Oh boy. Valvetrain geometry issues.

JoePole1 said
Hi Guys. Yet another stumbling block in my build. I'm at the point where I need to measure for pushrods and I am noticing that, using a straight edge, my valve stem tips are at different heights. I am running EQ heads with Hughes 1199 valve spring kit and stamped steel rockers and roller lifters. The heads are used but the seats look excellent. I replaced a few intake and exhaust valves because a couple were bent and I chucked all the others in my drill press and had slight runout on some. Thinking that the replacement melling valves may have been longer, I pulled the "taller" valves and some are the original on the heads so not associated with the new valves. Rough measurement with feeler gauge and straight edge has worst at about .012".
Is there an acceptable amount of difference between valve tip heights?

Do you know for sure the reason these used heads had some bent valves? The Engine Quest heads were really castings, but a lot of them were sold assembled with guide clearance that was too tight. That caused a bunch of stuck valves that resulted in all kinds of bent pushrods and valves and some broken valves with additional damage.
Also, if you slid in replacement valves without checking the clearance, you could have induced a guide clearance issue that will have the same results.
None of this has anything to with the varying heights of the valve tips, but needs to be asked before you start it up and run it, just to make sure it has been checked. If the guide clearances are NOT known to be in an acceptable range, it would be strongly suggested to remove the heads, have a competent shop check it and adjust as necessary, then while it's in you can have them check the valve job and correct the valve stem tip heights.

Now, if you know for sure the guide clearance is right, and the heads are already on, just get pushrods that give around .030"-.040" or so lifter plunger preload for the shorter tips, and make sure the plungers on the longer tips do not compress more .060" and you should be all set. That will get you to about the middle of the plunger travel safely.