Don't they usually blow up once the ticking stops?

 

i dont know lol, this is my first dodge in 16 years or more.
my first was a 76 dodge tradesman van with a 225 slant 6 and i drove the wheels off of it.
i love the body style of the 2nd gen rams and the front axle, much more beefier than 1/2 ton ford or chevys drive axle crap.
mine is a 97 slt larimie ext cab and the 5.2 in it feels stronger than my buddys 98 z71 350 vortec

 

Ham Bone's right. Exhaust tick and valve train noise is tricky to figure out! Believe me I went thru that process. I thought I had a lifter tick, it ended up being my header gasket blew out.

 

I had a ticking I thought was an exhaust leak. Replaced the serpentine belt because it was looking shabby, tick went away and haven't heard it since.

 

I always thought the ticking was normal LOL

 

all i know for sure is that i love this truck!
it may take a little work to get it right but i think its wwwworth it.
also i believe it has the huges al plenum plate because i cant get my magnetic wand to stick to the bottom of the intake

 

That's convenient. Is it nice and clean?

 

My 318 "chirps" at high rpms, I just write it off to a pulley and haven't investigated because it only presents itself at high rpms. With an auto I for the most part just let my truck do it's own thing and mess with stuff when it's about to break

 

If there is a definite louder tick over a particular spot on valve cover, how do you know if it's a lifter tick? Mine ticked above #2 cylinder last summer but seems to have disappeared since the cold weather hit last Thanksgiving. What causes the ticking anyway?

 

I'm betting its a header gasket mine sounded like it was gonna shoot a valve into space!