Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

I have less than 3000 miles on my motor and #6 will not hold it's setting. I pulled the valve cover to address the ticking noise that developed after our club fall tour. I started adjusting and found several out 1-2 thousands but #6 was out .040. I adjusted them all and then this morning took off for an event on the south side of Oklahoma City. By the time I had made it to the event which is about 30 miles it was ticking again.

At this point I can only try and file the threads or use a chisel to bugger up the threads to keep it from moving after adjustment. I know that trying to use a thread locker will be pretty hard in an assembled motor

Any other successful methods for fixing this problem?

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

Is is possible to add a thin jam-nut to the threaded adjuster, and create a "double-nut" lifter ?

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

had a similiar problem on a customer car. We screwed the single nut/thingee out as far as it would go then cleaned it throughly, then touched the threads with a pinhead size dab of JB Weld, then did the final adjustment. problem solved - at least until he decides to rebuild the engine. We will worry about the JB Weld when the time comes.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

Is the adjusting bolt loose in the threads of the lifter, is it turning?

Or is the bottom of the lifter and / or cam lobe dieing?

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

The bolt is loose I can tell by the way it turns when adjusting it.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

How about lock tight?

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

Drill it for safety wire?

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

Probably not enough room for a safety wire. It is usually necessary to have the ajustable lifter all the way up to get the wrench on the body of the lifter to make an adjustment. Then run it back down to measure the gap. Unless the lifter bosses in the block have been shortened, there won't be enough room.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

Well and trying to drill the bolt would be difficult at best. Come on Purdy I was counting on you for something out of the barn to fix this.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

Get a sharp punch and "stake" it in the correct position by making a dimple where the thread and body meet.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

I think that PC/SR has the right idea. Just be careful the bosses in the block can sometimes break off fairly easily. I broke one off once in a 31 block that had good babbit . I had been lucky to get all of the head studs out without breaking a one, I was planning to overhaul it . Good luck.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

Hi T.C.,

The existing oil present on the threads will prevent adhesion of any type of thread locking material or liquid steel.

Sometimes difficult to obtain in small quantities, but one fix used in many vintage fixes for worn, loose threads is lead wool from a Plumbing Supply House or a local plumber -- hopefully, one may give you some about the size of a cherry tomato.

Unscrew bolt, wrap lead wool around threads, pack in threaded joint, & turn bolt. Loosen & apply again if still loose until female threads get "filled" & bolt is not loose.

I would not try steel wool in an engine, but fine (4-O), (OOOO), can work in other similar loose thread applications such as restoring old shotguns & rifles where bolts & screws threaded into metal are not removed often.

Hope this helps.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

Keep the ideas coming guys. I have a "click" in my "new" engine that I just installed in my coupe that sounds like this situation. Will be all ears or rather eyes to see the best solution.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

I would first try center punching the threads.
A shot of carb cleaner on the threads will give your dry clean threads, so you can use Lock-Tite.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

I've cleaned the threads with carb cleaner and then heated them up just a bit to dry them out and used lock tite.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

Why not just replace the lifter and have done with it?

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

That would be more difficult, it would require removeing the engine and camshaft.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

I had this problem several years ago. I center punched the threads and it still loosened up. Did this a couple times. Then pulled the pan and found the mushroom was wearing off. Case hardening wasn't there. Did a hardness test and it was soft like cold rolled steel. Put in a new set of "single lock" lifters and the car is still running with those giving no problems. I saved the lifter as an example of bad reproduction parts.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

The single nuts that these replaced had the same problem. Infact the base was completely worn off of one.

Re: Single Nut Lifter Woes
 

Heat the nut as you "slightly" squeeze it in a vise so it drags as you run it down. Not the best solution and a good chance of overdoing it. I would practice on some junk hardware before I tried on my car.