After searching and reading everything I could find on the topic I went to
work in the garage and came up with a modified hydraulic roller lifter that
goes solid with .035" depression of the plunger. I picked .035" becasue that
is 3/4 turn with a 7/16-20 thread, which is the preload that I'm going to use.

I'm using stock GM lifters, or I should say I'm taking out the Comp R's and
putting new stock lifters back in. So with the solid lifter and an adjustable
push rod I should be able to do the black marker on the valve tip method of
determining the right length pushrod. Here is the Trick Flow instructions for
setting up the geometry with a good illustration of the wear path in the center
of the valve tip.

Let me know if this is not the correct way to go about this.

 

Maybe I should have asked if this is the correct way to check pushrod
length for a hydraulic roller lifter.

Only a couple of days until I'm ready to do this so please provide some
feedback.

 

PM sent.

 

Sounds good to me---but I would assume stock length unless your measurements indicate differently. Bad geometry caused by the wrong length can lead to problems, including dropping a valve because you knocked the keepers off of the stems allowing the stems to drop onto the piston which in turn can cost you an engine.

Not to alarm you, but to caution you about changing the stock length unless you are definitely sure that you need different size to get the correct geometry.

Let us know what you come up with. JMHO

 

The reason for checking the length is because I'm installing Ai 185cc CNC
heads and they have been milled slightly for clean up, plus I'm going to run
the Impala head gaskets. I'm thinking either stock or 7.15 at this point but
want to check it for sure.

 

I'd get some Prussian Blue and dab some on the valve tips, then adjust the valves. Rotate the engine a few times then remove the remove the rocker arms. The wear line should be in the middle of the valve tip from the rocker arm. If it is too far off center then you can buy different sized pushrods to accomodate the change.