How is a lash softening this? If anything it creates an impact on the valve at opening, at closing it does nothing (at best) or even landing the valve harder, cause there is no rocker contact anymore, while the lifter is still riding on the soft ramp.

I don't get it. When I have a ramp already built into my cam, then what is the gap for (other than crating a sharp impact on my valve train at every valve event)?

Wouldn't that soft ramp work best with zero lash, so the lifter and everything else up to the valve would work like one solid piece and could closely follow that ramp, instead of the valve just sitting there and waiting to get a smack over the head with the rocker?

Frank