Adjustable lifters

J

JackB

Junior Member
I am going to rebuild my 1953 8BA engine. I am going to use Johnson adjustable lifters. I see a\that they have both hollow and solid lifters. Why the different types and what sould be the best to use with a stcok engine rebuild.
 
Where do you get Johnson lifter? Johnson hasn't made lifters for years. There is a co. that advertised( LIKE Johnson lifters) but there nothing like the original Johnson lifters, there almost imposable to turn the adjusting bolt. Walt
 
one of the worst things you can put in a flathead engine is adjustable lifters, they are hard to set and they will loosen up around 10,000 miles and then you have to adjust them again, the money spent on the lifters could pay for the valves being set fords way, once set the original way they stay adjusted for the life of the engine.
 
West coast, you probably have had bad luck with a set. I've been using adjustable lifters on all my engines for the past 20 years and have have very little trouble. I did break on when I was racing.
 
Red's uses the Johnson's name on their lifters.
 

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The Ford lifters will also ware after 20,000 miles then you are S.O.L. Been there and done that. Johnsons have always worked for me.
 
if you have the eng apart drill the lifter boss,s makes adjusting them much e z to adjust than those pain in the *** wrenches. after you adj them put a drop of wicking lock tight on each one of them
 
I put over 75,000 on the engine in my '37 pickup (29A block), which had adjustable lifters, and never had to re-adjust them.
 
listen to "Richard crow". Drill those holes. In Frank Oddo's book, Ford Flathead V8 Builders Handbook" he advises to drill a small hole at the base of each valve boss so you can insert a small drift to stop the lifter from rotating when a 7/16 wrench is used on the adjustment bolt.
On my first "Band-Aid-shade tree" build I missed this step and snapped the prongs off of a few sets of those lightweight valve adjuster tools. Next build the holes were drilled and the valves were adjusted with a "happy face". One of those "wish I had caught that advise the first time around" moments.
Enjoy the adventure! I am blessed every time I drive my truck remembering the pile once scattered engine parts that now lope (3/4/cam installed just for the sound) at the stoplights and bring smiles to others.
The folks on this forum walked me through the process.
 
JSeery said:
Red's uses the Johnson's name on their lifters.
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There not Johnson lifters there (JOHNSON STYLE) I like Red's headers, he's a nice guy, but I've had 2 sets of those lifters that customers have brought in to me. They are almost imposable to turn the screw, one set I broke the screw right off in the threads on the second lifer, I sent that set back. The other set I could have butt grind 2 engines by the time I got them adjusted. I butt grind all my engines, but I realize everybody don't have butt grinding equip. Someone on here said that there is a co. in US that makes them now and adjust easy. Maybe they will chime in. Walt
 
Another tid-bit of information iz: Use a die grinder to remove about a 1/8" from the top of the lifter bore to aid in adjusting the lifter. Especially when using a cam with hi lift.
 
Ol Ron,
Another great tip. Wish I had done that also...It took a bit of trial and error to get them all adjusted correctly with the new 3/4 cam...
Ain't too old to learn.
 
I had a set of the hour glass tractor lifters and also a set of Isky ones with the shallow depressions on the sides. I got rid of both sets and found some real Johnsons. I wanted the Johnsons so I could use the drift pin deal. Some of the screws were real tight and a lot too loose. I was able to exchange the screws untill I got a set that were the right resistance.
If I have to readjust, I have two thoughts.
I may try to put lock nuts under the screws like adjustable pushrods or rockers. This might require grinding some off the top of the lifter.
The other idea is to set the valve clearance and remove the valve. Measure the difference between the adj. lifter and a solid one adj the valve length.
I wish I had relieved the top of the lifter bores like Ol Ron said.
 
Walt Dupont--Me. said:
There not Johnson lifters there (JOHNSON STYLE) I like Red's headers, he's a nice guy, but I've had 2 sets of those lifters that customers have brought in to me. They are almost imposable to turn the screw, one set I broke the screw right off in the threads on the second lifer, I sent that set back. The other set I could have butt grind 2 engines by the time I got them adjusted. I butt grind all my engines, but I realize everybody don't have butt grinding equip. Someone on here said that there is a co. in US that makes them now and adjust easy. Maybe they will chime in. Walt
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I have seen these comments posted several times (by very knowable folks), but I have not found that to be the case. All of the lifters I have checked are firm (somewhat tight) to turn, which is what I would expect so they stay put. I have not found any loose or overly tight. Don't know if I have just been lucky or if the problems were in the past and some people are just still PO'd about it or what. Also, not sure how Red's get away with it, but nothing on the box says Johnson like or Johnson style. Guess I will keep my fingers crossed, but so far I have had good luck with the Red's lifters.
 
Ol' Ron said:
Another tid-bit of information iz: Use a die grinder to remove about a 1/8" from the top of the lifter bore to aid in adjusting the lifter. Especially when using a cam with hi lift.
Click to expand...

I agree with Ol' Ron (would most likely be a fool not to! LOL) and that is the approach I use.
 

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I think the original question was about the difference between the solid and hollow lifters and what would be the best one to use on his stock engine. I didn't see that part of the question addressed.
 
Hollow, they are lighter. If you are going to keep the engine at low RPM probably really doesn't matter. But as RPMs go up, the lighter the valve train the better the lifter follows the cam profile with the lowest spring pressure.
 
JSeery, look at the box you posted up above, It says ( Johnson style) right on the box. It's been a couple years since I had the ones I was talking about, may be there better now. Walt
 
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