It would appear so. The oil pressure didn't really rise with the fixing of the pick up tube, but it did fix the tapping.

 

yeah I soak new lifters in clean oil before install, some things when assembling an engine can't have enough lube imo


if you are breaking in a cam, lifters and cam bearings I believe you should expect more metal then if it was just rings and main bearings

you may want to pop the valve covers and see which gasket is missing that spacer and install it, it keeps the gasket from being crushed

also iirc there is usualy a special break in procedure for cams like hi rpm in park for a certiain duration etc.


I also did not feel any improvement in power from the rebuild till I had a few thousand miles on the engine, I also wheeled it after that and towed my camping trailer in mountains using the engine to slow the vehicle to help seat the rings good under power and compression braking