Stainless steel exhaust is usually louder and "tinnier" sounding than galvanized steel and aluminized steel. Maybe its transferring internal engine noise? Stuck lifter? mild lifter tick magnified by exhaust?
Aha! Finally tracked down that noise. It was an exhaust leak, just as I had suspected. But it was elusive hiding at the engine manifold gasket for cylinder #7 exhaust. Right up near the firewall. It took all of 15 minutes to fix it. Meanwhile, I went through all of my valves and adjusted valve lash thinking it might be a valve noise. The rewards are two. I learned how to adjust valves using the companion cylinder method that Jerry talks about. The other reward is that the engine now sounds AWESOME!
