I experimented with a set with the flattened balls one time that were made for a VW engine. They were a dramatic failure. With the 2s cam I was running at the time they would not stay flat side down. I tried some S&W triple valve springs to cure it but they still flipped over.

Jim[/quote]
And thats the fault of the adjuster??, at least it showed you had valve float problems, the porsche ones appear to be a foot on the end of the ball.

splatt wrote:I experimented with a set with the flattened balls one time that were made for a VW engine. They were a dramatic failure. With the 2s cam I was running at the time they would not stay flat side down. I tried some S&W triple valve springs to cure it but they still flipped over.

Jim

And thats the fault of the adjuster??, at least it showed you had valve float problems, the porsche ones appear to be a foot on the end of the ball.[/quote]

No I wouldn't say it was the fault of the adjuster. They may work fine with a different cam or in the VW engine they were designed for.
I don't have any more experience beyond the one time I tried it quite a few years ago. That is why I didn't jump right in and give an opinion.

I do think the Porsche style adjuster is a much better design and may work great in a Commando. I just never spent the 20 some dollars each to find out. If I were to try it again they would be my choice although I really don't have any reason to with the stellite tipped valves and mushroom adjusters that are available now.

I threw the flat ball type adjusters away when I realized that if both balls got out of place on one cylinder at the same time the valves would tangle and then I would have a real mess. They did have a habit of getting out of place when I least expected it- not only when I over-revved the engine. I do not think the balls were receiving enough lube which I suspect was more of the problem than valve float. In the short time I used them the balls were showing signs of galling. The problem also got worse when I installed stiffer valve springs. Jim

So it could well be the fault of thr adjuster, there is lots of reports of the flat ball type failing, normally with the ball breaking out of the cup, and as you say stronger springs made it worse.

After reading this thread about these "ball-swivel adjusters'' and all the possible failures that may occur, why even go there-----cost/benefit? Nothing stated so far as to what improvements they may have over the "mushroom" type. I think I'll keep my shrooms" ---ain't failed me yet.