2016 Ram 1500 (4th gen (DS)) · Known Issue
2016 Ram 1500 Hemi Tick: Is It the Exhaust Manifold Bolts or the Lifters, and What Each One Costs
Quick answer: A tick that is loudest cold and fades as the engine warms is usually a broken exhaust manifold bolt, a $500 to $1,200 repair per side. A tick that survives warm-up and brings misfire codes points at the lifters, a heads-off repair that runs $2,000 to $5,000 at an independent shop. Drive a ticking truck gently and only to a diagnosis.
Applies to: 5.7L Hemi only. Other versions of the 2016 Ram 1500 do not have this problem.
What the Issue Is
The 5.7 Hemi's "tick" is truck-world shorthand with two very different meanings. The cheaper one is a broken exhaust manifold bolt (its own entry below). The expensive one is a failing roller lifter: the needle bearings inside a lifter's roller wear or seize, the roller skids instead of rolling, and it grinds a flat on the camshaft lobe it rides on, so the tick turns into a misfire and metal in the oil. Both the cylinder-deactivation (MDS) lifters and the standard ones ride on rollers, and the failure is not tied to a set mileage.
Lifter repairs are expensive because of access: the lifters sit under the cylinder heads, so a confirmed failure means heads off, all sixteen lifters replaced (reaching one costs the same labor as reaching all of them), and the camshaft too whenever a lobe is worn. Owners on Ram forums report independent-shop bills from about $2,000 to $5,000, depending mostly on whether the cam has to be replaced.
Used-truck screening leans on ears and evidence: a warm-idle listen (a rhythmic top-end tick versus a smooth idle), misfire-code history, and oil-change records, since the rollers live on clean oil. This page covers the 2009 to 2018 DS trucks. The Ram 1500 Classic sold new from 2019 is the same DS truck, but a listing cannot reliably tell it from the redesigned 2019 and later DT, a different truck, so both are left out here.
Symptoms to Watch For
- 1.Rhythmic ticking or knocking from the top end that stays after warm-up
- 2.Single-cylinder misfire codes, sometimes with a rough idle
- 3.Metal flakes in the oil or on the filter element
- 4.Rough running, power loss, or a flashing check-engine light in advanced failures
Real Repair Costs
Independent-shop pricing for heads-off work: all sixteen lifters, plus the camshaft when a lobe is worn. Owner-reported quotes on Ram forums run from about $2,000 to $5,000; dealer quotes run higher.
| Repair | Typical Cost (installed) |
|---|---|
| All 16 lifters, heads off, installed | $2,000-$3,000 |
| Lifters plus camshaft (worn lobe) | $2,800-$5,000 |
Major issue: budget for it. Ranges are US independent-shop estimates with quality parts. Use them as negotiation grounding, not a quote.
Mechanic's Tip: Spot It Before You Buy
Separate the ticks before pricing the truck: a manifold-bolt tick is loudest cold and fades as the manifold heats and seals, while a lifter tick stays when the engine is fully warm and often brings a misfire code. So listen at the cold start, listen again fully warm, then plug in a scanner for stored and pending misfire codes even with a clean dash. Ask for oil-change records and whether any lifter or cam work has been done. A truck with lifter-and-cam receipts is the safer buy; a warm-ticking bargain is priced that way for a reason.
The Bigger Ownership Picture
Beyond this specific issue, budget roughly $1,300-$1,900 per year for scheduled maintenance and repairs on a 2016 Ram 1500. That is a typical US range from Avturo's ownership-cost table, an estimate rather than a quote, and it excludes insurance, fuel, and financing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is every Hemi tick a disaster?▼
No. A tick that is loudest on a cold start and fades as the engine warms is usually a broken exhaust manifold bolt, a $500 to $1,200 repair per side. A tick that stays at warm idle, especially with misfire codes, points at the lifters, where repairs run $2,000 to $5,000. Telling the two apart is the most valuable check when shopping these trucks.
What causes Hemi lifter failure?▼
The needle bearings inside a lifter's roller wear or seize, the roller skids instead of rolling, and it wears a flat on the cam lobe it rides on. The rollers depend on clean oil, which is why oil-change records are worth reading. Once a lobe is worn, the camshaft has to be replaced along with the lifters.
How much does the lifter repair cost?▼
About $2,000 to $3,000 at an independent shop for heads-off replacement of all sixteen lifters, and up to about $5,000 when the camshaft has to be replaced too, the range owners report on Ram forums. Shops replace all sixteen because the labor to reach one is the labor to reach them all.
Can I drive a Ram with lifter tick?▼
Gently and briefly, to a diagnosis, not through a season. A failing lifter with misfires sheds metal and wears the cam further with every mile, and raw fuel from misfires punishes the catalytic converters too. The difference between a lifter job and a lifter-and-cam job is often just the miles driven in denial.
Sources
The facts on this page were last checked against these documents on October 10, 2026. Programs and their coverage end; check the car's VIN with a dealer for what still applies.
- Repair cost estimate: Ram Forum owner thread: cost to replace cam and lifters on the 5.7L Hemi (ramforum.com)
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