[Jeff Chambers]

Your method is off a little bit. First off, undo all the rockers that you just installed. If you can, use an oil pump primer to prime the system good to pump back up any lifters that you may have collapsed. Now, cylinder by cylinder do the following:

Roll the motor around (clockwise when looking at the front of the motor) until both lifters for the cylinder are on the base circle. You may need to gently push down on the lifters to make sure they're moving in the bores.

Now install the pushrods for those two lifters and begin to assemble the rocker/pedestal. As you gently begin to tighten the pedestal bolt, simultaneously spin the pushrod between your thumb and forefinger. When you feel the slightest drag on the pushrod, that is the zero lash point. From there, tighten the pedestal bolt to 15 ft-lbs. If it takes more than 1 full turn to reach the 15 ft-lbs you'll need to shim the pedestal. If it takes less than 1/4 turn, you've either got a collapsed lifter, you've started way past zero lash, or you'll need to slightly mill the pedestal. I try to get all lifter preload consistently at 1/2 turn.

If you're not confident on locating the base circle location, use this method ONE lifter at a time. Rotate the engine until you see the exhaust lifter move upwards about 0.090" then install the intake rocker using the same tightening technique. Then continue rolling the motor until the intake lifter has completely opened and is within about 0.090" of being fully closed then install the exhaust rocker.

Regardless of what method you use, do it one cylinder at a time with all remaining rockers off the motor so that you don't collapse any lifters under spring pressure as you roll the motor over.