engine clicking

[kingery08]

the clicking starts after the starter has disengaged if increases as the rpm's increase its comming from the upper part of the engine it just keeps getting worse any ideas on what it could be?

[drew300]

"Clicking" could be a few things.
Tappets came to mind - is your oil clean? maybe a few quick changes could clean things up.
Serpentine belt; maybe it's starting to go with some pieces missing?
The serpentine belt tensioner is known to go.
Anybody else?

[yaz4real]

That seems to have covered it Drew...If you want to see if the sound is belt driven or motor.. take the serpentine belt off and start the car briefly. If the sound is belt driven, the sound will be gone. Now you will focus on the belt or the pulleys and bearings driven by the belt...

[kingery08]

now that this clicking has been going on for a while ive also noticed a great loss of horsepower but ill check those other things just to make sure

[kingery08]

also the last oil change (which everything was fine before this) i put some slick 50 in it to try and stop it from eating oil could this be affecting anything at all

[drew300]

Hmmm
"Great loss of power" is a bit different than a "clicking sound".
Maybe a lifter has collapsed and you're running on 3 cylinders?
Using lots of oil could be stuck rings, which a few people have written about how to fix that. Or maybe the stem seals are gone on the valves.
Maybe get a shop to look at it.