Mystery solved thanks to thunderdart! I took off the rocker shaft and layed a straight edge across the top of the valves to find a very very botched valve job. The tops were all over the place! Just takes someone thats been there. I knew it wasn't right but my inexperience with mopars wouldn't lead me there. This valve job might work ok with adjustable lifters but it is no place on a stock mopar. You all might check your lifter hight after a valve job with a straight edge as a quick check on all non-adjustable lifters. Apparantly this happens alot. Thanks to all---Mike