What's the size of MEL engine lifters? I wonder if they do interchange with those of an FE or any other Ford engine.
Maybe those participants who are in an actual rebuilding process can chime in or might simply take measurements of a lifter.
Numbers of the diameter and height of a lifter would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

MEL lifters are the same diameter as the Fe's. Without measuring, I believe they are 0.875". The bore spacing between the lifters is slightly wider than the FE though so you have to be careful when trying to use roller lifters from a FE as the link bar may be too short to get full travel in a MEL.

All right, I was suspecting that but wasn't sure. Good info on the roller linkage. Ted what about the bleed off oiling location?
My grey memory says that they were a little higher but still O.K. Can you memorize?

While we're on the question, does anyone know which engines came standard with solids? All the marine engines I have, (1959&1960) are solid lifter.

I don't know which MEL came w. solids in particular. As a rough guideline, automotive engines that were build for police or for utility usage such as trucks often came w. solids.

Some folk told me that he had been using roller lifters of a 460 in an FE engine. Since we know now that FE and MEL lifters interchange this brings up the idea that readily available 460 and FE Roller lifters or plain lifters in general might fit into a MEL. Of course, as Ted mentioned you have to be precautious with the link bars.

Ted wrote:...... The bore spacing between the lifters is slightly wider than the FE though so you have to be careful when trying to use roller lifters from a FE as the link bar may be too short to get full travel in a MEL.

Ted, can you replace those link bars with other ones of appropriate length?

If the link bars are too short, then depending upon the lifter design the bars themselves may or may not be able to be changed out. But many of the earlier FE roller lifters did have the longer link bars and are okay for use in the MEL engines as is. Haven't specifically looked at 460 roller lifters but that may be a viable option as the 460 has a wider bore spacing than the FE and could actually come closer to working. Don't have a 460 in the shop right now to look at but will have one in the next three weeks or so for some dyno work. I'll make a note to look at the lifters and the bore spacing on that engine and see if that would be a bolt in for the MEL engines.

Great!! That's very helpful. Curious to hear your results.

Theo wrote:What's the size of MEL engine lifters? I wonder if they do interchange with those of an FE or any other Ford engine. ......Numbers of the diameter and height of a lifter would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

I was close on the diameter of the lifter above but the actual spec for the diameter is 0.8740"-0.8745". Per the Hylift Johnson lifter catalogue, lifter length is stated as 1.830" and the same part number hydraulic lifter is listed for the LYB (OHV), FE, and MEL engines. Of special note in my catalogue is a special hydraulic lifter being listed for use with adjustable valve trains of which the same lifter is again listed for all three of the aforementioned Ford engine families.