Loud ticking for lifter

If it is a high milage car this is not uncommon. try an oil additive like lucas oil stabilazier and see if that quiets it down.

Lifter noise(s) can be a combination of things........ 1. High mileage on engine. 2. Not using the correct oil. 3. Lots of sludge build up in motor due to lack of oil changes and the quality of oil that you are using. Hydraulic lifters rarely fail but it does happen, given the conditions on how the car was maintained. I can offer you a solution but no guarantees on what might quiet this lifter down. It's a 50/50 chance. On your next oil change, I would recommend taking your vehicle to a facility that sells BG products. It's a company that formulates chemicals that have great cleaning properties to your fuel system and oil lubricating systems in your engine and at the same time, it is safe on all rubber seals in your engine. (Especially Higher Milage Vehicles) Ask for BG MOA to be added in you next oil change or if you do your own oil changes, you can find this product on line and can purchase from there. What the BG MOA does, it helps break up sludge and build up on the inside of your engine and helps to free up your valves, piston rings and noisy lifter(s). Hydraulic lifter(s) tend to make noise when they can't sufficiently pump up with oil due to sludge and build up blocking the oil inlet passage. Worn lifters on cold start up may be very noticeable but eventually the ticking goes away after engine warms up and the hydraulic lifter(s) had time to pump up. Make sure that you don't have a exhaust manifold leaking as well due to a crack or a failing exhaust manifold gasket. This can also emit a ticking noise in which can be misdiagnosed for a ticking lifter. A leaking exhaust manifold can usually be identified by the ticking noise getting louder and faster when accelerating and quieter and slower when decelerating. Ticking noise is loud on cold start ups but not noticeable at all when engine is at operating temperature. Hope this will help you out.

You have a bad lifter if left unattended its starts by" ticking" then "tapping" then eventually ceases up!! The fix..... Have a compression test done on each cylinder and pull valve cover off and replace ticking lifter or u might just get lucky and adjust it... Until then ..... A heavier weight oil will quiet it down...Not a fix tho......

unfortunately at 140,000 miles much like humans parts start to wear... now you can try to flush the oil system...I DON"T RECOMMEND IT.... I have seen engines tear apart from engine oil flushes.... drain refill the oil/filter with new oil and an additive may help, or pin down the noise to what lifter is going south and have it replaced... may end up being a very expensive repair depending on what they find when they open the engine up with high mileage...or just continue driving it untill it completely wipes out... I do belive its a hydraulic lifter that is not pumping up causing the tick and if so they usually last a long long time noisey.

Over time and miles the lifters tend to collapse and the only way to quiet the noise is to replace them or use something like lucas to try to keep the pressure up in the lifters. If you did replace the lifters it would help with performance because when the lifters start to collapse the valves do not open all of the way. Hope this helps!

THERE'S AN EGR VALVE IN THE EXHAUST, BUT THAT WOULDN'T TICK. TRY ADDING ONE OF THOSE LIFTER QUIET CHEMICALS U CAN AT THE AUTO STORE AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. IF THAT HELPS, THEN U KNOW IT'S THE LIFTERS. U CAN STILL DRIVE WITH THE TICKING LIFTERS FOR AWHILE, BUT SOONER OR LATER THEY NEED TO BE CHANGED. ALSO, INFREQUENT OIL CHANGES CAN CAUSE A TICKING LIFTER.

Your lifters have become clogged over the years. Its only after the oil warms up and thins out does it allow oil to "pump up" the lifters. That's why it goes quiet after 5 min. There are several different brands of additives on the market that can fix this problem ,unless you have a more serious mechanical problem, which I doubt.Check your local auto parts store for the additive. Just add it to your oil and "wham!" problem solved. Good Luck!

It's called a lifter. It is not serious. Keeping your car under good maintenance should keep the noise down but you will always hear it until you get the lifters replaced. Or that is what i was told. I have had my 1988 Fox for ten years now and it has always made that noise. Don't worry. :)

Hi There,
I would try adding a lifter quiet supstance such as nulon lifter quiet, may or may not be available in your country, 
Or try heading to a local auto store and look for a reputable brand name products, ie injector clean/ carby clean /lifter quiet/worn engine treatment.
Below i have listed common problems related to yours that might be worth checking.
Sometimes the oil that you may of put in may not be thick enough hence why youre getting more noise.
it could mean yes that a lifter or shim is loose and needs adjustment,
injector noise from fuel injectors if they get clogged up they tick loudly.
Dirty fuel causing injector noise
Low oil or incorrect oil level as in over full.
Incorrect oil specification/ wrong Viscosity or grade.
Leak or low oil presssure could be a blockage somewhere stopping oil circulating
Worn oil pump not correctly pumping enough oil.
Oil line blockage insufficent oil getting up to the lifters
It coudl even be driveline related as in a C.V. joint coudl be loose/worn and ticking.
Ive even seen cars where wire has been entwined aroudn the driveshaft and taps against the floor/wall
Coudl be a fan if your fan runs off the engine rather then electric ticking against the houseing or it could also be a belt or bearing in one of you accesories ie a bearing in the aircondition clutch tha tmay be loose and is ticking.
However start small and go from the cheapest option up to the dearest.
Make sure you have a good listen while its running with the bonnet up and go through to try and find the source of the sound.
Usually this is what the mechanics would- do anyway untill they find the problem.
Hoipefully this helps so you dont have to take it to the shop.
Cheers
Steve

Sometimes the fuel injectors make noise simular to lifters