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Frequency of lifter failure in CGI 6.7 ?

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The Oil Guru

Archoil

cricha

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This seems to be coming up more often. Like to get other's opinions on this. Is this a legitimate issue in the long run, say, 200k miles or more? Assuming that oil changes are done according to schedule or in my case, I prefer to change oil around 5-6K intervals. Pre CGI 6.7s seem to run pretty well without lifter/cam/valve issues when required maint is done.
 
This seems to be coming up more often. Like to get other's opinions on this. Is this a legitimate issue in the long run, say, 200k miles or more? Assuming that oil changes are done according to schedule or in my case, I prefer to change oil around 5-6K intervals. Pre CGI 6.7s seem to run pretty well without lifter/cam/valve issues when required maint is done.

I can't say it was "lifter failure". However, one of our newer 2022 work trucks ate a camshaft last year at like ~20k miles. Took 5 1/2 months to get it fixed.

The work vehicle I drive is a 2020 3500 SO that is getting close to 200k and no issues. Been driving it since around 40k miles. No issues and never issues. It just works.
 
Thanks Diesel85, helpful info. the 5.5 months is concerning.

I should've clarified. The length wasn't due to them trying to fix it. It was due them trying to get the parts to actually do the job. Basically a parts shortage.

I remember looking on many Mopar parts websites at the time, and none of them stocked the camshaft.
 
sometimes I think "stories" get passed around on the internet and take on a life of their own that make all sorts of potential problems seem common when reality is the real issue is microscopic in numbers.
This thought applies to all things mechanical, a perfect example is someone saying that Fram Filters are orange cans of death whereas you can't actually find anyone that uses Fram that had a problem with them. Same applies to the new engines and the hydraulic lash adjusters... I'm sure a few of them have failed, just because mechanical failures occur happens when products are produced in the hundreds of thousands, but chances are nobody knows anyone it happened to..

Ram and Cummins Inc are probably the only people who know the actual failure rate.
 
sometimes I think "stories" get passed around on the internet and take on a life of their own that make all sorts of potential problems seem common when reality is the real issue is microscopic in numbers.
This thought applies to all things mechanical, a perfect example is someone saying that Fram Filters are orange cans of death whereas you can't actually find anyone that uses Fram that had a problem with them. Same applies to the new engines and the hydraulic lash adjusters... I'm sure a few of them have failed, just because mechanical failures occur happens when products are produced in the hundreds of thousands, but chances are nobody knows anyone it happened to..

Ram and Cummins Inc are probably the only people who know the actual failure rate.

I agree. The Internet seems to make a big deal out of little things.

Just like what happened to that work truck, you don't see people coming on here screaming their camshafts are getting eaten up. Sometimes one-off things can spiral into a rabbit hole of delight for the Internet musings.

Or as I like to say it... you gotta be realistic.
 
There are far more lifter failures than there were flat tappet failures, but that's also the nature of lifters vs tappets.

Most the ones I've read about are lower mileage failures that are likely machining errors, so if you've made it to 200K miles you shouldn't have that problem.
 
a perfect example is someone saying that Fram Filters are orange cans of death whereas you can't actually find anyone that uses Fram that had a problem with them

You need to spend more quality time on here and find out how much PAIN FRAM is to get warranty from. Unlike some filters like a PF47 that are made by just a few big companies that don't care about quality, we have many good choices for our engines. Other brands like Tear-O-Later tearing pleats are, in fact, a bad rash all over the internet.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...000-miles-fram-filter-the-cause.250686/page-2

@Diesel85 You should have seen the stack of ruined camshafts at the shop that rebuilt my 2003 5.9. Put enough miles on them and they do fail. I have had a roller cam go bad in a 6.2L diesel and a buddy lost some lobes in a 3.9 V6 Dakota. It had a misfire on #5 that caused the engine to come out for a rebuild.

a_3_9.jpg
 
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There's your answer, finding someone using Fram filters on a Cummins.
I know someone who has used Fram Orange Cans of death on his 2002 Ram Cummins for 20 years as well as Rotella T4.
My fleet employer ( 700 Diesel powered vehicles, generally somewhere between 70 to 100 5.9 or 6.7 Cummins in the mix at any one time) used whatever brand of filter they could get cheapest, so depending on what the buyers found, we used just about every name brand imaginable, including Fram..I think I saw every name brand in use over the years. Baldwin, Luberfiner, Wix, Fleetguard , Fram etc..

