Grinding, " diesel " noise under valve covers

Yes, where the pump rod rides on the eccentric...if you can feel that move when your in there, its loose. It should be rock solid in there. also see if you can wedge the scredriver tip between the eccentric and the timing cog...it would all be done by feel unless you can get your iphone camera down there and take a pic in there through the hole. The gear would be moving too as the only thing preventing it from coming off is the lower chain cog being captive behind the balancer.
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What I did find that the pump arm freely moves 1/4" laterally, at the end of arm...