MTFCA Forum

I called Lang's and was told the 3 wrench valve lifters are no longer available. From what I have seen in the past the self locking do not always stay locked.
It appears the adjusting bolt is 1/4 inch fine thread grade 8 that has the head ground shorter. Has anyone on the forum cut off the solid lifters, ground them to the length they wanted, ground the sides parallel for a 7/16th's wrench, drilled and tapped them and made their own. Someone had to experiment originally to make them. I think it is worth a try to experiment a little. Once you cut off the end the core should be drillable.

Those are going to be real hard. Those are forged steel!

Hank

Dennis_Brown wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 26, 2021 5:59 pm

I called Lang's and was told the 3 wrench valve lifters are no longer available. From what I have seen in the past the self locking do not always stay locked.
It appears the adjusting bolt is 1/4 inch fine thread grade 8 that has the head ground shorter. Has anyone on the forum cut off the solid lifters, ground them to the length they wanted, ground the sides parallel for a 7/16th's wrench, drilled and tapped them and made their own. Someone had to experiment originally to make them. I think it is worth a try to experiment a little. Once you cut off the end the core should be drillable.

Actually I had an overhead motor with 292 lifters(.500" dia) I converted those lifters as you described. To use with a flathead. No issues. Center of lifters are soft. Surface hardened.
I prefer the non self lockers. Never had one get loose. Did shear a self locker bolt once.

Both types of lifters are being made by colony. Sold thru colony vendors.(harley parts guys) Normally not available easily in standard size. A quick look on ebay has both types in 3 sizes. Standard non locks individually $8.75 each. 10 available now!! I prefer colony - nice thin heads for stipe cams. Get on it fast. availability swings. Revised : self lockers .030 + only.

Couldn't you just add a locking nut to the self locking style? You might need to shorten them a bit to make room for the nut, but that seems as if it would be doable?

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 26, 2021 7:07 pm

Couldn't you just add a locking nut to the self locking style? You might need to shorten them a bit to make room for the nut, but that seems as if it would be doable?

I suppose one could. The nut might have to be made. It has to be 3/8 hex to work.

I suppose it’s like anything else you buy from various vendors where the quality is all over the place. I bought some earlier this year from a vendor and the adjustment bolts were so tight I thought I was going to twist them off. But they didn’t. So I was delighted with them. I’ve worked on a few old Ford tractors that were converted to adjustable lifters and never had the inconsistency in the lifters that it seems that we’re having with model T parts. I too wish there was a better solution. One of my cars was already equipped with the double lock lifters and two of them had came loose. I now know why I had an intermittent miss that was driving me nuts.

greenacres36 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:53 am

I suppose it’s like anything else you buy from various vendors where the quality is all over the place. I bought some earlier this year from a vendor and the adjustment bolts were so tight I thought I was going to twist them off. But they didn’t. So I was delighted with them. I’ve worked on a few old Ford tractors that were converted to adjustable lifters and never had the inconsistency in the lifters that it seems that we’re having with model T parts. I too wish there was a better solution. One of my cars was already equipped with the double lock lifters and two of them had came loose. I now know why I had an intermittent miss that was driving me nuts.

Lets not forget the last recent lifter debacle. Heads were made to thick on a batch. Resized AFTER heat treat & mixed with good ones. So you end up with ONE headless lifter in a 3 cylinder T needing a tear down. How many of these time bombs remain? If that aint malicious greed?

Are the 2 wrench lifters still available. ?

Emeraude wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:27 am

Are the 2 wrench lifters still available. ?

ebay has all colony brand sizes & types. Couldnt tell you about normal T parts vendors

speedytinc wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:45 am

Emeraude wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:27 am

Are the 2 wrench lifters still available. ?

ebay has all colony brand sizes & types. Couldnt tell you about normal T parts vendors

Got a link to one of those offerings???

I search model t lifters in ebay. 69 possible come up. Most not material. Here is an item #. 172859881656 Seller is hdhummer.

I have 4 each oversize 3 piece design used in good condition if that will help someone.

Hank

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 26, 2021 7:07 pm

Couldn't you just add a locking nut to the self locking style? You might need to shorten them a bit to make room for the nut, but that seems as if it would be doable?

That was what I did to one of my Ts about 25 years ago. If I could still afford to buy new lifters? It is what I would do again.

And, for the record, I have made my own adjustable lifters out of old used original era non-adjustable lifters. The only reason I bothered, was at the time I was too broke to buy new lifters. All my old ones and old valves were too short to work by fitting and grinding, a method I generally prefer anyway.
Original lifters may in fact be "case hardened"? A factor I was counting on at the time. However, more than half of them were still too hard inside to drill and thread. It turned out to be a lot more trouble than it was worth. The engine they are in has never been run, but I am still hoping to find out some day whether it works at all or not?

speedytinc wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:58 pm

I search model t lifters in ebay. 69 possible come up. Most not material. Here is an item #. 172859881656 Seller is hdhummer.

Awesome! Thanks!!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/172859881656?h ... Sw9YNZtW1d