Well to start, I think I have read every post of issues similar to mine. None of them come to any conclusion but nice to know I am not alone.
First off, engine has no tick when cold. Only once warm.
Frequency increases with rpm, but sound doesn't change, still remains as a tick. I have listened to loose cam chain videos, and there is no chain rattle at all.
I have also used a screwdriver to listen to the rocker covers and there is no tick coming from them. Every cover sounds the same. I had thought maybe I had bad rocker bushing or broken spring, but assume I would hear it.
Now I have also adjusted the valves twice over and same tick remains. I even did it a third time setting them tight, and sound remained.
Car drives fine and is smooth as ever.
The sound is only really noticeable with windows down driving past cars or walls. It's not audible in the car with windows shut.
I ended up suspecting the injectors. With a screw driver to my ear they do sound loud, some worse than others even after a full clean and new screen.
I've just been driving it as is and the sound hasn't gotten worse or better. I'm now at the point of thinking to sell it, and I don't want to scare off a potential buyer.
Do I just buy a new injector and see if it runs quieter than the others? Then replace the rest?
I'm running out of ideas, and am hoping this doesn't require a rebuild to fix! Leak down was 7% average! She's still fresh!
Video:
https://youtube.com/shorts/BHKm16Gvl5w?feature=share