motor I don't want it!!! I am Mopar to the core and hate to hear about this, Can anyone shed anymore light on this subject??
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>The problem with rumors, is getting "all" the facts. Reportedly, 2005' was the worst year for dropping intake seats.Did these rods just fail, all by themselves, or we're they "pushed". 1 dropped valve seat, can ruin a motor-no problem. In a worst case scenario, seat takes out the valve, valve takes out the piston/rod, and rod takes out the block. I bought a "hammered", 6.1L shortblock. Most of the pistons were missing most of their top ring lands. Perhaps the driver was deaf, or just "jacking" the car. Point is, rods were fine. Rods can be mag'd or even better,x-rayed for little $'s, compared to detroying a good motor.ARP 2000 bolts run approx $110.-$140., 5.7 vs 6.1. Usually don't need resizing as "fracture part line" locates the cap, not the bolts.#-oateam.
 
You'd probably need a whole lot more examples to conclude that the motor is not reliable. I have driven a handful of 5.7 Chargers who have been driven hard, often abused, the motor has not been in an issue with any of them.

5.7's are/were available in
2003–present Dodge Ram
2004–2009, 2011–present Dodge Durango
2005–present Chrysler 300 300C
2005–2008 Dodge Magnum R/T
2005–present Dodge Charger R/T
2005–present Jeep Grand Cherokee
2006–present Jeep Commander
2007–2009 Chrysler Aspen
2009–present Dodge Challenger R/T
(list from Wikipedia)
 
From what i've heard oiling problems is quite common with these new hemi's..and yes,they are made in Mexico which makes me laugh,when mopar addvertises the new challenger being an American muscle car..body is from Canada motor from Mexico..lol
 
stroked 340 said:
From what i've heard oiling problems is quite common with these new hemi's..and yes,they are made in Mexico which makes me laugh,when mopar addvertises the new challenger being an American muscle car..body is from Canada motor from Mexico..lol
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and ford is a mazda and gm is an isuzu and so on.... chrysler used to be a maserati, then a mitsubishi. look at the tags and labels on your dealer purchased parts. 440's had crank and rod problems the 360 always gave up number 6 the 340 heads had calcified cooling problems the 318 had a weak timing chain bad lifters and all la engines oil pumps had there times
but 40 years later, thats all under the mat. the 3 g hemi is new and it will have problems as everything new usually does. but maybe when people get behind the wheel of the new hemi they lose their heads while trying to blow the next driver away from light to light "yeah it's got a hemi!"
 
Seems like some of you guy's are almost getting defensive of the thought that there could be a problem with the 5.7, I am die hard Mopar man my grandfather owned a dealership from the late 60's all the way through the 1980's and all my family grew up driving them and dad had a Superbird for a short time, Now if you tell me that a 2.7 V6 is a good motor and has no problems you are a nut, if you tell me a 4.7 V8 is a good motor I will laugh in your face because you look at one wrong they warp the heads and blow the head gaskets (I have fixed more of these than I care to talk about), I have done some more searching on the NHTSA site and it seems that all these problems on the 5.7 Hemi are linked to Piston or rod but I have seen some saying they dropped a valve, on a 75,000 mile motor that should not happen let alone a 38,000 mile motor, And as far as using the case that 440's had crank and rod problems (never heard that one) and that 318's had bad oil pumps and lifters (maybe noisy)??? Sorry the 318 is one of if not the most reliable engine ever built! Some of you guy's get it but there are a few that don't I want a 5.7 or a 6.1 Hemi as bad as the rest of you and I have a chance to buy one but jeez I don't want to build one and have the block or piston fail due to crappy manufacturing and or engineering standards, If I want to build with a question mark behind it I will build a Chevy.
 
Most of the time when I've seen a windowed 5.7 Hemi block it's been from the same few reasons. I've seen most failures due to aftermarket parts.... Aftermarket CAI sucks in water after going through a 6" deep water hole and hydro locks a piston.... Aftermarket programmers/tuners allow you to set the factory speed and rev limit up to 140 mph/8000 rpm, which case in point, is that the factory 5.7 rod end goes out of round with not much more than 6500 rpm, plus it plays heck on the transmissions 4th gear OD clutches.... The stock bee hive valve springs are weak at RPM and frequently break. Depending how the valve ends up in the hole could window the block, but usually just bangs up the head in most cases. As far as being made in Mexico, these Hemi blocks have darn near perfect deck heights with no core shift and plenty of wall thickness to accept an over bore. I've pulled very high mileage core blocks apart with no ridge apparent and still show the factory cross hatch hone marks. Stock pistons are another story with the thin top ring land, but thats another subject all together.
 
my stock bottom end motor has seen a 12.73 pass at the track in a 5000 pound truck. I have cam, ported heads, headers, intake and a 150 shot on it. according to the calculators on drag times i had over 500hp to the rear wheels. and the stock bottom end that i have has 105,000 miles on it. a friend of mine has almost 200,000 on his and is spraying it with a 150 shot as well. i have worked on about 50-60of these motors adding cams, heads, blowers, ect. and they all get driven hard. none have failed.
 
