OK got a new pushrod, took out the old one. Both same length.
Checked the eccentric on the cam looks good.

Decided to run an electric pump I had sitting around in place of the mechanical, and car runs fantastic. So my new mechanical pump was garbage.

So now I'm going to run an electric pump, no more mechanical. But question is where. I'm assuming that leaving plumbed in by the front of the engine isnt going to be a good place for it, or is there a type of electric pump that can live there.

Still have my original noise which I thought was a knock, but seems much quieter now, more like mechanical valvetrain noise even though my engine is a hydraulic setup. One problem at a time though.