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Old 04-03-2026, 04:58 PM   #1
GB SISSON
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Default Re: Lifter won't stay in adjustment.

I have come to believe that everything negative we have heard about the offshore 'new' lifters is true. I also believe like Flathead Fever, that locktite will cure the loose adjuster bolt in the new type. I too have been collecting original Johnsons at the few swapmeets I attend, and am getting pretty good at compressing the bolts in the vice and testing with my little torque wrench at 60 in/lbs. It can get a bit unnerving getting them to 60, so in my 276 build I settled on 40 as that was so much tighter than how they feel right outa the coffee can.
I started my wrenching oddessy almost 60 years ago with small engines, later Japanese and British motorcycles, then VWs, and toyotas, both four and six cylinder types. I adjusted a lot of valves. I have only worked on one engine with hydraulic lifters, and that was sooo confusing.
Lately I have been talking a lot about utilizing a jamb nut on a johnson (or offshore) lifter. Some of you are getting tired of hearing about it, but really in all these years of the damn things bouncing up and down on rocker arms, some of which were on honda motorcycles with a 10k redline, I never pulled a cover and found a loose jamb nut. Ever. And there was no torque specified, just tighten.

My son just appeared towing the big 8 way log splitter from his work and needs help on the repair, so I'll end this post with 2 photos and get back later. Feedback is good, and the short one is at exactly what a handfull of Henry's are. There is room to shorten a bit on threads.
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Old 04-03-2026, 06:45 PM   #2
petehoovie
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Default Re: Lifter won't stay in adjustment.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GB SISSON View Post
I have come to believe that everything negative we have heard about the offshore 'new' lifters is true. I also believe like Flathead Fever, that locktite will cure the loose adjuster bolt in the new type. I too have been collecting original Johnsons at the few swapmeets I attend, and am getting pretty good at compressing the bolts in the vice and testing with my little torque wrench at 60 in/lbs. It can get a bit unnerving getting them to 60, so in my 276 build I settled on 40 as that was so much tighter than how they feel right outa the coffee can.
I started my wrenching oddessy almost 60 years ago with small engines, later Japanese and British motorcycles, then VWs, and toyotas, both four and six cylinder types. I adjusted a lot of valves. I have only worked on one engine with hydraulic lifters, and that was sooo confusing.
Lately I have been talking a lot about utilizing a jamb nut on a johnson (or offshore) lifter. Some of you are getting tired of hearing about it, but really in all these years of the damn things bouncing up and down on rocker arms, some of which were on honda motorcycles with a 10k redline, I never pulled a cover and found a loose jamb nut. Ever. And there was no torque specified, just tighten.

My son just appeared towing the big 8 way log splitter from his work and needs help on the repair, so I'll end this post with 2 photos and get back later. Feedback is good, and the short one is at exactly what a handfull of Henry's are. There is room to shorten a bit on threads.


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Old 04-03-2026, 11:58 PM   #3
GB SISSON
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Default Re: Lifter won't stay in adjustment.

Thank you 'Pete the Enlarger'. Maybe someday I'll make myself a set of these, Don't forget I'm the guy that made a set of teflon buttons with my router for holding my wrist pins in place on a 59ab. Going strong in the '47 log truck over on the mainland.
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