[DanEC]

I played around with it some more today and after a short drive I decided it is a little better after all. After it gets good and warmed up the ticking is pretty much gone although it still has a bit of that strange light rattle when coasting down - kind of like what Kevins2 posted. I did see a slight sign of a collector leak on one pipe when I first started it up - in a strong light I could make out a light wisp of smoke rising from it for a minute or two (probably from the sealer cooking off). it ticked a bit after first starting too so maybe it's this joint and right now it's sealing off when it gets hot.

I tried the tissue paper on the end of a piece of wire but didn't have much luck with it as touching any part of the car made it shake with the engine lope and also I had to contend with the alternator fan and the cooling fans cycling on. It looks to me like the exposed part of the exhaust gasket around cylinder 1 is getting carbon discolored already so I just don't think these copper gaskets can seal up right. Hopefully the Fel Pro ones will be here in a couple of days.