Adjustable or Non Adjustable Lifters ?

[corvette8n]

Are the lifters Flathead Jack sells any good?, or do they all come from the same manufacture?

[Shadetree]

Good dicussion. I had an old timer rebuild the engine in my `35 in 2007. It is a later 221 with rod bearings instead of Babbitt. He put adjustable lifters in it and has never been touched after the rebuild. Sadly, he passed away shortly after he built my engine. Fast forward to last summer. I had a local engine shop rebuild the engine for my `51 F1. Six months later and very few miles one or more of the lifters have loosened. The engine sits deep in the pickups and it is either remove the engine or maybe by removing a fender to get to the lifters.

On an earlier post it was recommended to either `stake' the lifters or use Locktite to prevent it from happening again. I want to do it right for the last time. Now, should I use one of these methods or go with new Johnson's?

[tubman]

Originally Posted by russcc

If you are going to use adjustable, why not buy original NOS Johnsons, which were also sold under the name of Sealed Power or Wohlert for example. There are a couple of East Coast sources for NOS if you are interested. I would bet they also have NOS original Ford light weight non-adjustable ones. Depends on your preference.

Could you give us some more specific information on these please? I have gone to the Sealed Power (actually Federal-Mogul) website, and the lifters they show in a couple of places (while adjustable) are obviously not hollow. Researching Wohlerts yields even less specific. The main link is to Mac's who I have heard bad things about lately. Also, some specific sources for these would be great!

[rotorwrench]

I would doubt if there are a lot of original NOS Johnsons out there. Skeptical, you bet. The ones I've seen marketed as Johnsons look exactly like the new French ones. If they were made with a proper grade of cast iron and chilled to specs then they should be good as far as the follower face is concerned. If they are poor quality casting then they will either crack in the side openings or the follower face will wear unevenly. The tapet adjuster screw is a whole other matter. It's fingers crossed with all the new hollow adjustables these days.

I would trust an old worn set from a motor that has set for 35 years more than I'd trust any new ones. All of the solid adjustable ones were made for Ford tractors but have been used on cars since the early 70s. The solids are fine in a low rpm setting but the more you gain rpm , the more kinetic energy they build. At some point, that might get detrimental to the function of cam or valve train.

[Tim Ayers]

I was going to sell a set of used Johnson (definitely theirs), but looks like I should hold onto to them for what I'm reading in this thread.

[russcc]

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Here is the real thing. In this box of NOS Johnson's sold under the name of Wohlert was 2 adjustment wrenches stamped with the Johnson name, etc. Sold them with a reconditioned used set, and kept the lifters. There are other real NOS Johnson's out there. You have to get off the internet, talk to people, do your research and get on the phone. Macs and the rest of re-pop suppliers, good luck. I do know that Comp Cams adjustable lifters were supposed to be made in the USA, by who and how ? A good set of reconditioned Johnson's with "Green" Locktite, on prepped threads would be a good second choice. See photos;

[tubman]

Thanks for your reply.

[rotorwrench]

Wohlert of Lansing, MI. used to be a manufacturer of starter ring gears, flex plates, & flywheels. With the equipment they had, they could have made a lot of different auto parts kind of like Thompson Products (TRW).

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by russcc

Here is the real thing. In this box of NOS Johnson's sold under the name of Wohlert was 2 adjustment wrenches stamped with the Johnson name, etc. Sold them with a reconditioned used set, and kept the lifters. There are other real NOS Johnson's out there. You have to get off the internet, talk to people, do your research and get on the phone. Macs and the rest of re-pop suppliers, good luck. I do know that Comp Cams adjustable lifters were supposed to be made in the USA, by who and how ? A good set of reconditioned Johnson's with "Green" Locktite, on prepped threads would be a good second choice. See photos;

Interesting. I see they list them for '52-'53 Fords/Mercs. Wasn't the valve training either a little longer or shorter than the previous V-8's during these two years?

I recall something was different. I wonder if these are made for this specific application or are they just labeled that way and no different.

