Got a buddy with a 11 1/2 ton ram with a 5.7 and mds. He had a roller on a lifter go bad that also took out the cam. Just looking at some options, He is looking at maybe a 6.4 bge cam and get rid of the mds or another 5.7 cam and no mds. Wondering what all involved in the swap for a 6.4 cam or the 5.7 non mds cam, and where a good place is to buy the parts.

The BGE cam is a slight upgrade, the SRT cam is even bigger upgrade, if he just drives the truck get the SRT cam, if he tows with it get the BGE cam. They both just bolt right in. If I use the SRT cam I recomend the SRT springs but the 5.7 springs will work and they are a lot cheaper. The SRT cam is the cheapest. I have heard the hell cat lifters are better, maybe check into a set of those. The MDS is not an issue, just keep it, but if you positively hate technology it is easy to ditch, just get the non MDS lifters and or a tune. The tune can eliminate it all by it self even with the MDS lifters in it, the non mds lifters will prevent it from engaging but will give you a check engine light, you could also use a 3/4 or 1 ton confuser but you will need to have the VIN programmed into it.

The guy at MMX on Facebook has been preaching that an MDS cam used in a non MDS application (turned off with tune or otherwise) is bad and will destroy the cam and lifters in short order. Has given a vague answer about the differing ramps on the MDS lobes not doing well with constant use. I know the MDS and non MDS cams are a little different and do differ in the ramps but I find it hard to believe that Chrysler would design something that couldn't last in a scenario where MDS isn't activated/working/etc. What's your take on this?

Thanks for the replies, I think ditching the MDS is just a $ thing. Those lifters are spendy he said. Hellcat lifters he thought were about half the cost.

Dave Weber of MMX's business relies on people listening to his advice and buying his parts. You dont see any MMX built cars breaking records.
Lots of people use non mds lifters on a mds cam with no problems

The factory is not that stupid, they run with the MDS off a ton, they run constantly with it off when the tow haul button is pushed. The only cams I have seen go bad are eagle 5.7s and it don't matter if they even have MDS or not and the MDS lobes are the only lobes I have never seen bad, I have 3 or 4 in my scrap pile right now and none of the bad lobes are on MDS cylinders.

Just for the record it was the non mds lifter that the went bad, along with another non mds lifter that was close to doing the same thing.

Just an update, my buddy ended up putting hellcat lifters in his 5.7, got rid of mds lifters because of the cost. He did have the heads surfaced and valve springs checked and had a few bad ones, so new valve springs were put in, also a hone and rings while it was out. He used a tuner to shut off the mds and put a tune on it, he said it runs a lot better and much smoother than before.

How much mpg did he lose without having mds? I sold my 04 hemi ram because it got like 13mpg and was non mds that year and people I know with mds got 16-17mpg, some more... he'll be paying that cost saving back quick

That’s a good question, I’ll have to ask him.