Pretty damn sure I know what I have to do here, but want to run it by you grizzled veterans.

Engine started making a very nice clacking noise not too long ago. Not the knocking like you're gonna throw a rod or the gentle ticking of a gummed up valve, but in between the two. Noise is louder the colder it gets outside too. No matter what I know it's gonna involve me pulling the intake manifold and valve covers, and I'll wager what I'm hearing is the soothing serenade of a lifter that's gone out.

After pulling the manifold, will I be needing to yank out the spider too? Thought I remembered some kind of cover over the lifter valley, is that right?

 

I can answer part of your question,you have a plastic guide plate that covers and holds your lifters in place.Its has 3 bolts that hold it in place.

 

appreciate it. thought I was remembering right.

 

***UPDATE***

Well I changed out my lifters. Unfortunately, it didn't solve my noise issue. I can hear it loudest by my front passenger wheel. Hoping it isn't piston-related...

Oh yeah! PICS!!!





At the beginning. Just took off the intake hose and air box.





A little further along. Now I have the throttle body and some hoses removed.





Looking like a project now. Pulled the upper intake manifold and passenger valve cover. Disconnected some wiring and moved a bunch of stuff out of my way. You can see the spider clearly here.





Hunting down the bolts for the lower intake. Look under the A/C compressor mount. Yup. That's a bolt hole for the lower. Had to loosen the power steering mount to clear the bolt. This is on an '04, by the way.





Pulled the lower intake and swapped the lifters. This is just after the new ones went back in.





The lifter covers and pushrods. These were all ok.





Lifter covers and pushrods back in. Just 2 bolts per cover. No sweat.





Notice the rail the rockers attach to. No ball. No adjusting. Just a bolt through the top of each rocker you tighten down to the specified torque. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.





After I got all the crud cleaned up, I installed the gaskets. First you put a bead of sealant down along the front and rear mating faces of the block, going about 1/2" up each side, so the ears of the new gasket overlap the sealant. Also remember to put some sealant on the block side of the new gasket around the coolant ports. Be quick when putting the manifold back on so your sealant doesn't dry on you. Your gaskets have nipples on the block side that fit into holes in the block. Makes installation pretty straightforward as far as orientation goes.

I couldn't remove the drain bolts on the block, which is why you still see coolant in the ports. Had to use a fishtank hand pump to remove enough coolant from the ports to get it to quit splashing into the lifter valley. The oil change after this was all done was interesting...





Just put everything back on in the reverse you tore it down. TA-DA!!!



Go to my album to see bigger pics. Can't figure out how to do it in the message. Mods feel free to do it for me or let me know how.

 

Your exhaust manifold isn't cracked is it?

 

that is what i was thinking, exhaust leak of some sort.

 

exhaust leak making a clacking noise? new one on me. i'll look.

 

maybe this so called clacking noise is piston slap.

 

A cracked manifold would make some kind of clanking sound. How about you take a video for us?

 

tried to take a video before. can't hear it.