Johnson lifter failure
Johnson lifter failure 
I have Johnson 2110r lifters with less than 8k miles. I had one fail, not blaming Johnson lifters I believe it was the lifter tray (tray was brand new). Johnson is sending me a new replacement. Would you replace all 16 or just the one that failed? I’m putting in a new cam with new trays. Trying to decide to just send it or put all new ones in. Thanks
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 22,289
Likes: 3,615
From: Central Cal.
Are they genuine GM trays? There have been issues with cheap "chinesium" or "thaitanium" trays, mostly with them being too loose around the lifters.
If this is the case with you, you can fix it now.
If this is the case with you, you can fix it now.
Trending Topics
Check out dogbone lifters from jesel. I want to say the dimensions are identical. Basically a metal holder shaped like a bone replaces the lifter tray.
Might be worth considering if you are hesitant to go back to a plastic tray
Might be worth considering if you are hesitant to go back to a plastic tray
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever
Verdad Gallardo
In the end, it's just easier to run a tie bar lifter.
Even the early GM and Ford hyd. roller lifters had a sheet metal "spider tray" to hold the dog bones in place. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/e...yABEgLP0PD_BwE
And the block has to have "flat pads" above the lifter bores so the retainer plates sit flat. And the LS does not have an "open valley" to place the retainer plate in anyhow.
Originally Posted by ColeGTO
You have to machine the block to accept a stud/nut to use their "dog bones". https://www.jesel.com/dog-bone I'm not sure the LS block has material in the right places to do that.
In the end, it's just easier to run a tie bar lifter.
Even the early GM and Ford hyd. roller lifters had a sheet metal "spider tray" to hold the dog bones in place. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/e...yABEgLP0PD_BwE
And the block has to have "flat pads" above the lifter bores so the retainer plates sit flat. And the LS does not have an "open valley" to place the retainer plate in anyhow.
In the end, it's just easier to run a tie bar lifter.
Even the early GM and Ford hyd. roller lifters had a sheet metal "spider tray" to hold the dog bones in place. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/e...yABEgLP0PD_BwE
And the block has to have "flat pads" above the lifter bores so the retainer plates sit flat. And the LS does not have an "open valley" to place the retainer plate in anyhow.
Originally Posted by ColeGTO
Nice! Thank you, I hadn't seen that. This gives me some new plans.
I did some searching for these "retainer kits". Hard to find on Jesel's website but there are two part numbers. KDR-57000 and KDR-57100. I could not ascertain what the difference between them was. I found a 2018 price list that has them listed at $192 each or a set of four at $753. A 2019 price list I found did not have them listed.