We don't really know what your engine's issue is......

 

True we don't for sure yet, I'm just coming up with ideas. It sounds like a lifter and it's been driven like this for a while.

 

Can you tell the difference between a lifter and a bent pushrod by just listening?

 

No I can't so I pulled the cover. All of the pushrods look straight, the lifters are strong, no play in the pushrods, torqued the rockers bolts to 24ft/lbs. the computer must put the engine through a calibration or something whenever a rocker gets loosened and then retightened. When I did so to the #4 intake rocker the RPMs change and the ticking goes away for a second, and comes back once the RPMs level out.
A compression test yielded 120-130psi on all cylinders.

 

While driving it fades when I give it gas, and will also if I let off completely. I'm also pulling magnetic metal shavings on the dip stick, not much just some on the tip