Need some brain picking

As you may know I cleaned the shaft and rocker arms on my 65 merc Comet 200 . After I put everything back together I didn't seem to be getting any oil up and the car was running rough. I took it for a run up the highway and it was acting like there was dirt in the carb. I doubted that to be cause, the carb and everything else is new, but I took the carb apart to make sure and there was nothing in it.
Since the only thing I had done was clean the rocker arms I thought I would take the valve cover off and see if there was anything obvious. Well one thing was , I was getting lots of oil up there now, I guess it just need that run for the oil to get pushed up. I had noticed that the engine was a lot quieter. My question is this could the oil now getting to the rockers and such have somehow changed the valve adjustment? When I bought the car a got a service manual with it and there was a hand written note on what valves are closed and the order, which gave me the impression that perhaps the last owner (who passed away-reason I got the car) had tried to quieten down the engine by tightening up the rockers a bit and now with the oil there they are too tight. The shaft is worn and I have one coming so I didn't bother experimenting. I think I will install the new shaft first. But does anyone have an opinion as to whether I could be right or any other theories? Before I cleaned the rockers the car was noisy but it was running smooth.

Might have cleaned them up so now they get different lift. Definitely. When you get the new shaft, are you putting new push rods on as well? Adjust them to spec after that, and you'll be fine I bet. =)

I hadn't planned on replacing the push rods at this time. Next year I plan on a valve and ring job and planned on doing the push rods and perhaps new lifters then.

I couldn't wait until the new shaft came so I adjusted the rockers according to classic in line instructions just to see if this was in fact the problem as to why it was running like crap.
It did improve the smoothness of the motor. So as also suggest was to adjust the rocks with the engine running. This proved to be challenging since I have arthritis in my hands. I found the easiest way was with an uni joint on the end of a 6 inch extension the joint took the vibration and allowed me to turn the adjustment screw without it ripping my hands apart . Looking forward to installing the new shaft and seeing if the engine runs any better.

When you adjust the valves, turn the fast idle screw out until the engine is BARELY idling. Then it will be easy, while the engine is running super slow.

Thanks for the info that makes sense.

Definitely. =)

Just a trick of the trade.