Days before adjustable lifters

[Bubsyouruncle]

Ford probably had the valve assemblies sorted by length within thousandths. The assembler would measure the depth from valve seat to lifter and install the appropriate assembly. Of course it would take a lot of crank cranking to get all the valves in.

[cmbrucew]

My guess is the factory used valves all the same length.
All the seats were ground the same.
Cam lobes all the same.
Sound familiar.

Bruce


Works good
Last long time

[1937pickup]

Never having done a flathead non-adjustable lifter adjustment I have some questions. To measure the clearance do you have to fix the valve guide and spring in place? It would seem to me that just pushing the valve in place with your hand would not put enough pressure on valve into the seat. Then you have to pull the assembly apart and grind the valve stem. I know once its done it done-but does seem like a lot of work.

[john mullen]

OK here are the photos of the tools needed to measure the valve lengths.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by 1937pickup

Never having done a flathead non-adjustable lifter adjustment I have some questions. To measure the clearance do you have to fix the valve guide and spring in place? It would seem to me that just pushing the valve in place with your hand would not put enough pressure on valve into the seat. Then you have to pull the assembly apart and grind the valve stem. I know once its done it done-but does seem like a lot of work.

1- The guide needs to be in to check the clearance but not the spring.
2- Yes, hand pushing the valve down is plenty adequate for checking.

Once you get the hang of it you can do pretty fast.
The more you do, the faster you get until you finally cross over and
all you have to do is look at them and they do themselves.

[Mart]

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^^^^

lol!

[john mullen]

Hey Pete! How many will I have to do to cross over???? LOL ....I have been doing them for a while now and haven't gotten very fast yet....I may not have enough years left to get there LOL...

[37coop]

Originally Posted by Mart

Martin, I found a guy with a set of those tools for sale at Enfield Pageant. he wanted a bit too much for them though. (£50-ish?)

I know, I'm tight.

I set up my first flathead with the non adjustables NOS from Wally Wheatley. To my mind, they make a lot of sense when used in conjunction with the mushroom foot valves. Big contact area equals minimum wear. I've used adjustables in the other motors (not that many) but did strip a 59A that had 8BA valves and non adjustables and I could see where the smaller valve stems had worn into the lifters.

Incidentally, the NOS lifters bore the Ford description "pushrod".

Mart.

Walley at Nordian , they were the days and I still do enfield every year ,

[HamerAuto]

any of the old timers disliked the adjustables lifters and preferred the factory non-adjustable. I have a couple of engines that have 85,000 miles on them with nary a noise out of them.

[scooder]

Thanks for pics Russ and John, I'm gonna go make me some measuring tools.
Haven't done Enfield for many moons. And really miss talking sh#t With Wally for hours.
Martin Tees Esq.
As walley used to put on his typewriter written correspondence.

[john mullen]

scooder! I'm wondering how are you going to make those measuring tools. keep us posted....

[scooder]

When I get to doing it, I could do a tech thread about it.
Again cheers for the pics, I may need to ask you some questions while I'm in the process. They may not be exactly reproduction, but same function and do the same job, but I'll know more when I'm actually doing it.
Cheers,
Martin.

[DWester]

Yes, thank you so much for the pictures and all the great information on this process. I believe that I'll keep my old lifters and make a go of it. They look to be in great shape so I should be alright. Being my first flathead build, there's lots to learn. It's nice to have this forum. We'll see how I do.

You guys are great!!

[Pete]

Originally Posted by DWester

Yes, thank you so much for the pictures and all the great information on this process. I believe that I'll keep my old lifters and make a go of it. They look to be in great shape so I should be alright. Being my first flathead build, there's lots to learn. It's nice to have this forum. We'll see how I do.

You guys are great!!

What ever lifters you use, if they are not new, be sure to have them refaced.

[DWester]

Thanks! I'll do that. Something that an experienced machine shop can take care of?

[Pete]

Originally Posted by DWester

Thanks! I'll do that. Something that an experienced machine shop can take care of?

Only if they have a lifter grinder.

[john mullen]

As an alternative you can still find the stock (push rods) as ford called them around from some of the flathead venders. They are cheaper than having them resurfaced. I found some nos ones at Joe Smith Early Ford Parts in Richmond Va .... I like the original set up non adjustable mostly for the cost.. I let the customer decide what type they want... Stock pushrods/lifter's $30.00 to $50.00 tops . Good brand adjustable's $200.00 + ..$$$$$. both work quite well if done right...

[oldford2]

"
Re: Days before adjustable lifters
Quote:
Originally Posted by DWester
Thanks! I'll do that. Something that an experienced machine shop can take care of?

Only if they have a lifter grinder"

Well, I have seen many worn lifters that have a shallow groove worn in by the cam (maybe .001) which indicates that the lifter never rotated. So for a plain old street engine I am thinking that a flat grind might give many miles before it wore out of adjustment. JMO. What do you think Walt/Ron? I don't know if new solid or adjustable lifters have a convex grind?
John

[john mullen]

In my cheep days!! LOL I have lapped them if they were not to bad but it takes a lot of time. I also in my (cheep days) chucked them up in the lathe and glued some sand paper to the head of a smooth valve in the drill chuck attachment on the lathe tail stock and running the cross feed back and forth across the bottom of the lifter. just don't try to make it in one pass as it tears up the sandpaper...but again they / lifters are cheep if you look for them.. I hope this helps...John

[Pete]

Originally Posted by oldford2

"
Re: Days before adjustable lifters
Quote:
Originally Posted by DWester
Thanks! I'll do that. Something that an experienced machine shop can take care of?

Only if they have a lifter grinder"

Well, I have seen many worn lifters that have a shallow groove worn in by the cam (maybe .001) which indicates that the lifter never rotated. So for a plain old street engine I am thinking that a flat grind might give many miles before it wore out of adjustment. JMO. What do you think Walt/Ron? I don't know if new solid or adjustable lifters have a convex grind?
John

Flat is WRONG. All new lifters are tapered to match the taper on the cam.
If a lifter wasn't rotating, something was wrong on assembly.

And for the poofteenth time, lifters are tapered on the face, NOT spherical.

"Been in the cam business 60 years"