engine noise/no power on 1st gear

need help!!!!! my 1990 talon tsi fwd ; ther is a slight noise coming from cylinder head, kinda sounds like a old diesl truck. its not that loud but u can hear it slightly from the cockpit. its not the notorious dsm ticking cuz u also hear that 2 in my case. any way the sound follows when you step on the gas,the more you step on the gas the faster that diesl sound gets...PROBLEM#2 my 1st gear feels as if there is little or no torq...???but in 2nd 3rd and on seems fine. MODS done to car;16g turbo,boost controller(MMI) K&N air filter, exaust(stock) running 14.5lbs of boost. someone please help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you run the rpms up slowly and old around 2500 to 300 rpm does the noise stay steady or knocks a little and then some more?. Sounds like to me you have a bad bearing. Not sure cuz i have not heard it of course but in my previous car i spun a bearing twice and it made that crazy noise, sometimes it would be worse than other times then it just got worse the more i drove it.

thanx 4 ur reply, to ur ? the sound stays steady, it sounds like playing cards on bicycle spokes. im 100% sure the sound comes from the cylnder head.what bearing r u talking about by the way? and could that bearing b the cause of the 1st gear having fucked up torq?

i was talking about a rod bearing. But if you said it sounds like the top it could be a calapsed lifter and thats why you dont have the power.

oh. thanks 4 your relply i think ur right! lifters are suspect, the ticking keeps getting worse. well i will repace them next week. thankyou so much 4 ur help.