The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Lost a valve lifter for 248 in 49'. Can I use another from a donor?

In 2004, as a college student, like an idiot, tore this motor down. Worked on it with my great-grandfather, who then passed away. The parts were all thrown together and then have been moved to a couple different houses. NOW, I'm pushing 40, have 2 kids and want to see if i can put it back together.

I lost a lifter somewhere....argh!! If I can find a donor 248 somewhere for cheap, could I use one of the lifters? It's not a high revving v8, The lifters are all mixed up too, but I figure that won't matter much either. I rebuilt 2 ford 4 cylinders for 8n tractors, it's a non-issue on those, I figure similar situation for these.

Ppl are scrapping these old straight sixes all the time to put in a V8, I wish I could save one. And for that matter, who cares about putting a V8 in these things? My minivan is 285-hp and will hit 100MPH in no time. I enjoy the original stuff, in daily driver style (not into flashy show vehicles). I liked "patina" when patina was not cool. Located in Waynesburg, PA.

Request for parts is in violation of site rules. Place wanted ad in Swap Meet Forum.

Lifters wear to the cam so mixing up your lifters is a no no You would be better off buying a new set. You can run new lifters on a old cam But not old lifters on a new cam

And no old lifters on an old cam unless they are going back on the cam to the exact lobe they came from.

"Milk Can" lifters for 216 and 235 engines are the same as GMC lifters. There are several new ones on Ebay, singles and sets. Since the old lifters are mixed up, either have the ones you still have resurfaced and buy one new one, or put a full set of new lifters into the engine. Getting the cam reground at the same time would be the ideal situation. The new milk can lifters we put into John's 261 engine were flat-bottomed, so anyone with a tool post grinder for a lathe can refinish your old ones. Newer design lifters have a slight radius on the bottom to help them rotate, so a special radius-grinding fixture would need to be used for refinishing that type of lifter. I'm planning to build one of those items so I can re-crown old lifters, especially the scarce OEM 235 hydraulic lifters. Small block V8 lifters are so inexpensive they're not worth the effort of refinishing the old ones.
Jerry

I think I still have the crown grind fixture for my old Sioux machine. I know I have a flat grind fixture and rocker arm tip re-surfacer. I use my Tobin Arp for about everything now since the stone surface speed never changes from brand new to worn out. I recently (2016) used the flathead Ford fixture for valve stems as I prefer the non adjustable lifters. Any are welcome for your inspection for ideas if you don't come up with one.

I've got the crown grind fixture for resurfacing rocker arms, but it doesn't have nearly a large enough radius to reface the bottom surface of a valve lifter. I'm thinking I'll need at least a 2 foot radius to contour the bottom of the lifter for a slight crown capable of making the lifter rotate as it runs on the cam lobe. A fixture that clamps to the ways of my lathe and holds a die grinder at that distance, plus a lifter holding fixture that extends the same distance from the chuck is what I have in mind. I'll swing the die grinder with a fine grit stone in it across the face of the lifter as it rotates to re-establish the radius.
Jerry

Lots of good information. Thanks everyone.

I have a hammer, slip-joint pliers, baling wire, and sand paper. Not braggin'. Just sayin.
Envy in VA.

If you dont have the equipment to regrind lifters, and are having trouble sourcing a place to have the originals reground, a ggod place is rocker arms unlimited out in california.

http://rockerarms.com/

They rebuild rocker arms primarily but they can also regrind lifters.

IIRC 50" radius was common
The rocker refacing tool does not have any way to copy the original radius, it's all operator skill.

These days, "operator skill" involves a steady amount of thumb pressure on a smart phone keypad. There's no app for acquiring the kind of skills the oldtimers who mentored me back in the 1950's had, so anything beyond swapping parts is "impossible"!
Jerry

What about sending it/them to those guys in Pakistan with the rock??

LOL
Gives new meaning to the term "sandstone".