2001 Windstar Engine ticking/kocking noise

[freakinbox]

Alright to start off it started off quite a year and a half ago or so. It is now fairly loud. Best way I can describe it is a ticking/knocking sound from the upper engine, seems to be coming from the side by the firewall. It only really makes it under idle, deceleration of the engine (driving or sitting), under light acceleration. It goes away though under decent or hard reving. I have a decent knowledge of how engines work and how to fix them. My best guess would be a lifter problem, bent push rod, or a loose rocket causing play in it which is why it goes away when you rev the engine.

The engine has 120 000 something km on it now (which is nothing for something that age, hell it's nothing for something 3 or 4 years old..)

My question is how hard is all that stuff to get to. Or if I have to pull the lifter I have to pull the head if I was to do it myself.

Preferably I'd rather it go to a shop given the time of year and living in Ontario it's kind of cold.

Looking for suggestions on what could be wrong, or if what I am thinking is most likely the cause. I don't have a whole lot of experience with rockers and such as I usually have over head cam cars.

Thanks.

[mark v]

Ticking can be a leaky exhaust manifold.

[freakinbox]

I wish my camera worked so I could get video/audio of it. It's why I described a ticking/knocking. Kind of both together, is mostly heard in the intake.