The Ford Barn

jailhousebob · 05-06-2022, 09:38 PM

Ok, so i recently bought a 39 ford out of long storage. Has a 59 ab flathead.
Showed no compression in 2 cylinders so i thought it had the typical stuck valves. I pulled the intake and the lifters are like nothing i have ever seen in a flathead and i have taken apart many of them . The top of the lifter appears to be seperate from the cylindrical sides. It has a raised button in the center that is the diameter of the valve stem. The button is round , no flats like an adjustable would have, and sits on a seperate top that seems to be held in place by a wire type snap ring. It looks very much like a hydraulic lifter (?) . I haven't pulled the head but will tomorrow and get a picture of this wierd lifter. Hope my description makes some sense. Bob

Bored&Stroked · 05-06-2022, 10:00 PM

Yah better post pictures . . . as none of us will have a clue until you do . . . and maybe not afterwards! LOL

jailhousebob · 05-06-2022, 10:46 PM

I know, i wouldn't be able to picture it either if someone was telling me about it!

5851a · 05-07-2022, 10:40 AM

Sounds interesting https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...1-jpg.4570985/ Any chance a person could fit the 49 Lincoln hydraulic lifters in a Ford V8? Would need an oil feed though.

deuce_roadster · 05-07-2022, 11:26 AM

I once saw a set of lifters that were made in Australia that the adjustment was done by the the whole top unscrewing. I would guess by increasing the surface area of the threads it would stay put better than the small adjusting screws on the Johnsons was the reason for this but that is just my guess I am no engineer.

jailhousebob · 05-07-2022, 02:00 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Tried to post some pictures but couldn't get them to load.I did post some on the hamb under the same title. Bob

cas3 · 05-07-2022, 02:08 PM

Here ya go.... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...tures.1263415/

petehoovie · 05-07-2022, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cas3

Here ya go.... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...tures.1263415/

jimTN · 05-07-2022, 03:50 PM

Sure look like hyd lifters

Jack E/NJ · 05-07-2022, 03:58 PM

If it were mine, I'd already have that clip pulled out see what's hiding inside.

cadillac512 · 05-07-2022, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack E/NJ

If it were mine, I'd already have that clip pulled out see what's hiding inside.

...Took the words right out of my mouth!

Since there's no oil passage or pressure in the lifter bores it'd be mighty odd for it to be hydraulic.

38bill · 05-07-2022, 07:27 PM

There is a flathead for sale on the Mpls Mn Craigs list that claims it has hydraulic lifters. I assumed that that was incorrect and that the poster meant adjustable lifter. Now I'm not too sure.

aussie merc · 05-08-2022, 02:18 AM

sure look to be hydraulic don't suppose there are any photos of the lifter bores themselves ??this could be some real trick engineering getting oil pressure to the lifter gallery [never say it cant be done/ there's always a way you just haven't thought of it yet ]

aussie merc · 05-08-2022, 02:31 AM

dont suppose theres any photos of the lifer bores this could prove to be one real trick engine [they told Ronnie that rollers wouldnt work in a flathead he proved they do !] so could be someone found a way to make hyds work and if they did that just opens up a whole new world !! [the say it cant be done because they dont have the will to make it happen thank god there are those amongst us that say why not ]

Bored&Stroked · 05-08-2022, 08:08 AM

Rollers . . . you mean these things - they work just fine:

RollerCam2 copy.jpg

RollerLifter2 copy.jpg

Bored&Stroked · 05-08-2022, 08:09 AM

My guess is that it is a hydraulic lifter, but the engine is not plumbed to provide oil pressure to the lifter bores, so the lifters are just collapsed and they ran it that way.

swedishsteel · 05-08-2022, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 38bill

There is a flathead for sale on the Mpls Mn Craigs list that claims it has hydraulic lifters. I assumed that that was incorrect and that the poster meant adjustable lifter. Now I'm not too sure.

I saw that add too and was tempted to email the guy but didn't.

jailhousebob · 05-08-2022, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

My guess is that it is a hydraulic lifter, but the engine is not plumbed to provide oil pressure to the lifter bores, so the lifters are just collapsed and they ran it that way.

I agree!

pistonbroke · 05-09-2022, 08:56 AM

Those look like the hydraulics out of a Lincoln V12. I had one years ago and those lifters sure look like what what I remember. Don't know how they would work in a V8 as I dont see any way to get oil pressure to them. Tim

Mart · 05-09-2022, 01:13 PM

Would it be out of the question to have a look inside one?

