I have a 2003 Alero. A rocker arm bolt had to be repaired. It was stripped and the head pulled off. After the garage finished the repairs, the engine is making a ticking sound. The garage said a lifted needed to re-lubricate itself, so I was to ignore the ticking and keep driving the car. That was three weeks ago. I called the garage about the tick, and they said that the sound may never go away and to continue driving the car.
Is a dry lifter really a non-issue? If I continue driving the car, do I risk damaging the engine?

 

The lifters are lubed for a reason. It may just be stuck and over time would refill and expand so the sound would go away, but it that were going to happen, it would have already. I think the garage should fix this for you. If they give you a hard time, ask them to put in writing that they will repair for free any damage caused by this lifter issue. If they won't do that, you know that they don't believe the sound is okay.