My friend is getting this truck and had me look at it today. It's a 97' with 101,000 miles. 5 speed. It starts no problem, but makes a clicking sound when Rpm's are low. Has a good idle around 800rpm, but makes a clicking/Tapping sound until you give it gas then it doesn't make it anymore.
I noticed the head gasket needs replaced, but when i looked in the oil fill hole, in the head i could visibly see alot of carbon, Spent oil sludgy stuff on top of the Rockers.

I was originally thinking it was coming from the fan or something, but after seeing all the junk build up under the head i started thinking Corroded valves or improper seating of something. Any bit of info on this is welcomed. Thanks

Could it be timing or the chain guide?


Just wondering why its noisy on idle but not when Rpm's increase.

its coming from play in the rocker arms im pretty sure. Took the valve cover off and noticed alot of play, i'd say probably 2/8- 3/8 inch of movement in on the rocker arm. Now correct me if im wrong but isn't the rocker arm suppose to be in contact with the cam at all times? We started the engine with the valve cover off and found the ticking was actually the rocker arm slapping off the cam lobes. Witch is makeing the tapping click,click, click sound. give it throttle and the ticking speeds up. I Thought it was the valve springs till after we took the rocker arm retainers bar things off, the springs are still super tight. so i rolled that out.

the rocker arm slapping off the cam is probably from worn "Pads" on the rocker arm on the valve side, not cam side. The area the hits or strikes the valve rod thing is worn down to the base of the rocker arm, and after seeing some pics of new rocker arms, i noticed that the pin/ strike area on the valve side is well worn out. Could sucking it up and paying $407.00 for new rocker arms be the problem or are the valve stems bent like my friend thinks?

I Know that if a pad is worn down, that that would give "Play" which could be making the ticking i think is the rocker are pad being worn out. Any ideas Please. Thanks