I removed plate at bottom, no issues that I could see (watched tc while running and scoped out while off

 

I had same problem with loud ticking after I installed new transmission and torque converter. Found a bad weld job on remanufactured torque converter. Trust me on this! Your crankshaft position sensor (CPS) may be making contact with your torque converter. Reach behind the passenger side head and see if the bolt/s are backing out of the sensor bracket. Take your stethoscope out and touch probe on CPS with engine running. If the sensor is tight take off the transmission inspection cover and make sure your torque converter is tight and inspect the weld on the ring gear. There is one weld where the ring gear is split prior to welding. Using a small mirror or endoscope look at the backside of that same weld. Finally, reinstall only the starter and start the engine. See if the ring gear has any wobble.

 

So I checked ckp, wasn’t damaged….checked flexplate teeth/ starter, nothing out of ordinary there, found no visible cracks in flex plate from what I could see. Had it running with inspection cover off, no wobble at all from tc/ flexplate.

back in with Stethascope and my daughter feathering gas so I could hear tick….so it’s coming from back passenger side. BUT on the very back of valve cover the tick is the same as if I put stethoscope on bell housing of trans near oil filter….ones no louder than other so I’m still in question, engine or trans….and sound is more up top it’s not bottom end


im leading myself to believe it’s something with cylinder 8 because thats the area of sound and I get the random p0308 that will shut itself off after few hundred miles then come back on for few hundred miles…..

but running with valve cover off, all parts of cylinder 8 moving like the rest, same oil flow as others, no loose rockers…..guess I just need to tear it down

 

That's a tough one. Wonder if the heads cracked and maybe what you are hearing is the pressure escaping

 

Somethings telling me maybe a broken piston skirt….but I don’t know because when it does tick if I feather throttle the noise doesn’t go faster with engine, the tick is the tick, doesn’t follow engine rpms, doesn’t make it all the time, only when I get to cruising speed and lay off throttle a little…..if I let off gas completely, stab it to floor, or if it shifts the tick stops

 

Does the tick have any relation with vehicle speed?

 

Always happens around the 2400-2700 rpm range that’s about the only consistent thing about it…..unless I’m heavy on throttle then it doesn’t do it until I let off slightly unless it is and I can’t hear it because I do have loud exhaust…but normal throttle acceleration 2400-2700rpms

 

So I had two other techs who I’m buddies with listen to the tick…..both were puzzled. Both say it sounds like a lifter but it’s confusing how it random and not consistent…..

think I may just pull intake and check lifters….this had to happen when cold seasons here….if it were spring/summer I could take time and pull engine and ride Harley to work….and wife’s got her rig but now that snows about to fly I need my truck….figures

 

So just happened to check the for sale ads and found another 02 with a 5.9 that runs and drives fine but frames junk….buy whole truck for $400, so I’m gunna slap that engine in my truck and strip it for parts, and my current engine I’m going to fully rebuild. I’ve done a few engines and will be doing all work minus machining myself, and I’ll post every step along the way and will relay what I find in my current engine once I strip it down.

built my Harley engine with higher compression pistons, big cam, and valve work and it’s a monster, same plan intended for the dodge

 

So I bought myself a parts truck today….02 1500 5.9 with 148k. Frame broke on both sides BUT I drove it onto trailer. Engine sounds great, trans went good, 4x4 worked….paid $400 and have clean title……has perfect set of rims, aftermarket tail lights, decent enough body where I’m going to fix bed sides and sell bed for $1000…..made out like a bandit. Going to throw that engine in my truck, rebuild my current engine with upgrades, and now that I have all kinds of spare parts I’m sending the spare tranny out to be re done to handle the new engine all while still being able to drive my truck……

I never find great deals so I’m pretty pumped about this