Please share what you found for our curiosity and other people looking for help to similar problems?

found the problem
 

The bar on the lifter became detached and then the roller lifter looks like it turned sideways on the cam. Chewed up the lobe. Hopefully, I caught it before any major damage has occurred.

If anyone was wondering, the retro fit roller lifters were made by Lunati.

Well that would definitely cause your problem. You should be able to change cam & lifters, flush & clean out the pan by changing oil and filter. maybe even a couple of times with cheap oil and it should be ok as long as your oil pressure hasn't changed. However if you are pulling the motor, I would take it apart, hot tank it and start off fresh. Good luck with the repairs!

Flying Tomato, what brand block are you running?

Mine is just the GM standard gen 6 block.

It's a gm gen 5.

The rocker arm wasn't loose?

lifter will soak up .040-.060" of lobe wear before it starts to loosen

I would check the lifter bore carefully with a pin gauge to make sure it didn't get out of round. If the lifter turned it had to create immense side loading. You may end up having to put a bushing in if this is the case. I wouldn't just throw a cam and lifters/ oil change in it and call it done make sure you check the bore.