I just dropped my block off at Koffel's Place in Huron to get the block tanked, cylinders bored (0.75mm/0.03"), and cam bearings installed. After discussion we decided to take 0.005" off the deck surfaces as the wheel abrading will not leave an ideal head gasket sealing surface.

Going to run the O.E. profile '05 Ram truck camshaft. I am considering using Cometic 0.030" thick head gaskets, which I think are 0.002" thicker than a stock head gasket (0.028").

My concern is it seems the stock 5.7 pushrod length is already less than ideal, and very likely causes, at least in part, the "Hemi tick". My thoughts were to install 6.1 spec pushrods in the engine to stifle any valve train looseness and/or noise.

Is there any reason not to just use the stock 5.7 pushrods, or is it a good idea to be proactive and just install the 6.1 length pushrods (being they won't cause any negative issues anyways)? Will the 6.1 pushrods make my piston to valve clearances even worse than stock?

This will be street driven in a TJ Wrangler, and ran on 93 pump gas...

I appreciate any knowledge on the topic...

I had my heads milled .030 and using stock 5.7 length pushrods, barely any noise at all... not enough to justify new pushrods. Taking off that little, you should be fine with stock.

Its too easy to buy a couple checking pushrods of the right range, from Trend Performance or Comp and measure for the correct pushrod length to determine what you need. Trend Performance has a line of 5/16 - .080 wall pushrods, in stock, in .025" increments that work great and are very reasonably priced. I've used them numerous times.

That's what I am afraid of. You decked 0.03" and used the 5.7 pushrods, effectively making them longer than stock and putting more pre-load into your lifters, and still may have some noise. Myself only cutting 0.005" off leaves the 5.7 pushrods even "shorter" in my set-up...

I already have 5/16 and 3/8 adjustable pushrods to check for proper fitment in engines. I just thought the topic of 6.1 pushrods into a 5.7 was well vetting and sorted through common consensus by now. I may have to follow your advice and just do the work and see where I fall inline...

Yeah, If I'm buying new pushrods, I'm measuring and putting the amount of pre-load I want, then comparing to the closest increment available in the .025" increments. Plus, I would not use the stock pushrods once I take them out of an engine. They are only .050"ish wall. Less deflection with a thicker wall, the .080 wall will give you.

The Trend Performance pushrods look nice. Not too badly priced at all. I will probably go this route. Thank you both for your input...

Since you're effectively making the pushrods longer by decking, I'd think this would actually help the Hemi tick by taking up valvetrain slack? Measuring them and getting proper length ones is best policy though, just food for thought question

You are right about effectively lengthening the pushrods by cleaning up the decks, but at 0.005" it's not any more or less than differences in production tolerances on all the parts, one way or the other. I guess I was hoping for an easy answer of "the 6.1 pushrods will solve all your problems"...

Sorry, I had it in my head you were decking .030" (that's what you're boring). Why don't you go with a 6.1 cam and pushrods together? Good for 30hp and are around the free-$50 mark and it's supposed to cure the Hemi tick

That's definitely an option then. I honestly didn't know that and thus never considered it. That may be a real easy option...

Upon more reading, I don't think my application would benefit performance wise using a 6.1 spec camshaft. I want to keep all the low and mid torque I can. I will never see higher rpms almost ever...