i have a pretty good amount of pre load on it with the pushrod checker on 7.350 the tick just starts to disapear at a 7.275 so i adjust it to a 7.350 and it is nice and tight but i can push the rocker arm down and feel the lifter cup colapse. it dont do that with a 7.400

 

Rarely do I hear of guys going under 7.40. Alot go to 7.425 to get rid of valvetrain noise if you have milled heads.

 

bigger pushrod would put more stress on the motor making it louder wouldent it it would give a nosie off like a coplased lifter or make a valve hit the top of the piston

 

That's cool, my dumb-butt typed "lobe center" when I meant "base circle".

Anyway, I think the original poster might seek out someone with a bit more experience to check his work.

 

OK, if at 7.275 you get a tick when lifting the rocker and at 7.350 you don't, you are close to zero lash. Try 7.300" on the adjustable and check. If the "tick tick" is gone, then add 0.100" to the length for preload and you end up with 7.400" pushrods.