Engine tick when first starting

[RickyBJeep]

Hi this is my first V8 engine, is it normal to hear 4-6 ticks when the engine first starts? I don’t hear it every time, just seems when I first start it. If I shut it off and start again I don’t notice it . Is this just normal for this engine? Thanks

 

[@JC]

It's a Hemi.

 

[Electrified]

Give it time, it will make more noises than just a tick. Like @JC stated, it's a Hemi......

 

[Keg392]

Yep, known "issue" or characteristic of the Hemi.

 

[Smess]

Hemi tick its healthy

 

[HearHear]

Notice they make the blinker noise replicate a clock ticking to desensitize you from the engine ticking. (I have no idea if that's true or not, but the blinker does sound oddly like a ticking clock.)

 

[johrich]

My 392 has had the ticking sound since I drove it off the lot. 5 k miles on it and I've had it in the shop 2 times. This last time it seems I have a bent push rod, dislodged valve guides, and possibly other damage. There is a class action lawsuit on this 10-year-old ticking problem that Chrysler has been covering up. Go here and read about it.

Chrysler HEMI Engine Ticking Noise Causes Lawsuit

Chrysler engine ticking noise has caused a class action lawsuit that includes several models equipped with Gen III 5.7-liter HEMI or 6.4-liter HEMI 392 V8 engines.

www.carcomplaints.com

According to some Hemi experts, it's an oiling problem and causes premature cam damage and possible engine failure. I'm not sure what to do from here on with my Wrangler 392. It sure is disappointing. Any comments?

 

[Viking Jeeper]

Even the owners manual states a slight tick after startup is normal.

 

[@JC]

Any comments?

Sure, your engine damage was unrelated to the normal, non-issue Hemi Tick™.

 

[SCARd4Life]

Anyone have details on how to perform the OCV inspection for metal shavings? I plan on cutting oil filters to watch for problems. Anything else we should be doing?

 

[HearHear]

My 392 has the ticking sound, but mainly audible when the a/c is off so not super loud (yet). I have an appointment with my Jeep dealer on September 5th to diagnose it, just to be safe. It seems to be coming more from underneath, than on top, so hopefully more exhaust leak related vs bad lifter related. I'll post an update.

These 392's are notorious for 1) exhaust leak ticks 2) bad lifter ticks 3) loud injector ticks. If you hear ticking, take it in asap and spin the roulette wheel of misfortune. Get it in the service history. Hopefully it lands on either option 1) or 3), and not something requiring a new engine. If it lands on option 2), hopefully they caught the bad lifter early enough where it didn't do significant internal damage.
You'd think after 10 years, Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis could have figured this shit out?

 

[@JC]

These 392's are notorious for 1) exhaust leak ticks 2) bad lifter ticks 3) loud injector ticks. If you hear ticking, take it in asap and spin the roulette wheel of misfortune.

This is quite frankly nonsense. The vast majority of tick noise from a Hemi is benign and normal.

 

[hardhat]

From most of my reading hemi’s are not the quietest engines. Mine sounds healthy and runs great. Most people should not have a problem. Prolonged idling might result in inadequate splash lubrication of cam due to them moving cam higher up during a design update

I set my idle to 1300 in winch mode on taser. If doing prolonged idling I put it in winch mode and put exhaust in quiet mode. Sounds too crazy at 1300 rpm in loud mode.

Don’t know if it helps but should improve splash lubrication in crankcase

 

[HearHear]

This is quite frankly nonsense. The vast majority of tick noise from a Hemi is benign and normal.

If talking about a constant or intermittent tick beyond a few minutes normal startup time, I strongly disagree. It may be benign enough to last 5k miles or 100k miles, but if you hear tick, don’t take a chance. Take it In while you still have that warranty.

 

[@JC]

If talking about a constant or intermittent tick beyond a few minutes normal startup time, I strongly disagree. It may be benign enough to last 5k miles or 100k miles, but if you hear tick, don’t take a chance. Take it In while you still have that warranty.

Balderdash, but it's your Jeep, do whatever you want.

 

[stumblinhorse]

I think because the jeep 392 is a new model people think the engine is new also. There are literally 100s of thousand of these motors out there in other vehicles. The 392 was introduced in 2011. There is absolutely nothing new added into the wrangler 392 motor. Mds was from like 2008 or something in a hemi. If these motors were ticking time-bombs I don’t think they would be out there anymore. Warranty work cost money. Stellantis doesn’t want a liability out there in like 5 or 6 different platforms.

take a breath. My 1969 LA318 ticks on startup. It is 54 years old with the original pistons, heads, lifters, cam…. I am not worried. Will there be failures… yes.. will it be a very small percentage… yes…

 

[7.62x392]

Racer X gets into pretty good detail on this issue. He gets into the 6.4 cam lifter tick problem at about the 3:15 mark of the video. He says it only affects 2.5%-5% of the engines, so pretty uncommon, but not non-existent. Based on the 392 annual production numbers someone posted recently in another thread, this should impact only a few hundred vehicles each model year.

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

According to this video, your case is normal.

 

[HearHear]

My 392 has the ticking sound, but mainly audible when the a/c is off so not super loud (yet). I have an appointment with my Jeep dealer on September 5th to diagnose it, just to be safe. It seems to be coming more from underneath, than on top, so hopefully more exhaust leak related vs bad lifter related. I'll post an update.

These 392's are notorious for 1) exhaust leak ticks 2) bad lifter ticks 3) loud injector ticks. If you hear ticking, take it in asap and spin the roulette wheel of misfortune. Get it in the service history. Hopefully it lands on either option 1) or 3), and not something requiring a new engine. If it lands on option 2), hopefully they caught the bad lifter early enough where it didn't do significant internal damage.
You'd think after 10 years, Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis could have figured this shit out?

Just an update. Took my Jeep to the dealer today to diagnose the very evident ticking. Expecting the worst. They put a scope on it. Official diagnosis: ”Normal Hemi Tick”

Glad I took it in though. Now I feel better and the (free) diagnosis is on the record in case of any future issues.

 

[johrich]

Latest update on my ticking sound- It finally threw a trouble code. It turned out to be a bent push rod on number 6 cylinder and the valve retainer clips coming out. They kept it for 3 weeks conversing back and forth to Chrysler on what to do. The finally came to terms with the repair and now the tick is gone. It hums like a sewing machine.