Hello Scotty I drive a 2003 Ford Focus zx5 with the ztech engine with an automatic transmission, it has 146,000 miles, and dosent have any codes. It started making a ticking noise and I took it to my mechanic and he took off the valve cover and said my hydraulic lifters & tappets are fine. He also said there wasn’t any excessive engine wear. He said I should start putting Lucas oil additive when I change my oil. Since then I have driven it 4,000 miles and the noise has gotten worse and I went from getting 300 miles per tank to 230 miles per tank. The noise is worse when I cold start it and goes away when I accelerate. Do I need a new engine and mechanic?