2000 Mitsubishi Galant clicking / ticking noise?

Thanks, it may be that. I tried to make this post a donated one, but it would not accept my MasterCard for some reason, sorry about that. Can you tell me if a worn accessory belt could be causing this clicking as well? The clicking doesn't go away when the engine is warmed and then restarted. Could it be anything severe, such as involving my timing belt or worn valve spring? Let me know, and again, my apologies for not having this be a paid question :(

I know it's not the A/C compressor, that has a broken signal plug, so its stuck off :) Does an alternator make clicking / ticking sounds when it is under too much load or failing? My lights and such dim when there is a higher electrical drain, such as the hvac fan being turned from off to high, or switching into reverse from park. Could the alternator be the culprit for this? What if the sound is coming from the engine block / valve cover? The engine runs and drives normally, the only thing I can think of is that the car ran for less than 20 minutes with the MAF sensor disconnected when I put in a cold air intake, but it ran fine one it was plugged in. That wouldn't have anything to do with it, right?

Regarding the lifters, a quick dose of Seafoam through the brake booster vacuum line solved the noise issue. My local auto shop teacher runs a Mazda Miata-only repair shop and said that a lot of these types of engines get carbon build up on the backs of the valves, not allowing them to close all the way (causing the lifters to be pushed more by the cam, hence the noise sounding like a lifter failure).

My current question is regarding the four speed automatic transmission in this car. My records indicate that the transmission fluid was flushed on 04/07/2007, with 79,584 miles on the vehicle. The car now has about 131,000 miles and I am wondering if it would be better to get the transmission fluid flushed or exchanged. In other words, would it be better to drop the pan and drain the fluid, or to connect it to a flush machine and have it changed that way? The transmission still shifts fine, and the fluid is just slightly discolored (pinkish-grey), with little to no burnt odor. Let me know, thanks!

SO my intake manifold broke in half (long story, we don't know exactly why it broke; the throttle body mount separated from the rest of the manifold) and I was wondering if a intake manifold from a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant with the 2.4L engine would work as its replacement?