Eng has ticking-ligt taping coming from top part of engine sound kinda like the old chevy v8 lifter valve tick but engine still runs great has only 15k miles on it. What could be my problem?

The noise is lifters, the smoke is valve seals. This engine is showing signs of wear on the top end.

open both valve cover, cover exhaust manifold with rugs to keep oil spray from wetting the manifold. Engine at idle start at no. 1 cylinder loosen each rocker arm nut till it click louder then tigthen till it quiet down then add one full turn do this to all valve.if the engine runs rough when tigthening to full turn then use half turn.

Thanks for choosing FixYa and welcome. That is possible. More then likely, it is a associated with the valve lifter. If it was a rod, you would hear a knocking sound compared to the ticking sounds a bad lifter gives off. As far as which lifter it is, the only way to know for sure if by taking off the valve cover and examining the lifters. You are in the right area though. Check your lifters and you should fine what is causing the ticking. Put all your focus on that area. Your friend sounds like he knows what he is talking about so he may be able to help you work on it if you are not able.

The 'light tick' is most probably a valve lifter. The valve lifters in the engine are hydraulic, and are pressurized by the engine's oil pump.
When the engine gets some mileage, say 60 or 70 thousand miles or more, the engine is just not as tight as it once was. What happens is that the lifter loses its pressure when the engine is not running, because there is some wear. When you start the engine, the lifter takes a few moments to pressurize, and makers a ticking noise until it does. The 'ticking' is the sound of the valve being hit by the push rod, which is being pushed by the lifter. Once the lifter is pressurized, the 'ticking' sound stops. This is a very common thing for engines, it will eventually happen to nearly every one.
Sometimes, thin, old oil can cause this. If you have not changed the oil/filter in a while, you should do it now.

This is nothing to really worry about right now, but it is a sign of engine wear. Just be sure to run the proper oil in the engine, and do all the proper maintenance.

SOUND LIKE WORN LIFTERS OR DIRT TRAPPED LIFTERS.YOU CAN TRY CHANGE ENGINE OIL AND FILTER.YOU CAN PUT A BOTTLE OF LIFTER QUIETNER.BLEND SOME IN CRANKCASE DONT OVERFILL.IT WILL CLEAN AND FREE UP LIFTERS.IF LIFTERS STILL NOISEY.YOU HAVE TO REPLACE CAMSHAFT + LIFTERS + BEARINGS DEPEND ON HOW BAD WORN.

If you have good oil pressure, a few things come to mind, first it could be a loose rocker, secound it could be a woren or broken rocker, third it could be a weak or calaps lifter. If it sounds like its lower in the engine like around the oil pan it could be a rod or maine problem. But you say its a ticking noise witch leads me to believe its a valve trane problem.

If the ticking sound sounds like it is coming from the top of the engine them most likely one of the lifters is bleeding off while it is sitting. If the ticking goes away after a few minutes of operation then the lifter has pumped its self back up and is operating properly. There is not any damage you can do to the engine by not replacing the lifter at this point, just the annoying ticking sound when first starting. If at some point the ticking continues after running for a few minutes the lifter has malfunctioned and should be replaced. Just remember, if you replace one lifter you should replace all of them.

YOU NEED TO ISOLATE TICK TO FRONT OR REAR BANK OF ENGINE..A MECHANIC'S STETHOSCOPE CAN HELP YOU ISOLATE..THEN REMOVE FRONT OR REAR VALVE COVER AND PUSH ON EACH ROCKER ARM..IF A LASH ADJUSTER(LIFTER)IS BAD,IT WILL BE SOFT OR COMPRESS WHEN YOU PUSH ON IT..LIFTERS ARE IN ROCKER ARMS ON A 3.0L AND IN BLOCK ON 3.3 AND 3.8L ENGINES

Check the valve clearance and then replace the valve seal.

I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/ramy_d9e7ebea3891f482

it very well can be that depending on the severity of the ticking noise, if it sounds like its coming from the top of the engine, place your hand on it only when you first start it up and if you can feel it knocking slightly and if the noise dies away once warmed up id say its your lifter, if its a heavier knocking rather than a ticking and comes from below or bottom end of engine it may be big end bearing, not good. try putting some engine treatment through the engine oil and make sure you run it in as directions state then change the oil and filter and see if that helps :)