adjustable lifters

[Robin 47 ford pickup]

Hi all , does anyone out there know anything about the lifters made by Hi lift lifter company and has any one bought them off a mob called Shaw City engines in Fresno Ca. Looking for lifters for my 1940 V8 ,any advise would be great
cheers Robin Gregory

[51 MERC-CT]

Hi Lift Johnson solid #A-2032 lifters as i understand it are the ones to use as there are others out there with questionable pedigree.

[Hal Beatty]

You can buy them directly from Hy-Lift Johnson... at least here in the States. Might be worth an e-mail to them.

[Granny]

Have you Tried Mike's Sidevalve Supply in south Aussie I got a set for my 8BA off of mike a couple of years back he make his own the website is www.flatattackracing.com

[Ziggster]

Purchased mine directly from their factory in Michigan. I also came to the conclusion these were the only ones still made in USA.

[GOSFAST]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

They are still the only brand to use, they are made here in the states and are pretty much the same as they've always been.

To date we've sold dozens upon dozens and have not a single issue or "loose" adjuster.

We still buy them in "bulk" (photo below) by the trays, 92 pieces per box! We then box up the sets in the shop!

Do not purchase any lifters advertised as "Johnson-Style", most with this label are "off-shore" mfd.

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. We've actually shipped a number of these over to your country fairly recently, the only issue getting parts overseas is the higher frgt costs and the "Customs" declarations. We use the Post Office for most small pkges!

[RalphM]

Do they make hem in he hollow version as well?

And I gotta ask, why 92 to a box?

[GOSFAST]

Originally Posted by RalphM

Do they make hem in he hollow version as well?

And I gotta ask, why 92 to a box?

Hi Ralph, no "hollows" to the best of my knowledge. I would assume if they did have them that the cost would likely be higher?? Just guessing, and since we have no issues (weight-wise) with the "solids" we really have no need to change!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. With respect to the packaging, Johnson uses "standard" size boxes, the present size fits 128 lifters (Chev, Pont, etc) but due to the 1.000"+ Flathead lifter diameter they can only fit 92 pieces in same area!

[Ol' Ron]

Hard to believe that, back in the early 60; they were only 12.95 a set. I got really upset when they went up to 20 bucks. I thought, at this rate they'll be 50 pretty soon???

[GOSFAST]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

Hard to believe that, back in the early 60; they were only 12.95 a set. I got really upset when they went up to 20 bucks. I thought, at this rate they'll be 50 pretty soon???

Hi Ron, your memory's holding up reasonably well based on those prices mentioned?

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. Here's a shot of an ad found in a 1962 Sears "Automotive" catalog. Definitely "the good old days", it's about the time I started racing cars at the local track. It's been all "downhill" (or "uphill"), depending on how you look at it all, since then?

[51 MERC-CT]

This is an interesting letter posted some time ago in regards to the quality of 'off shore' Johnson lifters.

[Robin 47 ford pickup]

Hi again guys , thanks for the interest . But my main concern is the lifters I bought from Shaw City Engines in Ca. Don't laugh but they have been selling cheap on the evilbay from 40 bucks a set to 250 bucks . now my question is would be they Hi lift lifters or not ??? and has anyone dealt with this mob??
cheers

[Angledrive]

If you know someone with a Rockwell tester have them checked for hardness. I bought some off Ebay a few years ago and had them checked and they were OK.

[Tony, NY]

Originally Posted by Robin 47 ford pickup

Hi again guys , thanks for the interest . But my main concern is the lifters I bought from Shaw City Engines in Ca. Don't laugh but they have been selling cheap on the evilbay from 40 bucks a set to 250 bucks . now my question is would be they Hi lift lifters or not ??? and has anyone dealt with this mob??
cheers

Can you post the ad link? Would like to see it

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by Robin 47 ford pickup

Hi again guys , thanks for the interest . But my main concern is the lifters I bought from Shaw City Engines in Ca. Don't laugh but they have been selling cheap on the evilbay from 40 bucks a set to 250 bucks . now my question is would be they Hi lift lifters or not ??? and has anyone dealt with this mob??
cheers

First question are they hollow or solid lifters.

[aussie merc]

go to big mike in SA correct parts right prices and in the odd case there is a warranty drama youre dealing with some one on this side of the puddle that gives a toss not a faceless voice

[Ol' Ron]

The 8n Tractor lifters were all I could find when I started My shop.and the first few engines used them. These are solid and work very well in a street engine. I still used the 50lb spring pressure, and this was on the L-100 cam. So not to worry about them

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Angledrive

If you know someone with a Rockwell tester have them checked for hardness. I bought some off Ebay a few years ago and had them checked and they were OK.

