Startup ticking noise - exhaust leak or lifters?

[RoverTide]

That's a lot of work... I am just trying to figure out if I even have an exhaust leak, but its so damn hard to see the manifold bolts... even with my borescope. Can't tell if it's easier to come at it from the top, from underneath, or through the wheel well. Any tips will be greatly appreciated.

 

[djkaosone]

If you have a boroscope, you can try going from the side wheel well liners. But to really get a visual with the boroscope you need to remove the cats to see the exhaust manifold bolts underneath.

 

[powershift]

I would fire it up while in the air to find the leak. Its pretty obvious when the exhaust is leaking once you are front and center of it. At the leak is often a white residue on the surface sometimes with a crack or residue in-between joints on the exhaust manifolds.
But with these high tech engines and close clearances, I've never even seen the exhaust manifold on my 5.0L V8. I'm pretty sure its visible from underneath while the vehicle is in the air but that is where I would start and then work back to the other end of the pipes to inspect the condition. The joints between the exhaust manifold and the exhaust pipe can fail and that is just a gasket replacement operation.