273 adjustable rockers need refurbish.

MOA said

I don't know what to do at this point. I bought new stamped rocker arms and rocker arm shafts. Preload is still all over the place, I'm told this is normal for dodge. Doesn't seem normal to me.

Everything is new or rebuilt, refurbishing the adjustable arms is expensive and I would need new pushrods.

Or, take it to the machine shop that built the engine and let them deal with it, which would probably be cheaper in the end. Not better, cheaper. I'm already out of money.

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I'll make a suggestion: Take the following numbers and put them in a table per cylinder number:
- Push rod length for each individual pushrod
- Valve stem variation with the straight edge
- Preload measured
You might see a pattern emerge that will help point to any issue.

BTW I would indeed expect variation with stamped rockers; there is simply going to be some variation in parts made that way. How much variation do you have now?

And the only issue that you will have with variation, as long as there is SOME preload in each lifter, is that some lifters can pump up and float the valves more than others if you reach the RPM's where the valves float. What cam do you have? That will influence how prone it is to floating valves, steeper ramps would genenrally tend to float valves more readily.