New owner of 2014 300c 5.7 AWD. Curious to have you expert folks check out the sound this engine makes. I feel like it ticks way too much for a normal engine.
I also get this weird "kick in the back" kind of feeling at low speeds accompanied by whirring sound beforehand... Is this the AWD kicking in?
Sounds about right. Some really loud ticking normally indicates an exhaust manifold gasket failure & leak, exhaust manifold broken bolt or, and this is rare, a broken/cracked exhaust manifold but your engine doesn't seem to exhibit a loud ticking.
The lurch you are experiencing sounds like the transmission is downshifting or the torque converter is unloading and coming out of lock up.
I had a "louder that usual" ticking in my 300C a while back. When I took it to the dealer they told me one spark plug hole was full of oil due to a valve cover gasket leak. They replaced the gasket, cleaned out the hole, and now the engine purrs like new again. Sweet!
My 300c has had a tick since the day it came home. Its never gone away and never has gotten any louder. Im at 89297 miles right now. But mine sounds similar to that yours. Its kinda hard to account for sound when your not actually there in person.