[russcc]

Good question, maybe someone on the barn knows the answer. I bought that set of Wohlert boxed Johnson's from an East Coast vintage parts supplier. He knew what he had, and they were not cheap, but the real thing from back in the day. I know where there others, some boxed as Sealed Power with Johnson wrenches.

[rotorwrench]

The valves were longer and had the rotator cups. This actually started in mid to late 1951. There must have been a length difference on those followers but it's not a lot of difference.

[KiWinUS]

Originally Posted by Shadetree

Good dicussion. I had an old timer rebuild the engine in my `35 in 2007. It is a later 221 with rod bearings instead of Babbitt. He put adjustable lifters in it and has never been touched after the rebuild. Sadly, he passed away shortly after he built my engine. Fast forward to last summer. I had a local engine shop rebuild the engine for my `51 F1. Six months later and very few miles one or more of the lifters have loosened. The engine sits deep in the pickups and it is either remove the engine or maybe by removing a fender to get to the lifters.

On an earlier post it was recommended to either `stake' the lifters or use Locktite to prevent it from happening again. I want to do it right for the last time. Now, should I use one of these methods or go with new Johnson's?

Shadetree , you can do a full rings bearings & Valve grind on your engine right in your truck !! I grew up doing them . Made a 4Ft. long valve stick for lapping valves !!
Cheers
Tony

[OLD...BILL]

I do it "Adjustables" because I have em and I can do em. and "NOT" take the engine to someone and have, grind, weld and do whatever to set backlash to my short block, I will make the adj. before I lay the crank, and I can see the lifter on the heal of the lobe.... then I will run through the hole thing again, with go/no go... I bought this lifters "TAPPET S" in 1948, and I have the box they came in. it says on the box " distributed by "Harman & Collins, inc.... yes I ran the cam too. I payed $13.60 for em ( it says on the box ) came as a kit.???I may use some green lock tight, this time ??..... OLD.....BILL

[Ol' Ron]

Never had any trouble with any of them. Had to use the solid adjustables in the first few years I was building engines. However they may have been of better quality than the ones you get today. Use the long valves for high lift cams and cut or grind 1/8 inch off the lifter bore to make adjusting easier, and don't gorget to drill the hole to hold the lifter from turning. Can't believe how many times this subject has been around.

[BillM]

I may use some green lock tight, this time

Just be careful not to get any of the Locktite down the lifter bore.

[OLD...BILL]

Originally Posted by BillM

Just be careful not to get any of the Locktite down the lifter bore.

HEY BILLM :You must know me ?? If / when I try to glue something, I get it all over it, me, the neighbor's cat, and low flying aircraft.....OLD.....BILL
thanks for reading my story .....BILL

[Dennis Jarrell]

I have a set of the Comp Cams solid adjustable lifters. Any reason why I couldn't lighten them?

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Dennis Jarrell

I have a set of the Comp Cams solid adjustable lifters. Any reason why I couldn't lighten them?

It's possible but you could adjust 5 sets of stock type lifters in the same time.

[JM 35 Sedan]

I bought a set of hollow adjustable lifters from Dennis Carpenter about two years ago to use in a '36 LB engine that's a stock rebuild except for a 0.030" over bore. The box these lifters came in has Made in the USA printed on a label attached to the outside of the box. Carpenter's parts counter guy told me who the manufacturer was but I have long since forgotten their name. Anyway, after reading all the posts on this thread, I decided to take them out of the box and check them over carefully. I found some of the adjustment bolts so tight I had trouble turning then with a 7/16" open end wrench, while others had bolts that threaded in and out of the lifters by turning them with my fingers. I know I should have checked these carefully long before this but didn't. Unless I can figure out some good procedure to tighten up these loose ones, I will take these back to DC for either good replacements, or get credit refunded to my account. Damn, when I worked for a manufacturing company, we had QC checks in place that would never allow parts like this to get out the door. I guess in today's manufacturing environment there is little or no QC requirements to get product shipped.

[Brian]

I had a local engine shop rebuild the engine for my `51 F1. Six months later and very few miles one or more of the lifters have loosened. The engine sits deep in the pickups and it is either remove the engine or maybe by removing a fender to get to the lifters.

Or... take the front wheels off and let the truck sit on the drums. Way easier on the back.