Ok, car is a digi 8v, generally in good health. Does about 5000 miles a year, no short journeys, oil change every 3000 or so, no flushing agents recently.
It has a kent cam fitted (about 260 deg duration) over a year ago along with a set of new genuine hydraulic tappets and valve stem seals. since fitting then there has been a strange raspy/tappy noise at high revs under load, like at 4k and above. There is however no tappet noise on start up (which there was prior to fitting the new tappets), or during steady driving.
Ive ignored this noise, until reading the recent topic on 'tapping over 3000 rpm'.... and then I decided I may have insufficient oil pressure at high revs. So ive just removed the sump and oil pump.
Sump is pleasingly free from sludge and looking very clean, strainer is pretty clear (tiny bits of what may be gasket compound only). Pump gears feel tight, no play, but ive not dug out my feeler gauges to do the tests described in the haynes manual.
So, questions:
If the pump checks out ok, should I replace it anyway- and is it worth paying about double GSF price for a genuine one?
Am i right in thinking the mk3 windage tray/gasket thing fits?
What could my noise be? Is tappet noise likely, dirty oilways possible? or something else?
thanks for reading, any advice welcome.....
