Hey People, I need some help, engine Just started Ticking/Tapping, Like in the Front of the engine. I [Know]/got a feeling it might be a Valve or something? Check out the Vid below of what it sounds like. I Was wondering what this Means fofr Me?
1st Time I noticed it was Sometime Last 2 Months When the Oil had ran low w/o Me knowing, But caught it Like 2 day Later, & Topped it off, It quieted down some to Just a "Tick-Tick-Tick", then, stared again like last 2 weeks, Only this time Louder, Like "Clack-Clack-Clack", Almost Sound Like a Truck or Diesel Truck.
So I Changed the Oil, Switched to Synthetic Blend From Valvoline. Noticed a difference right after the Oil Change, But You can tell its still there. Not as Loud as it was.
The Oil changed didn't show anything shiny Or Metallic particles, But Oil was Dirty - Black/Dark As Midnight, So I'm Just preparing cos I Might have to be pulling the Head Pretty soon, Or I Might Just Over estimating? If I do have to Pull the Head, What do I have to do? or Be looking for? Or Looking to Change?

YouTube Link -
Thanks For all/any Help Or Advice.

I was expecting to hear a collapsed lifter, but that sounds more like a broken valve spring. Diagnosing based on a sound recording on Youtube is not what you call an exact science, so hopefully some others will join in and provide an opinion.

Hearing that on my phone sounds almost like a spun bearing. I would pull the valve covers and hope like crazy you can spot the problem.

pull the valve cover.....start the engine.....look for one rocker that is NOT getting oil from it'* push rod.

Sounds like "engine chirp".
Google "engine chirp".
I found this problem with my sisters Impala. I removed the valve cover and noticed that one rocker was not getting it'* supply of oil. I poured oil on the chirping rocker and the sound went away.

To fix the problem I replaced the lifter/pushrod and the rocker. I think the lifter was plugged up and could have just gotten away with replacing just that part, but to be on the safe side I replaced all three parts.

After I did the repair, I completely removed all traces of oil from the old rocker and manually rocked it back and forth. I could hear a faint chirping sound coming from it and I could feel resistance with the rocking motion. I suspect the plugged lifter caused the rocker to go bad.

Good luck.

After looking at that video again, I notice that the valvetrain is really dry......there should be oil splashing everywhere off the valve spring....but even the spring looks relatively dry.

You may have oil control problems. It is possible for the oil psi to be good on the dash, but bad inside the engine.

After trying other things....as a last resort you may want to use trans fluid or diesel fuel to flush the oil system of and sludge build up.

Think you're on the right track Tony, after listening to the video it sounded like a chirp to me too and I also googled 3800 engine chirp but only came up with bad egr O-rings. However the noise seems to abate somewhat with increased rpm so it may be an oil supply issue, especially since the OP said that the oil level got low and the oil was very dirty. On a side note many years ago I knew a farmer that used to flush his D5 with diesel between oil changes, seemed overkill to me on a diesel engine. Also knew a guy that used to run 1 quart of tranny fluid with 4 quarts of oil in his el camino but he had to replace that 327, so much for that, especially now a days with modern oil additive packages and if your so inclined synthetic oil.