05-06-2022, 09:38 PM	#1
jailhousebob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 143	Weird flathead lifters Ok, so i recently bought a 39 ford out of long storage. Has a 59 ab flathead. Showed no compression in 2 cylinders so i thought it had the typical stuck valves. I pulled the intake and the lifters are like nothing i have ever seen in a flathead and i have taken apart many of them . The top of the lifter appears to be seperate from the cylindrical sides. It has a raised button in the center that is the diameter of the valve stem. The button is round , no flats like an adjustable would have, and sits on a seperate top that seems to be held in place by a wire type snap ring. It looks very much like a hydraulic lifter (?) . I haven't pulled the head but will tomorrow and get a picture of this wierd lifter. Hope my description makes some sense. Bob

05-06-2022, 10:00 PM	#2
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,068	Re: Weird flathead lifters Yah better post pictures . . . as none of us will have a clue until you do . . . and maybe not afterwards! LOL

05-06-2022, 10:46 PM	#3
jailhousebob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 143	Re: Weird flathead lifters I know, i wouldn't be able to picture it either if someone was telling me about it!

05-07-2022, 10:40 AM	#4
5851a Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: NE Iowa Posts: 1,664	Re: Weird flathead lifters Sounds interesting https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...1-jpg.4570985/ Any chance a person could fit the 49 Lincoln hydraulic lifters in a Ford V8? Would need an oil feed though.

05-07-2022, 11:26 AM	#5
deuce_roadster Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Shelton, WA Posts: 3,800	Re: Weird flathead lifters I once saw a set of lifters that were made in Australia that the adjustment was done by the the whole top unscrewing. I would guess by increasing the surface area of the threads it would stay put better than the small adjusting screws on the Johnsons was the reason for this but that is just my guess I am no engineer.

05-07-2022, 02:00 PM	#6
jailhousebob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 143	Re: Weird flathead lifters Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Tried to post some pictures but couldn't get them to load.I did post some on the hamb under the same title. Bob

05-07-2022, 02:08 PM	#7
cas3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sw minnesota Posts: 4,577	Re: Weird flathead lifters Here ya go.... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...tures.1263415/

05-07-2022, 03:50 PM	#9
jimTN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Powell, TN Posts: 2,509	Re: Weird flathead lifters Sure look like hyd lifters

05-07-2022, 03:58 PM	#10
Jack E/NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,173	Re: Weird flathead lifters If it were mine, I'd already have that clip pulled out see what's hiding inside.

05-07-2022, 07:27 PM	#12
38bill Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,166	Re: Weird flathead lifters There is a flathead for sale on the Mpls Mn Craigs list that claims it has hydraulic lifters. I assumed that that was incorrect and that the poster meant adjustable lifter. Now I'm not too sure.

05-08-2022, 02:18 AM	#13
aussie merc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: sydney australia Posts: 1,034	Re: Weird flathead lifters sure look to be hydraulic don't suppose there are any photos of the lifter bores themselves ??this could be some real trick engineering getting oil pressure to the lifter gallery [never say it cant be done/ there's always a way you just haven't thought of it yet ]

05-08-2022, 02:31 AM	#14
aussie merc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: sydney australia Posts: 1,034	Re: Weird flathead lifters dont suppose theres any photos of the lifer bores this could prove to be one real trick engine [they told Ronnie that rollers wouldnt work in a flathead he proved they do !] so could be someone found a way to make hyds work and if they did that just opens up a whole new world !! [the say it cant be done because they dont have the will to make it happen thank god there are those amongst us that say why not ]

05-08-2022, 08:08 AM	#15
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,068	Re: Weird flathead lifters Rollers . . . you mean these things - they work just fine: RollerCam2 copy.jpg RollerLifter2 copy.jpg

05-08-2022, 08:09 AM	#16
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,068	Re: Weird flathead lifters My guess is that it is a hydraulic lifter, but the engine is not plumbed to provide oil pressure to the lifter bores, so the lifters are just collapsed and they ran it that way.

05-09-2022, 08:56 AM	#19
pistonbroke Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Perry Mo. Posts: 485	Re: Weird flathead lifters Those look like the hydraulics out of a Lincoln V12. I had one years ago and those lifters sure look like what what I remember. Don't know how they would work in a V8 as I dont see any way to get oil pressure to them. Tim

05-09-2022, 01:13 PM	#20
Mart Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Solihull, England. Posts: 8,755	Re: Weird flathead lifters Would it be out of the question to have a look inside one?