CQ Lifters cont.

["Daily,DerekSJMCG" <DDaily@sjmcb.mitsui.com>]

Well...

What to do?  The car is back but extremely noisy.  Very, very loud lifter(s)
(tappet,cam follower) problem.  Other, perhaps related, issues include:

-  I see what appears to be oil emerging from the valve cover gasket area.
Did NOT wipe it off to see if it is merely remaining and to see if new oil
would emerge.  Wanted to have something to show.
-  Oil pressure indicator (FWIW) now reads MUCH lower than before the head
R&Regrind.  Used to indicate up to 5 BAR under full throttle (WOT?), now
does not pass 3.25 BAR.  Similarly, indicated pressure never dropped below
1.5 BAR, even at idle.  Now indicating 1 BAR at idle.
-  Some difficulty starting.
-  ABS pulsation which was "fixed" with new sensor ($$$) very few days prior
to this incident is now back.  Makes me wonder about the plastic cap issue.

Now the list of IFs:
-  IF the VC gasket was failed or incorrectly reinstalled, that's a definite
"Fix It on Their Time"(FITT).
-  IF the oil baffle being loose is responsible (likely?) for the oil
pressure reading to be so low, that's still a "Customer Pays" (CP) issue and
I'm glad to pay it.  
-  IF Phil's guess about incorrect head gasket install is correct this may
account for oil deprivation, noisy lifters and oil on the driver's side
head. (FITT)
-  IF the lifters are to be replaced I feel a bit in limbo.  The lifters
were definitely NOT this noisy (I can hear the damned thing at hwy speeds
from behind the wheel) prior to work.  But, they were not quiet hence my
requests to check them.  Really don't feel right about paying the 3.9 book
hours for lifter replace at entirely CP.  Am I wrong to feel this way?

I know a few of the good wrenches on this list get upset about some customer
expectations, I look to you for your opinions on this issue.

Thanks as always, 

Derek Daily
90 CQ