Knocking noise after head gasket replacement.

I finally finished replacing a whole host of parts on my Tacoma. I did the head gaskets, and timing belt, and all corresponding parts. I just got it put back together and started it up today. It started and ran but there is a clicking/knocking noise coming from the front of the LH head. It sounds like it's coming from the very front of the intake camshaft right behind the sprocket. Here's the thing I'm worried about. I was working on the truck getting the timing set, and tried to tighten the LH intake cam sprocket without a pulley holder tool. I figured the timing belt was holding it in place and it would be fine, (stupid). Anyway while I was tightening it a weird clink noise happened and my wrench sort of jumped. I was freaked out and checked everything I could get to to make sure nothing was broken. I'm worried I **cked something up or cracked the head leading to this knocking noise. I checked the valve clearances and switched a couple around to get everything into spec. I still have one cylinder with intake valves that are 2 tenths of a millimeter wide. That couldn't be causing this noise, right? I checked and double checked timing. I took the truck for a drive and it started out great, with plenty of power, but I noticed as it came to temp it got a bit sluggish. Not really the "brand new engine" I was hoping for. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks taco bros.

 

Did you double check that you didn't jump the timing forward by one tooth? Turning over the engine to have the belt go one full loop? You can get the truck to look like it is in time but have it one tooth off at the bottom. Try marking all 3 timing marks on the belt and turning it over by hand the full loop. It should return one tooth forward/backward (cant remember which) on all three spots. Timing might be just off. I was forced to put the timing belt on with the drivers side intake cam turned a little to get the ribs to correctly line up.

Got both cam tensioner bolts out of the cams? Cams are still tensioned? <- this can make the valvetrain very noisy and have the engine pull timing because it is too noisy for the knock sensors.

 

I started pulling it apart to check the timing and noticed something wrong right away. The knock pin for the LH cam sprocket was sideways, behind the sprocket. I felt the left sprocket and it was rocking a little bit. I put the motor all back together without torquing the LH cam bolt down! I feel really stupid. On the bright side, I was worried the sound was a rod knock, and I'm pretty sure this rules that out. The knock pin did blow out the knock pin hole, however. Is it absolutely necessary to have that knock pin in there? Do I need to replace that cam?