I have a 1974 Dodge PowerWagon 4x4 with a slant in it and I need to do some work on it this weekend. I don't have any manuals or specs on slants so that is why I am here. There is a horrible tapping from under the valve cover so i'm hoping a valve adjustment will fix that.

What I need to know is:

What do I adjust the valves to for the best offroad performance?
What should I adjust the timing to?
It has a 2 barrel Carter carburetor freshly rebuilt, how EXACTLY do I adjust the carb?
What temperature thermostat should I run, the weather around here is normally 75-87F degrees. The truck never moves off of the first line on the temperature gauge, but yet the thing seems so hot to the touch its not even funny. Is it possible its been overheating all these hours i've been driving it? I mean this mother is so hot i would bet anyone I could cook a steak to perfection on it.
A few days ago my stock oil pump went pysco after blowing 4 quarts of oil while i was on a 2 hour drive back to my house (an hour or so on 1 1/2 quarts of oil? Thats sick) So I installed a Melling high volume oil pump. After driving for about 40 minutes the oil pressure drops to like 5psi at idle which is about 700-800 rpm, is this normal, or should I put in some kind of oil additive to thicken it up, or should I be investing in an oil cooler?
By the way, the motor is an '82 slant six but the head might still be the 1974 head. I appreciate any suggestions and tips you guys might have. Thanks!

Horrible ticking could be bad news---you have a hydraulic lifter/cam motor with a solid lifter/cam head. The combination can be used, but needs to be done properly. Either the block needs a mechanical cam and lifters to work with the mechanical valvetrain on the head, or the head needs to have the hydraulic rocker assembly installed to match a hydraulic cam/lifters/pushrods in the block. (this includes the rear-most 'stepped' bolt for the rocker shaft on hydraulic setups--it feeds the rockers/pushrods/lifters with oil....) Do you know which way yours is or if it was done?

If it has been converted to mechanical cam & lifters, proper valve lash is .010" intake and .020 exhaust, hot. If it is hydraulic---no lash to set, and the ticking may be collapsed lifter(s)

5 psi oil pressure at idle, while not great, is not horrible (at least it still has some pressure)...but should be better IMO. Especially with the high volume oil pump. (mine holds 30 psi at hot idle w/ high volume oil pump--but is a fresh rebuild) What weight oil do you run? The low hot idle pressure may be a sign of 'loose' bearings...but don't condemn it yet. Does the oil pressure come up when you are driving?. Switching to a heavier weight oil should help bring up the pressure (EG 15-40 if you currently run 10-30) Where did the oil 'blow out' of?

Initial timing should be in the 8* to 12* BTDC range. Experimentation will tell you what works best for your slant.

Check the articles section on the home page for BBD adjustments (look in the "Supersix" article by Reed Speir)

A 185* to 195* thermostat will work for you (I run a 190* in similar temps)

Overheating---have you looked in the radiator while it is running to verify the waterpump is moving coolant? Could also be a stuck thermostat, or there may be nothing wrong. With the exhaust manifold right under the carb it can make everything around it quite hot to the touch...

-S/6

If someone put an old head and solid rockers without changing the cam, It will be really loud. I don't know how to check for this, but it could be the cause of your noise. Try the normal adjustments.

Im not sure if the '74 head is on this slant or if its the '82 im going to check the casting number tomarrow morning to find out. I do run 10w30 oil though. Next oil change ill use a bit heavier considerring its age. My father and I never exactly pin pointed wether the oil was blowing out of the oil pump or the fuel pump so we just replaced both of those and it hasnt dripped a drop since, except my leaky valve cover =-P
Im pretty sure the lifters are mechanical, they are new looking to me, im used to doing 302's and vw 4 bangers
Oil pressure pretty much maxes out at 30psi while cruising. I didnt even think of watching to see if the coolant is even flowing, but ill be doing a new thermostat along with the rest of the stuff. A new problem has arisen though, my dad was following me home and said my passenger side front wheel looked like it was going to fly off, so now I have to deal with whatever he was seeing HAHA, i didnt feel a thing while driving it.