Most likely it is the exhaust manifold leaking, which is very common on this model with the V6 engine. It is usually most noticable when the engine is cold, and gets better as it warms up.
If the ticking sounds like a "normal" ticking, it is probably the fuel injectors.
It is easy to replace the brakes if you know what you are doing. Even on cars like BMW's and Nissan's, the brakes are easily replaced.
if it is cracked or the gasket is bad sometimes they sound like ticking lifters. look for carbon deposits at joints and on the manifolds themselves.
sounds like you have a loose rocker arm NEW ANSWER: A exhaust manifold gasket leaking will sound like a lifter also.
usually the vehicle will start to lose power and this especially noticeable going up hill. you may hear a swoosh swoosh swooshing sound coming out of the tailpipe like it is partially stopped up instead of the regular purring that it should make.
If you open the back hatch there is a hole and you put the long stick like thing and twist leftwards. A chain will loosen and the spare will come down.
Yes, as a child I heard them for years at my Mum & Dad's house. It's a very gentle tick-tock for about 20 seconds then pause for about 15 seconds before starting again. I have a different sound in my kitchen - which I can only describe as a fairy snoring. A regular, soft buzzing sound which, like the 'ticking' spiders can be disrupted by hitting the table or wall near to the sound - and I hear it in different parts of my kitchen on different days. Now, clearing mum and Dad's house - in the silence, the ticking spiders are still there, just like they used to be.
Sounds like a swirl control solenoid problem. Its a Nissan only part and its expensive! $500-$800 job
Fuel injectors can stick and sound like lifters but not as loud. Lifters of course. The speed of the ticking would help, one or two cylindars or all of them? A spark jumping, but there should be some loss of performance.
Get your oil changed! ASAP! Sounds like you may be getting low on oil; with a slight oil leak... and with a 98 Saturn, that wouldn't be surprising.
You don't. Go to an auto parts store like NAPA and get a new one. Depending on what is wrong with it you may need new gaskets to the block. Explain yourself a little more.
a sharp, distinct, metallic percussion like the stroke of a blacksmith's hammer upon the anvil. The ticking of his watch.