Weird problem with rocker?rod?spring?
 

I have an 03 v6. lately on cold starts I will get a loud ticking sound from my driver side valve cover. My air/fuel gauge goes nuts and its make the idol rough. I noticed it was coming from the first rocker. So me an a buddy took the cover off, unbolted the rod,rocker an all and it wasnt chipped, the rod was perfectly streight and oil flowed fine. so we cleaned everything up a little. waited till it was cold and started it an it was fine. Now a week later its doing it again! I check out youtube and it said if ur engine was made before 01 they had recalls for a problem that sounded like mine? anyway, any feedback would be cool, help me understand what might be going on before I take it to a shop.

I recently drove a girls car around here. She has a 99 convertible that made a LOUD ticking.

But hers in the famous v6 exhaust leak.

Hers was HORRIBLY loud. Almost like a rod knock loud.

yea mine is pretty loud, sometimes it doesnt do it but like 95% chance it will. but im almost positive its coming from the rocker not the manifolds or gaskit