[long69]

no i said your oil did not cause the failure. i did not say your cam is ok or your bottom end is fine. but from the noise you describe it is more than a noisy lifter. one way to eliminate your bottom end ( read rod bearing) is to check your oil for metal chunks ( i have sucked a rod bearing before and know what kind of debris it leaves behind an what kind of noise it makes both before during and after). i believe you overstated the level of your noise and no longer think what you might be hearing is a rod knock hence no need to check for bearing material in you oil. but i'm glad you have no problem shipping you baby across the country. i'll be waiting for the out come.
you know it just came to me reading another post that a cracked flex plate can cause a noise very close to that of a rod knock in it early stages. to bad no way for you to check.