Late-night Facebook Marketplace hunts often blur the line between great deals and regrettable decisions. For one, our favorite engine teardown specialist, I Do Cars, led to an $850 6.4-liter Hemi V8 from a 2018 Dodge Durango SRT. The price was suspiciously low – cheap enough to make any gearhead double-check the VIN.
When the seller turned out to be one of his own customers, curiosity took over. The engine had under 90,000 miles and supposedly “ran,” though the oil shimmered with metal flakes, and it sounded like it was gargling gravel.
Still, the lure of discovery and a great story was too strong to resist, and Hemis always had an irresistible charm. The goal was clear: tear it down, find the problem, and decide whether this bargain was a stroke of luck or, as usual, a curse.
A Hint of Trouble
The first test was straightforward, which was to check if the engine still turns. It did, though with an unsettling cough that hinted at deeper issues. The spark plugs were clean, and the intake ports were surprisingly tidy. For a moment, there was hope that maybe the “running” claim wasn’t a lie after all.
That optimism vanished when the valve covers came off. One rocker and pushrod were clearly stressed, their surfaces scarred from poor oiling. It wasn’t a catastrophic failure, but it wasn’t good either. Still, with no dropped valves or major carnage, the mechanic dared to believe the engine might have a few good parts left to give.
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The Calm Before the Cut
Pulling the heads revealed a story of past repairs and unfinished work. The cylinder walls still had visible cross-hatching, but one piston looked suspiciously new. It was clear someone had replaced a piston and rod before, likely after a minor failure. Why only one? No one knows, but it is suggested that, considering the cost, a quick fix would be preferable to a proper rebuild.
According to the engine’s previous owner, the Durango had driven into the shop “making noise.” In reality, that noise was the sound of a dying Hemi clinging to life. Like many Hemis before it, this one refused to quit until it finally couldn’t.
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The Smoking Gun
The real culprit revealed itself in the lifter valley: one lifter had completely failed, its roller gone and its needle bearings scattered like glitter through the oil system. It was a textbook Hemi lifter failure, the kind every Chrysler fan dreads. The camshaft was scored beyond saving, and the oil pump showed its share of damage.
Somehow, the rest of the engine was fine. The bearings were clean, the crank journals pristine, and the block untouched. Instead of a catastrophic meltdown, the failure was surprisingly contained, a slow, quiet death rather than a violent end. It was a rare case where the Hemi didn’t take everything else down with it.
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The Aftermath
With the Dodge Durango raring for a comeback in 2029, it’s important to know that with great power comes great cost. One failed lifter brought a 6.4-liter powerhouse to its knees, but the destruction stopped there. The camshaft and lifter were done for, but everything else, from the block to the heads, crank, and pistons, survived untouched. For a Hemi teardown, that’s nearly unheard of.
For I Do Cars, it was a small victory in a world of expensive losses. He walked away with a pile of reusable parts and a valuable lesson: when your Hemi starts ticking, don’t ignore it. Stop, listen, and save yourself before it’s too late. Because sometimes, the difference between a rebuild and a disaster is just one lifter away.
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