Dans pretty much hit all the major points. also you should get a major pick up in power around 3k revs, if you dont, the IMRC is shot, very common, because of the genius place ford placed them. if the IMRC is fully functional, id relocate it to the battery tray, will prolong the life, and there not cheap.

as for the 'tick', i know people who have sold cars because of the 'tick'. mine sounds like a steam train at the minute, but its 100% the exhaust manifold gasket, its had every headgasket check known to man, twice, i even had glenn sat ontop of the engine while i drove it up and down the road, and its defo comming from the exhaust manifold.

the gaskets are cheap enough, £18 each from ford, or £5 each from a motor factors, but as said, there a c*nt of a job to do, like everything else on a V6 mondeo. its actually easier to undo the engine mounts and jack the engine up, so so you have a bit of movement, because every millimeter counts, especially on the rear bank.

the waterpump change is defo worth doing, for the sake of £50 for the metal impellar pump, and an hour job, its peace of mind. change the belt while your on, there only £11 from ford.

both my V6 mondys have had metal pumps, my first, was an 02 plate V6 ZS, with the uprated ford pump, with improved plastic, but fitting the metal impellar pump was still first job on the list. my current one also has a metal impellar pump aswel.