priming the oil pump

I run studs with my X heads, no issue with oiling. To the original poster, you are pretty lucky. I know t doesn’t feel that way, but you are. Pull it all apart, clean everything. You have a bunch of issues that could have really hurt something that you now can fix. Check everything, degree the cam, not sure? Ask. Doesn’t feel right? Ask. I would be nervous seeing RTV in a head bolt hole. Hardest thing to do is listen to them when they talk to you and you did.