7age clacking sound

[Sirfoxx14]

Hello from the right side up part of the globe! haha

I come to you guys on advice on what might be making a loud clacking / clucking(?) sound from what seems like the upper half of my 7age in my al12 tercel (I'll explain at the end). I just got this motor put together, and have only put about 200 miles on it, and the sound has been present that entire time. It doesnt seem to get any better, or worse, with acceleration and / or engine load. As for the parts used, they are the following:

7afe bottom end / block / rods + pistons / head gasket
4age blue top big port
Stock 4age blue top cams
4agze dizzy + intake
Custom exhaust
Holley sniper tbi
Hyperpak ignition control
7age timing sprocket
Porsche 944 timing belt
Tercel oil pan

I was thinking I might have a bent valve as when I first got the head installed, my #1 cylinder had 0psi of compression, and I found out that I had an intake valve that was stuck. I gave it a few whacks with a mallet and it seemed to have sealed up. I haven't noticed any weird missing at idle / driving, so I'm not entirely sure that it is a bent valve. I am planning on pulling the motor as I am experience more oil seepage than I am comfortable with, along with a slow coolant leak on part of the water pump outlet that had to get modified to work with my car. Along with that, I will probably have the head checked out as well. I didn't originally do it as the guy I bought it from said it came off a healthy, running engine.

Why am I posting here about my al12 tercel? I tried registering over at club4ag and toymods, and even after resending the activation emails, I still have yet to receive them :/

I do appreciate any and all input you guys have on the matter!

[davew7]

Is there any difference in the noise between a hot or cold engine. Does the frequency of the cracking noise change with RPM.
Davew7

[Sirfoxx14]

Temperature doesn't seem to make a difference (valve shims?), and the frequency does change with rpm.

[davew7]

If the noise is coming from a valve shim, you can use a screw driver against your ear, pressed against the cover try to locate the lose valve. Personally I would just pull both valve covers and verify all the shim clearances. Even engines with high mileage engine typically only need a couple shims to get everything into spec. Davew7