This is how we did it and how most of are Top Dragster guys did it, I used a sears 1/2" breaker bar with a Snap-on ratchet adapter (about $25 on E-Bay) with a five inch extension or what ever you need to clear front of engine, Bring the motor up to top dead center niether pushrod will be tight in rocker cup if your right, put compression guage or yor finger in spark plug hole #1. When it pops and pushrods are loose and valves are not moving you are on the cam base circle. I use the Mac feeler guage holders with my preset guages for Exhaust and Intake( Jegs has something similar) set your exhaust and intake so feeler guage can be pulled out with some slight tugging pressure (slight). Tighten rocker,recheck and see if it changes after you tighten rocker and readjust for this. All plugs need to be out of the motor for this, and thats when you can check your plug burn and do a compression test or leakdown test, These tools are very reasonable on E-Bay(Snap-on, Mac or Matco).Start with your #1 cylinder mark your balancer with a small arrow tape for each cylinder and you will be able to run your valves much fasster. Do this valve adjustment in your firing order Ex: 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 you'll end up spinning the crank just a couple of revolutions, and when you get it down only about ten minutes to do it.
P.S. This entire operation has to be done after your motor has been warmed up, not cold, parts expand a couple a thousands just from hot two cold. Especially if you have alluminum heads. And also follow your cam card or engine builder for the proper valve lash ,changes in these can alter your cams dynamics signifigantly. My two cents
