I see in the FSM the lifter bleed down test on the bench, it basically says the lifter total travel is .125 for those of you who are following. This would mean my 2 munched valves that were preloaded to .125 were in fact bottomed from the get go. Word to me, yo.

So nice of Chrysler service manual to omit any reference to setting preload on these non adjustable valves.

I settled on some Melling lifters. I think I could re use the felpro head gasket, but, I won't.

No, but use a new Felpro to keep your stack height you just measured! I assume you knew that, but it was for the other guys.

Exactly. Now am pondering, how hard would it be to replace the pistons...

You don't want to go there! Rings and bearings are tough enough for an in-frame engine rebuild. New pistons will require fitting them to the rods in a shop. You should "break the glaze" in the cylinders with a hone so the new rings will seat after cutting the lip at the top so the rings won't break when they hit it. If replacing the main bearings, you'll have to loosen all the caps, remove the harmonic balancer, disconnect the torque converter, and slide back the transmission to allow enough clearance to slip in the main bearing shells. And this is providing standard bearings are within wear limits.

IF, after removing the pistons they aren't scuffed, you can just put new rings on them, but when you use the hone to break the glaze, you'll get grit and iron dust all over the crank. It's a B**** to get it clean.

You might as well pull the engine and do it right. The only good thing is the valve lash will still be right.

Heh yeah ok. Then factor in the rear main seal, the oil pump, the cam, .....Ima just slap..it back together and see what I have. My slap might have been valves pounding. Unless I change my mind. .. ..
Yes I know the pistons need a shop to press on. I have one. I was thinking rod bearings pistons and rings , period. But ...where do you get a reliable short block?

Now you've got my mind going off on tangents. There MUST be a way to install adjustable rocker studs. Chevy just uses ball rocker pivots and lets the pushrods keep everything aligned. That's on the Gen-1 small block. Not only that, but the pushrod holes in the head are larger as well.

Question; how long is the 5/16 bolt that holds down the pivot?

Sealed Power lifter on the left. All aftermarket lifters are basically this style. Mopar on the right. The pushrod seat is flipped over to show the back, where it contacts the metering disc (with 4 holes in it). Note at 9'oclock, you can barely see it, but there is a channel machined in the inner circle that will always let some oil up the pushrod. Also note the sealed power has only the metering disc with no holes, and nothing machined in the backside of the seat. Seealed power, $4, Mopar, $29.

Closeup of the reverse of the Mopar pushrod seat. Note the fine channel on the inner circle machined in at about 7 o;clock in this photo. You may have to zoom in.

Yeah, okay, I see why the Mopar cost more and it's probably a patented design. The channel in the pushrod cup has to be burnt in with an EDM machine and the 4 holes in the metering plate may have to be done the same way so as not to distort it. The channel could be machined in before hardening, but control of it's depth would be harder to do.

I compared prices of other stuff, like valves and rockers, on rockauto. Apparently all that Mopar stuff is sky high prices for some reason, so, while the lifters are nifty, I am not sure they are priced high just because of the design. But I think they could make a case.

Just for GPs, I was checking out both my FSMs for the WJ and XJ and they both spec the oil pressure at hot idle at 13 psi! Pump relief pressure is set at 75 psi. When my XJ gets to be 220*, I've got 20 psi but at 210* it's 25 psi. It's within specs, but I don't like it. The WJ never showed me less than 40 psi at any speed or temp. Well, it did when I whipped it around a sharp corner when it was 2 qts low, LOL!

They also spec out the maximum valve tip dressing to be .010". If that is held, it's no wonder why the lifter preload winds up all over the place! Badly worn valve seats would have to be inserted!

The Crane Cam shims have a paper insert with them that says something like "These shims may be used to correct preload after valve seats have been ground, or head milled..."
That spec on the oil is also in my book. 13 at idle. Like you my zj never gets close but the xj will go there when it's hot. Drops right down from 40ish like a rock when come to a stop. No clatter. Do xjs run hotter...

I'm thinking an oil cooler would help. Someone make a plate with 2 hoses that sandwiches in between the filter and the adapter and you run the hoses to a cooler. When my XJ gets up to 210, the idle oil pressure is still at least 35 psi, but after it heat soaks at 220 for awhile, that's when it drops like a stone.

Last night I got almost all the torquing of the head bolts done. One final pass this am. coated the new lifters with cam lube first. Reusing the bolts for the first time, I was doubting my click wrench at 110 lbs, it was still pulling the bolts and was afraid I would snap them, so I checked against my fixed arm wrench and yes, 100 lbs it checks against the click one. But still was freaking me out, so left them all at 100 ish.
I coated them with light oil per Felpro instructions, they say unless the FSM says different, which it does not, coat them with oil and clean them well in order to obtain the correct torque. Not sure I paid this much attention last time.
They all went ok to 100 but seems that last 10 lbs is the difference between done right or not because they really tighten up at that point. But I am assuming that is they way they are supposed to be. Hate like heck to have one snap at this point. Eh.
Also found my Locktite 592 and coated #11

Looking good.. I've been following along, and it sounds like you are almost there!

Well with daylight on and 95 and humidity here of 76, I stepped outside the barn with my click wrench and recalibrated and set exactly to 110 and bit the bullet. Said if I'm gonna break one so be it. But they all tightened up to 110 just fine (except #11 =100) .
Then I lubed the gear all up and loose fitted it with the pushrods in.
Next step, set preload. Gonna take my time and get it right this time with the new dry lifters. Should be pretty close the way I had it because I used the same thickness gasket, .055".
Most the old lifters had some light visible chattering patterns on the bottom, from too much preload, which was not good. but the cam from what I could see wasn't marked up and I was able to measure around the .040 lift on a couple of the worst offenders, crossing fingers.
I checked the valve surfaces and while that #1 had metal on it it must be mostly from the rocker, which I replaced. Im guessing maybe .0005 ish damage. cross fingers on that one too. Got a rented spring compressor but it was broken out of the box so I made a judgement call and decided it would work as is. If it rides the new rocker ok the ony affect would be preloadwhich I am gonna set one way or another even if I have to order a pushrod. Doubt it. Put all SP rockers back in. Then I think I might spin it up with the plugs out and see if it oils. Gosh, I hope so. Lol.
for right now I'm gonna take a breather and think about it. Good so far.