Valve lifter bore wear

CA Victoria

CA Victoria

Well-known member
What is the acceptable valve lifter bore wear (59a Block)?
Inserting new lifters they have a noticeable side to side rock, this can’t be ok for the cam?
Using a valve grinding stem as a gauge some bores are tighter than others.

Are oversized lifters available?

Thanks!
 
CA Victoria said:
What is the acceptable valve lifter bore wear (59a Block)?
Inserting new lifters they have a noticeable side to side rock, this can’t be ok for the cam?
Using a valve grinding stem as a gauge some bores are tighter than others.

Are oversized lifters available?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Not sure about oversized lifters, but there are such a thing as lifter bore SLEEVES to stop the WOBBLE.


bronze-lifter-bore-sleeves.jpg
 
Never heard of an oversize flathead lifter. I can only speak for myself I have never come across a flathead block that had a worn lifter bore. Have you compared the diameter of the lifters to any others just to determine if they might be a bit smaller in diameter? If I read your post correctly you mention some bores are tighter than others if its possible to try original lifters is that still the situation?
On some of my race flathead blocks I use bronze lifter bore bushings which are only a few thousands in diameter larger diameter than the original Ford lifter bore diameter. These new bushings have a smaller inside diameter for the now smaller diameter lifters. To fix a worn flathead lifter bore so the ID is now back to the stock diameter it would be extremely difficult to do in the block. The reaming operation needed to open the existing worn bore would require a larger diameter reamer. Due to the valve guide bore diameter a larger diameter reamer cannot be used for the bushing boring operation from the top. Also the operation needs to be extremely accurate so the lifter bore is still straight. One company BHJ makes tooling for lifter bore bushing operations as seen in V8COOPMANS post above the operation is rather simple to do with there tooling when there's nothing in the way above the bore.
Ronnieroadster
 
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My experience (limited) is that they tend to be on the tight side, rather than loose.
 
Agreed, after looking into the bushing process the valve guide bore is only about .030 larger and it wouldn’t work from the top or bottom.
I have not found the factory specs for lifter fit, still looking for a bore gauge to measure a small bore with.

The adjustable lifters I have are NOS Sealed Power, they measure at .985.
What do your lifters measure?
 
CA Victoria said:
Agreed, after looking into the bushing process the valve guide bore is only about .030 larger and it wouldn’t work from the top or bottom.
I have not found the factory specs for lifter fit, still looking for a bore gauge to measure a small bore with.

The adjustable lifters I have are NOS Sealed Power, they measure at .985.
What do your lifters measure?
Click to expand...

Stock lifters are .9995
 
The new Highlift Johnson solid adjustables (PN.2032) I have measure (.9995)
Suspect the ones you have are undersise.
 
I re measured with my new caliper and have the same measurement (added: as post 7 & 8).
With limited options to save a block any thoughts on options?
(Added: I’m getting .995)
 
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Sounds like you need a new set of lifters. Look at it this way : they're a lot cheaper than a new block.
 
CA Victoria said:
I re measured with my new caliper and have the same measurement (added: as post 7 & 8).
With limited options to save a block any thoughts on options?
(Added: I’m getting .995)
Click to expand...




Hi, Tim


If you're getting .995 when you measure, your lifters are .005 smaller in diameter than the .999 ( I dropped the "5" from .9995 for clarity sake) the others have mentioned. Is this maybe the problem?



Terry
 
Just checked a new set of adjustable lifters I recently bought from Van Pelts. The lifters measure .9995 on the money and are a nice snug fit in my 8BA block
 
The Ford blueprint spells out maximum manufacturing machined diameter of 1.0015. However, the wear limit as listed in the original Ford V8 Engine repair manual is listed as .005 clearance between lifter(pushrod) and lifter bore.

There is no practical limit for machining lifter bores oversize and certainly the valve guide bore diameter does not offer an obstacle. Although the oversize boring operation and subsequent bushing treatment process would be more expensive than the average cylinder block could be valued at.
 
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