Lol yes but what could cause the ticking air noise besides an exhaust/header leak?

 

I had the broken driver's manifold bolt....If it is this, it will get louder over time (will almost go away completely when the truck is warmed up).
I also have loud lifters, but they go away after about 3 min after starting.

I went with headers and locking bolts....never to worry about it again (I hope!)

 

Best way to isolate a noise under the hood: get a 3ft long section of 1/2" vacuum tubing, put one end up to your ear and move the other one around the engine bay. You will be able to tell where its coming from .....

 

IIRC I paid around $140 for my Cherry Bomb Pro setup installed from the Y back...

 

Umm its a Dodge engine LOL, that simple.

 

Aargh, ya beat me to it. Ya just like he said, take a wooden dowell rod (works just as fine) hold it to the exhaust mannifolds, and valve covers and if you hear a tick, you got the source of the problem.

 

I like to call it "playing doctor with the truck"

 

I use 10.9 metric bolts equivalent to a grade 8 and I haven't broken one of those yet.

 

That sounds exactly like my situation.

tomorrow I'm going to get a quote in a local shop for headers and full exhaust....we'll see how that goes..

 

If it's a slight exhaust manifold leak, it will likely go away after the engine gets heat in it and expands the metal enough to close the offending leak.

If it's the notorious valve lash adjuster 'tap', that tends to quiet down after the engine heats up but it won't go away.

Both emit a tapping noise but they each have a distinctive sound. It's hard to explain but that's what I've found.