No - Preload is how far down the plunger goes when the rockers are torqued and the lifter is on the base circle. Reason I ask is you need much longer than .040 if you want to have the lifter installed properly. That's assuming the plunger is not being pushed in a little while you're using your feeler gages. If you measure and check lifter preload as I said in the PM - and you can do that with your feeler gages under the tip of the rocker you just need to look at the lifter to make sure there's preload - you'll then be able to get the pushrod length you need. If you have .040 of open space, or "lash", you need a pushrod that's .065-.090 longer to take up that space and give proper preload to the lifters.