'87 4kq engine noises

["Thomas J. Barbera" <tjbst39+@pitt.edu>]

Dear q-listers,

My brother has an '87 4kq which has been making some very disturbing
noises as of late.  It all started on his trip down to TX when he began
to hear intermittant clanking noises coming from the engine.  It doesn't
sound like the normal valve ticking, it's louder and sounds more like a
clank than a tick.  My cousin who is a mechanic thought that is sounded
like a rod bearing is going, but said the car would've never made it
back to PA if that were the case.  The only thing that he can guess is
that a lifter is bad, but he said he never heard a bad lifter make that
much noise before.  The car runs fine, but it has this intermittant
clanking.  If anyone could give me some advice on this problem before we
rip into it, I'd greatly appreciate it.  Thanks.

Tom B.
'86 4kq (soon to be 4ktq)
'87 5ktqw (donor)