Ok then. Lifter preload, from my web-knowledge, turkey farming and armchair building is supposed to be between 0.020" and 0.060" from zero-lash. Proper way to check it is with a dial indicator, not feeler gauges. If you set preload correctly, you don't have any chance of pushrods bottoming out in the lifters, so I don't see the point of checking free play in the lifters with feeler gauges.
With both valves closed and no load on the pushrod, you bolt down the rocker until zero-lash, that is no vertical movement on the pushrod and it still spins freely. You mark the pushrod at that point, or set dial indicator to zero. Then you torque the rocker to the proper value and either mark the pushrod again and measure distance between the two marks, or read your dial indicator. You need to be between 0.020 and 0.060". Ideally, something close to 0.025"- 0.030".
With an adjustable rocker, you torque down the rocker, turn the adjuster until zero lash, then tighten 1/2 turn more for Harland Sharp rockers.
So if that method is incorrect, then everybody on the web, including Crane, Harland Sharp and Comp are wrong and one person is correct.
