my engine sounds like a tin can...

[reddsm00]

well scince i got my car it has always ticked a little...but i dont understand ,gradually over time it sounds like its getting worse and worse with ticking...its not so much while driving its mostly while idling or accelerating...i have changed the oil on a regualr basis, done everything i can schedual maintinence wise and it sounds like my engine is one big ticking aluminum can...can somebody tell me what might possible be wrong....

 

[TD05HTalon]

exhaust manifold leaks make a ticking sound, so do injectors if they are going bad or clogged. your lifters could just be so clogged up that no amount of oil changes will fix them.

 

[rjgeier]

Sounds like basic lifter tick. You will have to replace the lifters to get rid of the tick. If you decide the tick is bad enough that you want to replace them, get the 3g revised lifters. They are less prone to lifter tick.