Valve/lifter noise 02 Firebird

My daughter has a 02 Firebird V6. The other day she said it started clicking. I started it up yesterday and the lifters and valves sounds like they are coming out. I think the lifters have lost their prime or the oil pump is going out. The oil was changed the other week. The electric oil pressure guage reads pressure. Any ideas?

One thing I forgot to mention is that the V6 is the 3800. The oil pump is in the timing cover. I'm assuming the pump is rebuildable. I also use full synthetic oil. I was wondering if using a motor flush and changing the oil might help to use before rebuilding the pump if needed.

One thing I forgot to mention is that the V6 is the 3800. The oil pump is in the timing cover. I'm assuming the pump is rebuildable. I also use full synthetic oil. I was wondering if using a motor flush and changing the oil might help to use before rebuilding the pump if needed.

If you have oil pressure the lifters may be fouled with coolant tha entered the engine. could also be a filter broke up. fram filters have been reported to break under synthetic oil pressures.

If the oil is not with coolant in it add about 5 OZ of marvel mystey oil to the engine oil and see if it quiets down.... could be the engine was over rev-ed and carbon got into the lifters.

Turned out to be sludge in the filter that clogged it up

Turned out to be sludge in the filter that clogged it up

Haven't found any coolant in the oil either, right? These engines are known to have those issues as well.