Tough to diagnose ticking noise

I have the same noise in my 97 with an AX-15. At this point I've just accepted it as normal but I'm curious to see if anyone finds a solution. I can also upload a video if anyone wants another video for data.
 
I meant to post this here a week ago by forgot, so i lifted my jeep and i had to remove my shifter boot in order to shift into reverse because of the motor mount and body lift so right now its basically an open path to the transmission.

The noise is FOR SURE coming from either the front of the transmission/back of the engine, I can clearly hear it with the shifter boot off and locate it.
 
Metallic sounds can travel and sound like coming from all over.. but I'd be interested in what u find.

Mine doesn't change when shifting or clutching.

Starting to wonder if mine is piston pin slap?
 
I meant to post this here a week ago by forgot, so i lifted my jeep and i had to remove my shifter boot in order to shift into reverse because of the motor mount and body lift so right now its basically an open path to the transmission.

The noise is FOR SURE coming from either the front of the transmission/back of the engine, I can clearly hear it with the shifter boot off and locate it.
That’s interesting. I’ve sorta given it over to just assuming it’s lifter tick but to an extreme level. I can definitely hear it get louder when I stick my head down towards the pedals. Mines been coming and going throughout drives, I can’t see any relationship to temperature or pressure when going off the gauges. It has been much quieter than in the past. Been running that rotella for a few months now, haven’t been driving it as much and still waiting for an oil change and I was planning to report back after 500 miles on conventional. Good to know there’s still people watching this thread.
 
I just bought my first TJ about 3 weeks ago, a 2003 with the 4.0 and NV3550. I've been chasing this noise nonstop. I thought it had to be an exhaust leak, but so far I can't locate it.
 
Yeah 10k miles later on my Jeep and its still the same noise but no negative consequences. I hardly even notice it anymore.
 
Yeah 10k miles later on my Jeep and its still the same noise but no negative consequences. I hardly even notice it anymore.
I have a pressurized smoke machine at work. I pressurized the exhaust system from the tail pipe with 7 psi and found no smoke. I was 100% confident on this being an exhaust leak. Not sure now.
 
I too have a ticking sound in my engine. It ticks at idle after it has warmed up and at higher rpms while driving. It has been ticking for about 3000 miles.

When I first noticed the ticking it was only during acceleration and above 2500 rpms when the engine was under the load of acceleration. If I depressed the clutch pedal and revved the engine while coasting down the road the ticking was not audible. Now I can here the ticking whether at idle, during acceleration, and when revving the engine.

Initially I thought it was an exhaust leak. I checked the four bolts where the two pre-cats bolt up to the exhaust manifold and found three of the four to be loose. I tightened the hell out of all four bolts but I still have the ticking.

The ticking is similar to valve-train/lifter rattle but it is not coming from the upper area of the engine. The sound is definitely down low in and around the bell housing or the rear main seal area. It is not a knocking noise. It is baffling to me as to why it started, where it is coming from, and how to alleviate it.

I guess there is some comfort in knowing that I’m not alone when it comes to this ticking experience.

The odometer just rolled over to 119,000 miles. Maybe an oil change will stop the tick but I ain’t going to hold my breath.

Suffice to say… I’m ticked off!
 
Could it be a bad lifter? It sounds like the video referenced in this article.
https://www.700r4transmissionhq.com/jeep-wrangler-lifter-tick-diagnosis/
Mine sounds nothing like the video in that article. I do have slight lifter tick (which would be more alarming if I didn't with this engine seems to be the running joke) but it isn't that extreme.

The tick in question definitely seems to be down around the bell housing area when listening from underneath, and coming from the right-ish of where the pedals are when listening in the cab.

Honestly its less of a hard "tick" sound and more of a quick "faff" sound if that makes any sense, at least that's how I hear it in my head. (faffaffaffaffaff...)

Mine has not gotten any worse or better since I've joined this thread. Although there has been a few times where its completely gone and the engine just sounds SMOOTH, I drive a little further and its back. At lower RPMs it almost sounds/feels like there's two separate pulsating sounds out of phase with each other. When they sync up it just sounds so perfect and clean, no ticks, like I know instantly this is how it should sound.
 
Alright guys I found a solution that worked for me. Finally got around to doing an oil change (5000 miles after 11 months) and went with 10W-30 Pennzoil conventional and a MOPAR filter. It's basically non-existent now. Also the "diesel" sound at idle is significantly diminished. It's starting to get cold where I'm at as well (30's to 50's) although that didn't make any difference last year. It wasn't right away but after a day it was definitely getting quieter, this weekend I drove about 200 miles for a camping trip and its nearly entirely gone, I would really have to be listening hard to notice anything.

All of this started when I used synthetic, Costco had a damn good deal, ticking and a lot more oil leaking underneath around that time. Tried Rotella which didn't really make any noticeable difference, and finally regular ol' conventional and its quieted way down.