Adjustable or Non Adjustable Lifters ?

[rotorwrench]

That wavy looking stuff might be some form of corrosion preventative compound or grease on the cam follower face.

[Reds34]

I bought a set of those adjustable lifters form the auction site from the same seller, but have yet to use them.

Red

[Pete from OZ]

I also have purchased a set of these lifters from the Auction site ( Clewwho40 ). Sent down to OZ just in soft packages, no box. He states that they are NOS Johnson lifters.

They look to be well made, but I think they are a new production not NOS as they seem to be selling plenty of them. Have not tried them yet.
They look a lot like the Drake ones.

Pete from OZ

[Cheaterpete]

I use to buy, compcams, speedway, isky and the ones sold by reds, each time I had one or two that comes loose ;-(

[47Merc]

If you use the adjustable lifters can you use Locktite on the threads to stop them coming loose or is that a no, no.

[Bruce Lancaster]

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Back when real Johnsons were twenty books from Joblot, I never used anything on threads or had one loosen in use. They just worked with no fuss. Well, no fuss except a little swearing at the little wrenches...
In flathead repairs, they took over the market as soon as the parts price started looking good compared to labor cost of measuring, welding, and grinding.
Elaborate means remained reasonable for racers looking to save the slight extra weight of hollow adjustables over stock Ford, but as mechanics' wages went up adjustables were a real savings.

[29AVEE8]

I hesitate to ask as the question becomes a "punch line", but has anyone on the barn had your Johnsons resurfaced? Who did it? Did they perform correctly? Yes I am ready for the humor that will ensue.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by 29AVEE8

I hesitate to ask as the question becomes a "punch line", but has anyone on the barn had your Johnsons resurfaced? Who did it? Did they perform correctly? Yes I am ready for the humor that will ensue.

I do an average of one set a month.
They must work. No one has complained.

[29AVEE8]

Originally Posted by Pete

I do an average of one set a month.
They must work. No one has complained.

Thanks Pete.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by 29AVEE8

I hesitate to ask as the question becomes a "punch line", but has anyone on the barn had your Johnsons resurfaced? Who did it? Did they perform correctly? Yes I am ready for the humor that will ensue.

JWL did a set for me.

[flatjack9]

I have a friend who has the tool and he has done a number of them for me. Perform just like new.

[El Rat]

Hi gents...
Was wondering what brand of adjustable lifters were used by rebuilders? More specifically I bought a "junk" flattie at a garage sale. It had a Vilvan rebuilder tag rivited to the front. Vilvan hasn't been in business for a long time. Regardless I pulled the manifold off and was suprised to see adjustable lifters, made my 50.00 purchase price seem like a bargain.

Note: I say junk because the engine was missing all the bolt-ons and the head nuts were partially corroded off.

[Bruce Lancaster]

There were at least two brands but I have never seen any old ones except Johnson's. As I mentioned above, they took over for rebuilds whenever the skilled labor cost of fitting original parts passed the rather small extra cost of the adjustables.

[29AVEE8]

Johnson and Witteman are the only two hollow brands I have heard of. But I have no knowledge of how to identify used lifters one from another. The solid adjustables I believe were made by McQuay-Norris, at least thats what an employee of Isky told me years ago.

[Russ/40]

Originally Posted by 47Merc

If you use the adjustable lifters can you use Locktite on the threads to stop them coming loose or is that a no, no.

What works for me, is after I'm satisfied with the adjustment, I hit the bolt threads with a shot of carb cleaner or brakclean, then put a dab of JB weld on the threads where they enter the lifter. The result is an adjustment that cannot change in normal use.

[OLD...BILL]

Originally Posted by 47Merc

If you use the adjustable lifters can you use Locktite on the threads to stop them coming loose or is that a no, no.

In a word, yes, make it green locktite, and to get it lose, more green and maybe some heat?? never been there ?? BUT: I have read it here ?? ....OLD....BILL

[Bruce Lancaster]

There is a green loctite meant specifically for creeping into assembled threads.

[rotorwrench]

It would be a wicking type anaerobic threadlocker like Loctite 290. I use the green 209 a lot but it is more of a bearing setting type that doesn't wick. The stuff is the strongest I've used. It used to be loctite No. 35 but they changed their numbering system.

[Russ/40]

I dont go the locktite way because there is always oil down in those threads. You will never know if the loctite will work until you break the bond,.....if there is one.

[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.