Cam degreeing help me understand!

Yea that is the way haha. I think my first step is to make sure I'm getting a good reading on my lifter. I'm got a spare set of lifters im gonna take an old pushrod and weld it in the cup then cut it to the appropriate size. That way om not resting on the side of the lifter. Then I will re zero it. If that don't work then im gonna question my engine tech timing chain!

I thought you had one of those fittings that plugs into the lifter bore you put the dial indicator in. You have all sorts of room for error then. It sounds like you are using the hydraulic lifter to measure off of. You cannot do that. "whatever" you use between the dial indicator and the lobe must be solid. You cannot use the hydraulic lifter plunger.