I've used Fram, but not on my truck simply because I just use whatever wholesaler closeout filters are cheapest on Rock Auto and others are cheaper than Fram... .
in other words I dont think I have ever spent more than 5 dollars for an oil filter for my Cummins.. nor more than about 12 to 14 dollars for a gallon of oil for my truck..
 
There are far more lifter failures than there were flat tappet failures, but that's also the nature of lifters vs tappets.

Most the ones I've read about are lower mileage failures that are likely machining errors, so if you've made it to 200K miles you shouldn't have that problem.
Ditto for retired people like me. If you make it five yrs without croaking you're good to go.
 
I know someone who has used Fram Orange Cans of death on his 2002 Ram Cummins for 20 years as well as Rotella T4.
My fleet employer ( 700 Diesel powered vehicles, generally somewhere between 70 to 100 5.9 or 6.7 Cummins in the mix at any one time) used whatever brand of filter they could get cheapest, so depending on what the buyers found, we used just about every name brand imaginable, including Fram..I think I saw every name brand in use over the years. Baldwin, Luberfiner, Wix, Fleetguard , Fram etc..

I've used Fram, but not on my truck simply because I just use whatever wholesaler closeout filters are cheapest on Rock Auto and others are cheaper than Fram... .
in other words I dont think I have ever spent more than 5 dollars for an oil filter for my Cummins.. nor more than about 12 to 14 dollars for a gallon of oil for my truck..
A miracle occurs everyday.
 
sometimes I think "stories" get passed around on the internet and take on a life of their own that make all sorts of potential problems seem common when reality is the real issue is microscopic in numbers.
This thought applies to all things mechanical, a perfect example is someone saying that Fram Filters are orange cans of death whereas you can't actually find anyone that uses Fram that had a problem with them. Same applies to the new engines and the hydraulic lash adjusters... I'm sure a few of them have failed, just because mechanical failures occur happens when products are produced in the hundreds of thousands, but chances are nobody knows anyone it happened to..

This is the reason for my original post. Heard a lot, seen quite a few pics of destroyed cams/lifters/motors, but was curious just how frequently it was really happening, and if proper lube schedules would affect anything in the long haul. Personally, I have a hard time accepting the premise that Cummins/Ram has built thousands of time delay grenades that are going to make it to just outside of the warranty period, and then start self destructing.

There are far more lifter failures than there were flat tappet failures, but that's also the nature of lifters vs tappets.

Most the ones I've read about are lower mileage failures that are likely machining errors, so if you've made it to 200K miles you shouldn't have that problem.

AH64ID - I'm sure this is true for the reasons you mentioned. You, Ozy, Big Papa and several others post a lot of great info on this site, and I have respect for your postings, as they helped quite a bit with the issues I had with my last truck. I saw in your profile you have a CGI truck, If you dont mind me asking, whats your gut feeling on this issue? Would you think the CGI motor will have the same longevity as the previous motor?
 
AH64ID - I'm sure this is true for the reasons you mentioned. You, Ozy, Big Papa and several others post a lot of great info on this site, and I have respect for your postings, as they helped quite a bit with the issues I had with my last truck. I saw in your profile you have a CGI truck, If you dont mind me asking, whats your gut feeling on this issue? Would you think the CGI motor will have the same longevity as the previous motor?

I think the CGI motor has the potential to run the same longevity as the previous generation, and maybe then some depending on use cycle. It’s imperative to properly maintain them, but nothing crazy fancy is needed.

I did get the 125K miles Ram Max Care and feel than any design flaws should show by then, or at least start to show. But only time will tell.
 
Wow. Miracles aren't associated with religion.

Miracles don't exist except in the human mind, and since you brought them up, I guess you get to define them any way you feel..

OTOH data, science and personal experience are what I depend on to make decisions about maintenance. No miracles are necessary.
 
I agree. The Internet seems to make a big deal out of little things.

Just like what happened to that work truck, you don't see people coming on here screaming their camshafts are getting eaten up. Sometimes one-off things can spiral into a rabbit hole of delight for the Internet musings.

Or as I like to say it... you gotta be realistic.

Most people aren't, not when it comes to vehicles.. fact is most of them have little experience or background and make that up with strong opinions based on nothing but
hot air. These engines have a B50 life.. and when you get past that, something eventually shows up..
 
Most people aren't, not when it comes to vehicles.. fact is most of them have little experience or background and make that up with strong opinions based on nothing but
hot air. These engines have a B50 life.. and when you get past that, something eventually shows up..

And even then, B50 or better, something can still happen.

I'm getting too old to care about these "little" things. :D

I just get in and drive the damn thing till it throws a CEL or starts making noises, unless it's obvious when I go over the vehicle doing maintenance.
 
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