Need thoughts on ticking.

[fourwheelford]

Ok I have been dealing with this for over a year and I think I finally found it but its in a confusing place, at least to me it is. I have probed all over the motor with a mechanics stethoscope and found the tick in the cat right in the middle behind the oil pan. I know it doesn't make sense that it would tick from there but I swear to you thats where its coming from, not the heads, not the oil pan, not the tranny. What the hell could be in there that is causing a tick that the force of the exhaust wouldn't blow out? Its not random its a constant noise so its not a rock in the heat shield.

Also I have noticed a new noise, its an intermitant whine/whistle right where the motor meets the tranny, the cam syncro has 9000 miles on it so I doubt that it any ideas on that one? The PS pump is noisy so it might be traveling through the motor I guess.

 

[Ranger Kip]

some leaks maybe? maybe various oils are low?

 

[fourwheelford]

leaks as in oil or tranny fluid, yes but they are minor and I keep up on them. Like I said its coming from the cat itself, there is nowhere else I can find it.