While a certain hardness is one of the requirements of long life in a lifter, it isn't all. Metal compatability is another parameter that is essential.
Before the availability of Chinese lifters there were almost no adjustable lifter or lobe failures in flathead Ford engines. The type of iron used in lifters is extremely important. It can be like rubbing your skin with a piece of silk or a piece of sandpaper. The micro finish on different material lifters can vary widely even when finished by the same machine.

Ford found this out in 1957 when they produced the EDB cam in the 312 Thunderbird engine. After testing and before production release, they came out with a factory bulletin saying they expected in excess of 1% of the cams to fail before 200 miles. (which they did)
It was metal incompatibility with the lifters and was cheaper to let it go rather than retool at that late date.

Looks like there are 3 alternatives now.
1 - Use Hi-Lift solid lifters that are made in the USA.
2 - Find a set of antique hollow ones that are salvageable.
3 - Use the stock hollow steel ones.

Your required performance level will determine which.

[51 MERC-CT]

This is an example of a fake Johnson hollow lifter.

[frnkeore]

Ok, another question. There are lifters advertised as "Isky Lifters", are these HI Lift Johnson's or off shore? Isky has always had a excellent reputation.

Frank

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by frnkeore

Ok, another question. There are lifters advertised as "Isky Lifters", are these HI Lift Johnson's or off shore? Isky has always had a excellent reputation.

Frank

The "Isky lifters" being sold using their own part number appear to be solid HI Lift Johnson's but you would have to contact Iskenderian or the seller to get that info for sure.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by 51 MERC-CT

This is an example of a fake Johnson hollow lifter.

Lifters are not radiused on the face. They are TAPERED.

Aside from that, the fake lifters can be refaced properly and the screws can be re-machined so they stay put, BUT, do you want to take a chance on the material they are made from?
No one seems to know what that is. Is it virgin cast iron that has the face only induction hardened, or are they made from old melted down cast iron sewer pipe and old sash weights????

If you absolutely have to have adjustable lifters, go with the heavy USA made ones. They are fine for stock and mild street engines.

[Robin 47 ford pickup]

Ok the auction # on Evilbay was 372718954599 under, Ford flathead 8BA 21A 21 stud hollow adjustable tappet lifter mercury Johnson description and read the info & look at the sold listings.
let me know what you all think?
cheers Robin

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by Robin 47 ford pickup

Ok the auction # on Evilbay was 372718954599 under, Ford flathead 8BA 21A 21 stud hollow adjustable tappet lifter mercury Johnson description and read the info & look at the sold listings.
let me know what you all think?
cheers Robin

Those hollow lifters are the same ones that are being referred to in the letter in post #11 above.(suggest that you read it) They are not Hi Lift Johnson nor does the listing in Ebay say that they are.

[34PKUP]

Originally Posted by Pete

Lifters are not radiused on the face. They are TAPERED.

Hi Lift Johnson calls it a "Camface Crown"

[Pete]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by 34PKUP

Hi Lift Johnson calls it a "Camface Crown"

They are free to call it anything they want but it is still a taper, which makes the surface cone shaped.

[clo]

Red’s headers sells the adjustable hollow lifters. I’ve spoken to quite a few Flathead guys that use them. I haven’t heard anything negative like the lifters loosening up.

[Robin 47 ford pickup]

Ok , what is the chance they are any good, and i see they have sold quite a few sets now, and there is no negative feedback .My big question still remains has anyone used or know of anyone that has bought these lifters ?

[Ol' Ron]

Trust is always an issue. We all like to save money, and building a flathead is getting expensive, so you have to go with the people that build engines loke Gary (gofast) Or Reds they have the "right stuff" Not sure if Nax VP has them. but they are in business to help people and stand behind their products. IMHO

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Pete

They are free to call it anything they want but it is still a taper, which makes the surface cone shaped.

I was wrong on that. They do have grinders capable of grinding a sphere.
While most of their lifters seem to work, that is the WRONG way to do it.
With a sphere, you have single POINT contact instead of flat line contact resulting in much higher unit pressure.
Isky found out early on that a spherical surface had very poor wear characteristics. With a race cam they did not last to the main event.