i have a ticking noise that comes in and out with no real pattern its just there or its not its not extremely heavy sounding 02 5.3 lm7

 

sounds like a lifter tick
I would say possibly exhaust leak but if it comes and goes randomly then its probably not.

 

Could try some Marvel Mystery Oil in the engine and see if it goes away. Sometimes the lifters stick or get stuck on engines with cylinder deactivation. I've seen a couple of those lifters, the spring collapses and they stick in the short position.