Ok I've owned my car for about 4 years now and I've never had the motor apart. It is a 9 Mivec head/motor. Within the last year or so it's developed a mean "click" coming from the head when it's hot. Kinda like the infamous "Yamaha click" if you guys have ever heard that. Yamaha's get this from oil not reaching the top of the motor and I guess this is why I'm fearful of the sound on my evo. I did just have the timing belt done but this started before that service. I've heard air in the lifters makes this sound but that's really all I've found and it makes no sense to me how air would manage to get in there without the motor ever being apart. Two years ago the motor sounded smooth as can be. I do remember my Ralliart making this sound back in 06 but I didn't care at all about that car. Should I be concerned? I can do my own maintenence if it's something that should be taken care of right away.

FYI I run Mobile 1 full syn ALWAYS, never used anything else.
My AF's WOT 10, crusing 14-15 if these help at all. Don't know if I should include any other info like mod list or if this is nothing to worry about.
I'm in the process of more mods and I'm racing in May so I need to make sure everythings in order and ready to go. BTW I have searched and I've found nothing but air in the lifters. My car never sits, I drive it every day to work about 10mi a day so that doesn't seem to make sense to me. I feel like it's something else.

 

Likely a lifter. They are hydrolic and can be over reved and thus lose the ability to pump up causing the ticking sound. Could also be build up from oil deposits causing the lifter to stick partially down, not rebounding. Try running some ATF in the oil at idle before the next oil change for several minutes--like 10-15 and see if the ticking stops--this will get rid of any deposits in the lifter if there are any or if thats the problem--Dont drive the car, just idle..its an old school technique that still works. ( now I am not responsible if something comes apart in the motor--so do this at your own risk-) If not-- your going to have the replace the lifters with new ones--since your modding anyway, thinking cams will go in and you should change your lifters anyway at that time.. my .02.

 

Lifter tick, injectors clicking. It's probably the lifters though, which is common. Some swap them out for revised lifters or bleed the original ones.

As long as there isn't one that is collapsed(performance would suck most cases) you're fine. It is annoying, my lifters are loud especially on cold startup and cold weather in general.


Going from 5w30 to 10w30 also made the valvetrain tick louder.

 

I'm not planning on pulling the head off until next winter. I do run 10w30 and it definitely seems to be worse after high rev's. It seems louder than any lifters I've ever heard but I only hear it after a good spirited drive. When it's cold there's no tick which makes me think it's not lifters?

 

My car was making a clicking noise at mid rpms - maybe higher rpm too but I couldn't tell due to engine noise. Some fuel injector cleaner stopped the noise. So, I think I had a fuel injector gummed up which wouldn't be good. One cylinder running lean for any extended time would kill the rings in that cylinder.