[blykins]

I'd say it's your tools and the way you have found TDC. You need a piston stop and check TDC with that and the degree wheel.

Use a roller lifter...

Make sure you're using the correct set of numbers on the degree wheel if it has two sets. One set is for the ICL method, the other for the valve event method.

To check it with ICL method, you go to full lift on the lifter, zero the indicator, back up about .100", roll it in normal direction until you get to .050" then write down the degree wheel setting, then keep rolling until it hits zero then goes back to .050". Record that number, add to first, divide by 2, and that's the ICL.

Do the same thing for the ECL.

Add ICL and ECL together, divide by 2 and verify LSA.

Check lobe lift on both intake and exhaust.