It's been real cold, and for the first couple of minutes I get a tick, and if I try to move the car (put load on the motor) the tick gets louder, then goes away once warmed up a little.

 

exhaust leak maybe?

 

It's not piston slap. could be an exhaust leak, could be HVAC related, i would start the car and put it in park. open the hood, listen to it idle.
Try and hear where the sound is coming from. Have someone give it gas and listen.

 

Sounds like your smog thing (round thing on the back top of the engine),sorry ,can't remember my name right now,too many beers.)The tollerinces are too tight for piston slap I think.(These cars make a lot of Questionable noises,but that's the nature of these cars.)

 

I doubt exhaust leak, its definitly a metal knock noise

 

Open the hood and listen for the origen of the noise,
use a stethiscope, if needed

 

Yep mine does it due to the Mahle forged pistons. Nearly all forged pistons do this when the engine is cold, even when its warm out. Hyper~ pistons do not expand and contract like forged pistons, thats the reason the manufacturers use them as well as the cheaper cost.

Mine goes completely away in less than one mile or three minutes of idling plus it does not register as knock counts. It is also barely audible, not loud at all and sounds more like a scuffing sound to me.

 

I don't have any piston slap issues. Could it also be lifter noise that you are hearing?

 

mine does it until it warms up for a few minutes in the winter.
never hear it in the summer.

 

Mine doesn't piston slap, but it does have a little lifter noise

 

Mine has piston slap every time i start it. But then again mines not stock and has forged pistons. Its done it since it was built (didnt build the bottom end) and I have about 8000 miles on it now. So far so good I guess.

 

Oh and mine also goes away after a mile or two.

 

I listened to it again w/ the hood up, it only does it for the first 20 seconds or so then its gone, never does it after that. It seems it only does it after it's sat for a while in cold temps. Impossible to pin point its coming from somewhere in the middle of the motor.

 

I had the same thing on my ford explorer. Mine was like an exhaust leak, but louder. sounded like it was comming from where the tranny bolted up to the motor. Ticked like crazy, then after 3-5 minutes of driving it was gone.

I ended up cracking the head between the valves. I noticed a ton of smoke comming from the exhaust and figured I blew a head gasket. I'm on the rebuild now, when I start it I will let you know if my ticking has stopped...