Is there ANY way to change lifters in a flathead without removing the head. I have this one adjustable lifter that doesn't hold its setting. It backs off with about 10mins of running. Also, any of you have a single adjustable laying around?
Don't think so...total possible movement of valve and guide is limited by valve hitting head, which is only a bit more than normal lift, and isn't going to be enough. You can try, without adding any extra work, in order to prove this fully--everything you'd do would be require later anyway, just yank the guide retainer and jack the whole ***embly up til it his...which is gonna be not too far from 1/2", depending on head. Onliest possibility would be '32 type head with gigantic heart shaped chamber... Pulling head is actually pretty easy, and you can likely get away with reusing gasket if you're a tightwad. You probably actually CAN change the cam with heads on, with some trickery... Possible kludges would be green wicking loc***e, or damaging threads on adjuster bolt so it locks into tappet when screwed down through sheer thread destruction. Not much to lose trying those...and you might have evil soft el ****po tappets that are failing in several ways at once.
Sorry, no can do. (easily) That was one of Fords earlier "Good Ideas." You either have to lift the valve - and spring(s) - high enough to get the lifter(s) out of the bore. Which means removing that head. Or take the camshaft out, and drop the lifter(s) down. But then you have to remove the cam out! And THAT takes some real "Trickery" as Bruce says. Good time to take a CLOSE look at those lifters; so you don't have to do it again!!
As for getting a single adjustable lifter, surf the antique Ford tractor sites. 8N tractor motor lifter will work. http://www.philstractor.com/cat/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=122
Just a heads-up. I had a lifter that wouldn't hold adjustment. And here is what the bottom looked like. I hope this isn't your problem, but in my case I had adjusted it three seperate times for it to start tapping again after about five to ten minutes of run time. Finally adjusted it and staked the threads with a big sharp punch. Start it up and in a few minutes sure enough, "tap tap tap tap tap"... Had another look in the valley and knew the adjuster hadn't moved that time. Pulled them and found what you see in that other thread. Good luck man.
AND... I have a whole box of Speedway adjustables save the one you see plus another which was on the way. If you want to read the story of how they were installed you can see it here. I actually had two with small nicks in the surface as they came from Speedway. I called their tech department and they told me how to fix them and ***ured me any future problems would be taken care of. I now know two things. 1) Do not take advice on how to fix a defective part from Speedway's tech department. Instead insist they replace the defective part. 2) Do not listen to a tech guy who ***ures you they will take care of problems which have not happened yet. I did both and when I called Speedway back to ask about the one lifter that was wiped out and took the cam with it, and the other that was well on the way I was told, "We don't warranty that." Mea maxima culpa I suppose. I can tell you after losing $500+ I will not take the advice of a tech who tells me to "Just hit it with a scotchbrite pad", and have real reservations about ordering from them in the future - even though I know they have a good track record with taking care of most real problems. The whole thing just left a bad taste with me. Sorry for the tangent and I apologize if I hijacked this thread, but it seemed like a good time to bring it up. And if you want that box of lifters I can get it in the mail to you. Just let me know.
"...and you might have evil soft el ****po tappets that are failing in several ways at once." You're the reason I put that in...there was also another guy on here who got falsely-labeled "Isky" lifters from a hotrod supplier which all failes with the lower surfaces wiped around like peanut ****er. The how-to at Red's Headers on identifying bad import lifters said that there were something like 7 or 9 brands in the market recently, most of them garbage.
Man-o-man! Kevin, I fear I have the same problem....I don't know how many times I've set that lifter....including staking it, and loc***e. It backs off in no time. I thought about hitting it with a mig....but I just cant get my mind around that. Off comes the head. Once I get a flathead that runs cool, I really hate to open up any water p***ages....only as a last resort. Oh well, I'll get over that. D-R, just drive that roadster down here and you can go back to SC with a roof on your head....no questions asked.
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