valve tick

I am thinking bent pushrod here. A collapsed lifter won't pump up properly and should move funny when you try to adjust the valves hot with the engine running. Take off the rocker and pushrod, roll it on a flat piece of glass etc, should be able to tell if it is bent that way. That could explain why it is not hitting the valve stem. Also a bent rocker stud or rocker itself could cause this

------------------
Frank W
Melrose MA
Gen X Member#22 (MA)
73 Malibu Coupe
hometown.aol.com/folingo/folingo.html
Mighty 305 Power