Hellcat Oil Pump Upgrade: Does It Actually Help Prevent HEMI Tick?

The Problem It Solves

The primary cause of HEMI lifter failure is insufficient oil flow to the roller bearing inside the lifters at idle RPM. At idle, the oil pump turns slowly and produces less volume and pressure than at higher RPMs. The MDS lifters — with their small internal passages — are particularly vulnerable to momentary oil starvation at idle.

The factory oil pump in the 5.7L and 6.4L is adequate but not generous at idle. The Hellcat's oil pump — designed for a 707+ HP engine — flows approximately 12% more oil volume than the standard pump. At the idle speeds where lifter lubrication is most critical, this extra flow makes a meaningful difference.

What the Upgrade Involves

The Hellcat oil pump (Mopar part number varies by year — confirm for your specific model) is a direct bolt-on replacement for the 5.7L and 6.4L. No machining, no fabrication.

Installation requires:

• Removing the oil pan (2–3 hour job with proper access)
• Replacing the oil pump gear and housing
• New oil pan gasket
• Fresh oil fill

Cost:

• Hellcat oil pump: $150–$200 (Mopar or aftermarket equivalent)
• Oil pan gasket: $20–$40
• Shop labor if not DIY: $250–$400 (primarily oil pan removal time)

Does the Evidence Support It?

This is an interesting question because the modification is preventive — the "success" is the absence of an engine failure that might or might not have happened anyway.

What the forum consensus shows:

• Widely recommended on HEMI-specific forums (Mopar forums, SRT forums, Charger forums)
• Commonly performed as part of cam swap builds (engine is partially apart anyway)
• No documented reports of owners who installed it and still experienced lifter failure; though the sample size is not controlled
• The 12% additional flow is real — measurable with a pressure gauge at idle

The modification is inexpensive relative to the cost of a lifter failure ($4,000–$8,500). The break-even point is easily justified as risk management.

Best Time to Install

The ideal time is during any engine work that requires oil pan removal — specifically:

• During a cam swap: The engine is already partially disassembled; add the oil pump at minimal incremental labor cost
• During a bottom-end rebuild: Obviously include it
• As a standalone: Worth doing, but adds labor cost that tips the cost-benefit calculation

For owners doing a cam swap, adding the Hellcat oil pump while the oil pan is already off costs perhaps $150 in parts and 30 minutes of extra time. Not doing it seems like a missed opportunity.

Alternative: Dry Sump Conversion

For extreme builds (1,000+ HP), a dry sump oiling system eliminates all wet sump concerns entirely. Cost: $5,000–$10,000. Not relevant for street cars — included here for completeness.

Bottom Line

The Hellcat oil pump upgrade is cheap insurance against the most expensive common HEMI failure. Do it during any bottom-end work. For an otherwise stock car, it's a standalone job worth doing if you plan to keep the car long-term — particularly if you do lots of city driving and idling.