Ok the car is a 1999 2.4 5speed with 104,000miles I change the oil about every 5000miles. It had a small tick which sounded like it came from the head between cylinders #3-4. The car ran as it did without the sound and after talking to a few people I was told its just a little lifter noise don't worry. So three months and 5,000miles later the car started running like hell all of a sudden. The noise is at the top of the engine still but much louder. I was told that I may have a bad rod bearing or piston but I'm not to sure the car will start and run for a minutes or so and die and right after I can start it again and it runs for the same amount of time. The motor doesn't vibrate anymore then it did before and no smoke from the exhaust piston seems to be hitting good from the sound of the exhaust . I checked the oil and the colors good and I couldn't find any metal shavings in it. I haven't torn the motor apart completely but I took a look and found a bit of oil in the intake manifold. I have a oil breather filter already. I was wondering if its the top end or the bottom that might be the issue.