Lifter Tick

If your lifter tick is something that started after a prolonged parking spree, i.e. winter in NY, try changing to 10/30 and adding a pint of Marvel Mystery Oil. If that doesn't do the trick in 500 miles or less, you may have a more serious problem. If the car has been continuously driven enough to keep the lifters full of oil, and the tick has just started, you may have a timing chain problem. Ma Mopar cast a thin piece of stamped steel into the front cover that looks like a Chebbie timing pointer. For years I wondered what this was for until a customer brought in a Dakota with a lifter tick that wouldn't go away. After pulling the intake and checking each lifter, I decided to pull the cam and check it. When I pulled the front cover off, I noticed that the little timing mark was buggered up, and sure enough, the timing chain had way too much slack. Changed the chain and gears and the lifter tick went away. Hope this helps.