I just put my 5.3 back together after bending a rod. all I replaced was 1 rid and main and rid bearings. I have a ticking at idle and gets louder and faster with rpm. sounds like lifter noise. with valve covers off and a stethoscope it is loudest on cylinder 3 exhaust and cylinder 4 intake I am listening right on the rocker bolt head. there are no misfires and no bent pushrods and I've moved the rocker arms to other cylinders and the noise doesn't follow

 

I have a couple videos on my phone but I don't know how to post them

 

How long have you ran the engine since you put it back together? My dad's Ls1 had a tick in it for a while, maybe 15 minutes or so, before it finally went away. It may just need a few heat cycles to get the oil circulated back to everything and to free everything up.

Post video through photobucket like you would a picture.

 

its ran about an hour and I even drove it 20 miles home im just gonna yank the heads and throw some lifters in it