If you're hearing a ticking sound from your car, one likelihood is that it's coming from your engine's valve lifters. This tapping or ticking sound will often tick faster and louder once you reach higher RPMs. Lifter ticks spawn due to numerous issues, mainly attributed to your engine oil. Running old, dirty, worn-out, a low amount or the wrong type of engine oil can cause the ticking to appear. Beyond that, the valve lifters themselves might be faulty, or there's an issue with their spacing and clearance. Otherwise, your engine's pushrods might be bent, which is a very serious sign.