Saturn vue V6 lifter noise when first started
Worn valve train parts due to high mileage, lack of maintenance, abuse or contaminated motor oil (coolant mixing with oil).
Bearing noise is usually deeper and comes from farther down in the engine. Lifter noise is more of a ticking and is up in the engine heads.
a broken rod or valve lifter
If clicking while trying to start then might be a bad starter. If clicking while running, then might be valve/lifter noise.
Is it a lifter ticking?
could be a lifter sticking
NO. The engine computer is in open loop until the engine heats up to operating temperature 195 degrees are more. that means it don't hear the lifter noise and by the time the computer can, the lifter quites making noise.
hydraulic lifter? Rocker arm?
are you sure the noise is coming from the transmission. most cars will make a knocking sound due to the lifters being a little stuck. to see if it is a lifter noise, at the net oil change use a qt of lucas oils. there will be one that says something about lifter noises on the front, found at any parts store
Sounds like a piston hitting the cylinder head. A lifter will usually tick, but a piston will sound more like this knocking noise.
worn out lifters or rockers maybe then oil