1997 Ram 1500 5.2L 4x4

So recently this truck had started a tapping noise from the rear of the driver's side valve cover. This noise happened while moving down the road, and came out of nowhere, but it's definitely an all the time noise now.

I had tore the driver's valve cover off and found a bent pushrod on the number 7 cylinder. I removed the opposite valve cover and intake, replaced all lifters after soaking them in oil, replaced pushrods, intake manifold gaskets, bolts,and plenum gasket. Did everything following the service manual, did all correct torque specs and sequences. changed the oil and filter immediately after completing this.

When put back together, upon starting the truck, I knew that the lifters would take a minute to quiet down, but after they did, I still have a very loud tapping noise coming from the rear on the driver's side of the engine. I happened to look underneath at the underside of the block and notice that around where the exhaust manifold meets the #7 exhaust port, it's soaked in pretty fresh oil like it's been blowing it out the exhaust on that cylinder.

Has anyone experienced anything like that?

What could be the cause of the noise or the oil around the exhaust port?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

I will attach pictures of the oil spot to help.

Thanks guys.

 

Pull the valve cover, roll the engine over by hand, and watch the valve train. May be a stuck valve, broken spring, or a number of other potential problems. Probably should have done valve seals while you were in there too.

 

Turns out the lifters weren't primed completely, the noise has went away, but it still does it when under a load moving down the road every now and then. Any ideas?

 

Normally, I would say valve adjustment.... but, they aren't exactly adjustable on these motors.....