Ok you guys, educate a poor ignorant englishman please?
I understand well that solid lifter engines will need valve lash adjusting every now and then. Most cars that I drove in my youth here in the UK had solid lifters - it was the norm because we considered hydraulic lifters typically "american" and unnecessary until the mid '80's! (bit like ac - now it's in every new car).
Now all my old bangers needed valve lash adjustment say every 3000 - 5000 miles. That was because of the poor heat treatment/materials of the rocker arms, valve stems would indent the rocker tips.
Now - your 514 crate engine that needs lash adjustment every 800 to 1500 miles - what the hell is wearing there? Unless things are moving, the only reason to adjust valve lash is to compensate for wear somehwere in the valve train, so what exactly is wearing so fast?
BTW - valve "lash" known as valve clearance in the UK, also known as "adjusting the tappets", which is a bit of a misnomer, since "tappet" is english for cam follower. The origins of this go back to old side valve (flathead) engines, where you did indeed adjsut the valve clearances at the follower.
History (and language) lesson over, now answer my question!!
