Flat fever must be catching...I just got mine put together (mostly) at six PM today. It has a Mercury crank, bored .060" over, 1.6" valves, and everything was balanced. I can't wait to hear it run.
This is just the thread i needed!! I too will be rebuilding my first ever 8BA. If there is anyone in Australia that knows where i can get my flatty magnafluxed let me know. Subscribed!!!
Just on valve removing tools and the process involved, have a look at this video! Skip to 1:40 into the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB8w3AYE_Tc&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLBC57F05C542C4017
Guys..a good trick of the old timers was to roll and drop a flathead block on a wood floor to dislodge all the crud that builds up in the water passages over a half century or so. You can get real physical with no harm. Keep at it until the rust stops shaking loose. Remove all the studs on a 59a type block first! You'll be amazed at what shakes out.
Or you can use a piece of welding wire as a pick and work down in the water jackets at the rear of the block, tipping the block on its nose occasionally to dump out what you have dislodged. You should do this before you have the block tanked.
I can vividly remember working days on end stitching cracks up in these things with a drill, a tap, and brass screws when I worked in a machine shop back in the 70's. Like a 216/235 Chev, I've never seen one without cracks in the exhaust valve seats. I've seen sleeve after sleeve bored out to put others in, studs drilled out and helicoiled, valve seats, etc., all in an effort to save one of these antiques. Freeze cracked water jackets- bummer for certain. Might consider 'Liquid Glass' in something as old as this even if you don't have a lot of cracks present at rebuild. Tom S. in Tn.
Well, either way I'm in this block the same money as the second one ( that I am getting my money back for) so its all good. I also have decided in the long run this will be better so that if a rebuild is needed down the road there is plenty of meat left on I for another bore for myself or someone else. This guy has been building motors since the 60s, including the one he has sitting in his 38 ford at the shop...his high school car. I've decided to go 60 over and a larger crank. Any draw back to going to a 4 1/4 inch crank with stock rods?
Can't answer your questions, but this is an interesting read so far. I've got a complete 8BA sitting in my garage waiting for a rebuild, so I appreciate you taking the time to post all this info. I'm actually doubtful that mine is a good block, but I'm going to tear it down for the experience.
Any updates? I got a 49 flathead also, I've rebuilt lots of other engines but never a flatty, just started taken it apart, and have to get all 8 stuck pistons out. Oh what fun this is going to be!
Don't give up on it. A good machine shop can pin most cracks and save the block. An exception to this would be cracks caused by freezing. Find an experienced machinist that has done many, many of these flatheads. Do not have the block welded, as the chance of failure is much higher - then your block is probably junk. You might be lucky enough to find a crack free block. I just found 3 merc blocks in a barn. all 3 were crack-free. one last point: figure $3000 to rebuild it - even if you assemble it. Best of luck...jack
Round 3 or 4. I've lost count. As of tomorrow I am picking up a complete, rebuilt stock, 47 flathead. Wish me luck! This is after numerous other engines have found their way into my garage... Can't seem to shake the idea of the flathead. I think it's some sort of illness.
Did you have any trouble getting the oil pump(s) out of any of your blocks? It's supposed to just slide out after removing the one bolt, but mine is totally stuck...
if cracks are pinned i need a sleeve for the cylinder - right? i have two cracked french blocks (both have one crack between the valves) and one crackfree which i´m rebuilding rightnow. i bought the third one cause i didn´t really trust in pinning´em..is it that reliable?
I think if the crack extends below the deck you may need a sleeve. I'm no machinist, just went thru this process with an 8ba. several pins but no cracks below the deck so no sleeve. The thing holds pressure so wish me luck. its going back in a 53 f100 next week. Probably several answers to that one. It just wound up being cheaper to fix this block than keep looking for the holy grail. This was the 4th we considered. After fixing this the the machinist thinks he can fix the first one, pins and at least one sleeve.
4.250 welded and ground stocker or aftermarket. The eagle 4.250 is a 2.0 sbc rod journal so there h beam rods can be used. You need quite a bit of clearancing to allow them to swing in there. Mostly at the bottom of the cylinders. So much if there are sleeves there may be a problem hitting water depending on how they were installed. With the crank offset to one side,you need to notch both banks on one side. Stock rods may allow you to take less out of the cylinder bottom because of the I beam design but the larger journal may interfere with the pan rail. I have built them with aftermarket rods with that much arm but not stock internals. Over 4.125 you need to be on your game. Good luck Gary
A Cad is not an 8BA. Every block has different breathing characteristics. '27 T Roadster build: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=734383
They are very similar in their stock layout. There are much more effective ways to gain flow then a relieve......on a Ford Flathead. This is backed up by flow bench test. For a street engine you want compression over flow
I'm building a 4 1/4 x 3 5/16 at the moment with scat crank and stock rods. Everything clears the block no need for grinding the block. Balancing the crank was a bitch !!!!!!!
The stock rods was the answer. I used the eagle stuff,not scat. The stock stuff is a little sparce in the webbing,don't think I would use it in a customers motor,mine maybe if it pops I am ok with it,customers not so much. Who's piston did you use and was it cast or forged. The cast stuff has had miss shaped domes and heads become a issue when you squeeze the cr. I could see where balancing may be a issue,Mallory?
I used Ross Hi-Dome pistons for Navarro heads. Heavy as hell for a forged piston. Instead of Mallory my machinist cut some weights on the crank down. A lot of work I never use cast pistons. Always ross forged. They have the correct crown Maybe eagle cranks balance better than scat. Where can i buy eagle cams ?
I dont understand your comment about the stock rods. They clear the block They are strong They are lighter than scat rods. Why wouldnt you use them ??
With scat rods and crank you dont need to grind the block. 2" journal,of course Even the 4 3/8 works, but there i dont know about pan clearence Just stuck one i a block to see. 2" journal
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