1996 Ticking.....

[Track3r]

Ok so the other day I noticed a ticking when I would first start the truck that quickly went away... [Kind of like a lifter tap but not sure]

Then last night on my way home I got off the interstate and it was ticking quite loud. Once I got abou8t half way home [5 miles~] it went away again.

I parked the truck last night and didn't drive it to work and today changed the oil.

Once again when I started it to put it on the ramps it was ticking.

Drained the oil and replaced it the ticking went away shortly after starting the truck again but while it was draining I noticed some light brown in the oil... Not a whole lot but still enough to notice.

I know that this can sometimes be due to a headgasket but if that was the case the ticking would have not went away correct?

I just want to be sure that I wont get stranded on the side of the road with a blown motor or something...

 

[Track3r]

Anyone able to provide any help with this?

 

[corkey]

i would get a stethoscope or a tube and put it on various places on the engine while it is ticking to find out where it is coming from,
mine ticks, and has done so for over 100k miles,,

 

[Track3r]

Since the oil change it has not ticked at all...

 

[SmoothJimmy]

Ambient temps can be a factor during warmup. Gotta pump that oil to the right places. Some folks run a lighter weight during the winter. How many miles on the engine?

Definitely make the investment in the stethescope per Corkey's recommend. They can be had cheap at Harbor Freight (.com) and are useful for myriad problem isolation under the hood.