These engines are just like any other make produced today, or indeed, ever. There is a certain percentage that will have issues and there are limitations in the factory configuration. I find it hard to believe that they just fail under normal usage and after regular maintainence. The only(5.7's) ones I have personally heard of failing included variables like boost, nitrous, and aftermarket tuners and a Lead Foot. As noted by hemidup. It does not matter what engine it is, if those variable are not propperly tuned damage and failure can and will result. We all have seen plenty of /6's, 318's, 440,s, 350's & 454's kick out a rod, drop a seat or just plain Blow Up.

I know of literally dozens of 5.7's that have 100+K with no issues what so ever. Like any other engine the oil needs to be changed at the correct regular intervals with the propper weight oil... I hear that the timing chain tensioner needs to be changed after 80K miles as a wear item. I know of some that have changed it and more that have not. All still running, towing and a few hauling ***... My 2 cents.
 
I have a buddy that has a 5.7 that threw a rod in a Durango too.
 
I bought a 2003 ram 1500 4X2 with the 5.7 HEMI brand new. Did all of the oil changes tuneups and sold it to my nephew when it rolled 130,000. He drove it to 180,000 and totaled the truck on icy roads. Jayson
 
My brother used to work at a chrysler dealer and the only 5.7 with rod problems where because they sucked water for what ever reason you like.And the comments about it being a bad engine because its built in Mexico that's just ingorance talking or writing.

Stroked 340 saying its an american muscle car its not that wrong because you know America its a continent not just a country and Mexico and Canada are part of it. :sign5:
 
DODGESTRIKE said:
My brother used to work at a chrysler dealer and the only 5.7 with rod problems where because they sucked water for what ever reason you like.And the comments about it being a bad engine because its built in Mexico that's just ingorance talking or writing.

Stroked 340 saying its an american muscle car its not that wrong because you know America its a continent not just a country and Mexico and Canada are part of it. :sign5:
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you are absolutely correct south america and north america
 
Mexico is part of north america and i was making a joke BTW.
 
I am on numerous web sites for Mopars, including the LX and truck sites.

Very rarely have I heard of any issues with the 3G Hemis. When I do it is usually a result of operator stupidity, lack of maintenance, or incorrect application of high performance parts.

Hell, I know guys throwing gobs of nitrous at their stock 5.7L and it is holding up just fine.

As for the 4.7L? Laugh all you want. Since I am more of a Dakota person I know LOTS of people sporting the little SOHC motor with no problems. I put 120K on my first one before trading in the truck, and I have 75K so far on my current ride with zero problems.
 
Off topic....any performance parts for the 4.7?
 
There are some, but not a whole lot. Cams, heads, headers, pulleys, throttle bodies, programmers. Kenne Bell makes/made(?) a supercharger for it.

Startech in Europe made a stroker 5.5L out of a 4.7L....proves it can be done, but most guys just buy a hemi. Not sure if the kit is readily available.

But, I didn't buy mine for the ability to modify it. I wanted a Dakota, and the 4.7L is an excellent V8 for the smaller truck. A couple of guys have proven that a 5.7L will fit in a Gen III Dakota, and it's very fast (think low 13s on a stock 5.7L w/ 3.92 gears). That kinda disproves Dodges claim that "it won't fit".
 
Thanks Dude. I have a 2033 Quad cab Dak. with possible thoughts dancin in the head to dismantle a 360 4X4 Durango that fell into my lap. Remove the V6 for the V8, the entire system. Don't know about the rear axle housings up front or in back yet.

Interesting what they did in Eurpoe with the 4.7. Nice to see thinking minds at work.
A HEMI swap is out of the question....so sez the wallet.


But back on topic. What HP or seriously nice HP parts are out there for the new HEMI?
I am very behind on what is new and up to date on these engines. Not to mention, what I did read, I forgotten allready.

Rods
Cranks
slugs
etc........ what is out there?
 
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