Please help fix the tick!

I cant stand the damn infamous 4 valve tick anymore Now that its cold out I can hear it more often. Used to be only on a cold start and then after a few min it would almost completly go away, almost. Now I can hear it whenever there is no load, always goes away under load. How do I get rid of it and could someone give me a ruff ballpark on cost. What exactly is the cause? Thanks guys and gals.

Yup, Im sure its not the exhaust doughnut. It did it before I put in the h-pipe and the pipe came with a new gasket and it still makes it. I know this is a common problem and would like some input from everyone who has delt with it. I know the sound is comming from the drivers side head, is it a bad lifter or valve guide? If it is eaither one do the heads have to come off or can the lifters and guides be replaced while the heads are on the motor?

Great, so I have to replace the heads I dont want to get the 99+ heads because than I have to do intake plenum and other small annoying stuff. So whare can I get a good set of "B" heads that wont break me?

Well after doing exhaustive searches and talking to you guys I finnaly found the problem. I always thought the 03/04 tick was the same for all 4-v heads and could not figure out why if my heads were new they still did it. Turns out I have several bad hydraulic valve lash guides going out. A mechanic told me to use a large screwdriver and put it against various areas of the engine to localize where the sound is comming from. When I put the tip on the two bolts next to the spark plug wire covers on the valve cover the knock is so loud it hurts my ears, also the second to last bolt on the drives side valve cover. I wondered why if it was bad valve guides (not the lash guides) the sound went away after 1800 rpm and after the engine was nice and warm. It was still there at any rpm when cold (well to 4k, I never push it past that till at operating temp) so I figure since its several I will replace them all. After seeing a few pics and posts it is not all that hard I just have to buy the ford tool ($109), 32 valve lash adjusters ($17.90 each), and a valve cover gasket kit ($67). I guess its cheeper than new heads. I am an old pushrod guy and always said the sound was the same as a dying lifter. I will try a quick fix next oil change, run a quart of ATF in it for 5-10 min then fill it with synthetic blend 5w30 and some Lucas oil additive, mabey it will get unstuck

Since it will be awhile before I could afford it will sticking hydraulic valve lash guides hurt the motor?