I was fighting loud ticking from my 4.7 and thought the hydraulic lifters i'd installed back in 2020 had gone bad (I replaced all lifters and valve springs after a lifter had seized and ejected a rocker) Even did the whole mechanic's stethoscope thing and over the years, I pulled valve covers to change out a few lifters again. Point is, I was locked into thinking it was valve train related cause you know, sounds like this can play games with you. Well, on a hunch, I pulled the timing cover and the chain guides (4.7 has three chains) were in tatters, with one guide completely missing, broken plastic pieces laying around and tensioners gone bad as well. I threw in a Cloyes timing set and the ticking noises I'd heard for years are now gone. Point is, it can be totally unrelated to what u think.

Also, it sounds like you've got a lot of aftermarket parts and mods here and there. The further you deviate from stock, the harder it is to guess what it could be from afar.

 

I remember when I pulled the engine apart the second time, I checked the timing set just to be sure it wasn’t that making the ticking sound. Both times I bought brand new Cloyes double rollers. I went overkill on a lot of things just so I wouldn’t have to worry lol

But yeah, going overkill has led to a lot of aftermarket stuff. The magnum 3.9, 5.2, and 5.9s don’t have factory chain tensioners, but I do remember the horrendous sound that they will make when the chains start to get too stretched as it happened to my 3.9 that was originally in the truck.

 

This became a TSB. They make and sell tc tensioners for them now. I put one in when I replaced my tc. Mine is the 3.9 Well RA sells one for mine anyway.

 

I remember looking at those, but I was also building the engine and watching a lot of engine building videos on YouTube at the time, and everyone was saying “buy a double roller” lol. Not sure if they make tensioners for double rollers, but I think I remember looking

 

The double roller chains are less prone to stretching than the stock morse style chains..... so a tensioner isn't really necessary. The chain just isn't that long.

 

Yeah that’s what I read everywhere too. Anyway, my next step is to swap off the headers for manifolds because it’s basically free and it’s easy. If that doesn’t fix it, then I’m going to pull the covers off and put the stethoscope on every rocker and see if I can isolate the sound. When I’m at work today, I’m also going to have my coworkers come use the stethoscope as well to see if they also hear the difference in noise that I hear

 

Seems like you have been all over this engine and have replaced a lot of parts. I am curious if it could be something as simple as a lifter hanging up/knicking on the retainer. Seems unlikely, but you never know, check it closely when you pull the intake.

 

I do remember both times I assembled the engine I primed it with a drill and turned it over by hand, and it turned over very smoothly. Even when I pulled the rockers off, when I turned each cylinder to TDC I watched the pushrods move up and down and it moved smoothly.

I do, if it matters, have another observation I just started paying attention to. When I turn the engine off and it slows down, the ticking sound follows it. I paid attention this time to the rhythm it made, and as the engine died, the ticking sort of turned into a longer duration tshhh sound. It does this every time I turn the engine off, and it follows the ticking sound

 

Take off the serpentine belt, start the motor. Noise gone?

 

I tried that the other day as a sanity check, no change.