Ideas on what's causing my click/tick/rattle noise?

The next question is why so much carbon buildup? It looks like quite a bit for only 700 miles use. The head looks pretty cruddy too, here are photos before I clean that up. Keep in mind, I'm probably the world's worst engine tuner so there is no end to the possibilities for what I could have screwed up to get into this mess. The photos are for 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6 chambers.

DSCN1383.JPG

DSCN1384.JPG

DSCN1385.JPG