I just bought this flathead. Knowing nothing about flatheads, except they're cool, I gave the guy $200 for the engine and trans complete. It runs, so he says. Talking to some of the guys I find that the Merc was different is some ways than the Ford. Just looking for some general info on this cool motor. Thanks.
new to flatties myself got a 53 effie with an 8ba and the only thing i know for sure is a merc has 28 studs , the furd 24 . yep they;re cool and a blast to drive . wouldn't give mine up for any new car. i drive it daily it's my only transportation and despite all i was ever told it don't boil over / overheat at all .
Congrats on the flatty. There is plenty of information already posted about this topic. Use the search function and you should have plenty to read. Lots of good insight and links.
Very confusing Huh? Well Lucky for you I can show up This Saturday early with $250 cash, a case of your favorite beer and a truck to take all that confusing **** off your hands for you. I'll try to do something with it. What'cha say? ____Your friend The Trout
Not so fast, Trout. It might not even be a Merc. This board moves fast, I got several replies while I was searching the subject. I did find that the heads, oil pan and some other stuff is interchangable. It really isnt for sale at least just yet. I may want to build it. Dont have anything to put it in either. Wouldnt be the correct motor for the 38 Topolino street rod I am building. Just had to have it. Ill keep you posted.
***uming its got its origional parts, 8ba,or 8rt on the heads indicate 239 ci ford. mercury or 8cm on the heads is 255 merc also look for remnents of green paint and a 4 bolt carb
Thanks. I currently only have the one photo. I will be picking it up this week. I have been searching and found some good info. So many motors, so little time. I think it says 8cm. It does say Mercury., but the heads could be on a ford, correct? It appears that the crank is most important. How can I I.D. that? From the back? drop the pan? Thanks.
ford could have merc heads or vice versa if its been molested. to ck the displacement you could pull a head and measure the stroke or remove the pan and measure the length of the crank counter weights 6+ inches is merc under6 (5 1/2) is ford. thats the only sure way dont pay heed to oldwives tales about cleanout hole sizes or the size of the pilot bearing bore as indicators of the stroke.good luck
You'll have to pull a head to be sure of the stroke. I hope for you sake it's a Merc Life is better with a quarter inch extra stroke Flatman
Flatheads breathe very efficiently, they run very cool water temps, produce lots of high-RPM horsepower, and they are cheap to rebuild. I'm being sarcastic. The opposite is actually true, but they do have cl*** and a beautiful sound. Mercs have 4" cranks, Fords have 3.75" cranks. Good luck, you'll have fun with it. Gary
I'll tell you what, nothing like a blast of information here on the HAMB. Thanks everyone, cant wait to get the heads off and check for cracks and the stroke.
The only real way to find out if it's a Merc is to pull it apart. A lot of flatties got rebuilt, and they used whatever parts they had on hand, some Mercs got Ford heads, some Fords got Merc heads. Pull the pan and look for 8CM on the crank throws, larger clean out plugs (although Canadian Mercs came with small cleanout plugs just like the ford and some cranks were not marked)..................the best way is to measure the stroke with the crank in the block. Even if you don't have a Merc engine, you can make one by adding a Merc crank and pistons....................I even have a .010x.010 mag'd, turned, and ready to go, sitting in the garage. Or, if you really want a screamer...........destroke it. A good cleaned, mag'd, water tested, and crack free block is worth almost 3 times what you paid for the motor. Good Luck and let us know what you have.
Mercs are the same as Fords except for the crankshaft and the carburetor. They BOTH have 24 studs (They're not studs on the '49 & up-they're bolts)
Just what he said. Also check fordbarn.com for more information. There are probably more myths about flatheads than any other engine but that's all part of the lore.
told ya i was new to flatties . got bits and peices of what was a 28 stud according to whom i got it from , no block though ,including an intake with an automatic choke and stromberg on it . they are tucked away nice and safe ,but every one i had ever heard said mercs were 28 stud . oh well know i know . dont really care all i know is ive got a runnin ' one and i love it ! may not be the biggest or baddest but its the coolest .
Based on what can be seen in the pic., this engine came out of a pickup truck. (pickup water pumps) It could be a Ford engine with Merc. heads or a Merc. engine with Ford intake. Only way to know if it is a Merc. engine is to measure the stroke.
yep ireally love misery ! went and picked up the stuff tattooed 37 had , got the bits and peices that i was refering to from another guy here in town that raced with my grandpa , and hopefully goin' to pickup a 46 from a fella my wife knows that has a 46 pick em up he put a 302 in . he says its cracked 'tween the valves but i need it for the crank etc.. for another one here . dont know how to post a pic or i'd put one up { im 'putor illiterate } of my 53 . sat for the best part of a quarter century had to replace a bent valve a couple of guides and some odds and ends ,but it's my daily transportation . and yep she's a flatty .
Two ways to determine if you have a Merc crank. If it's a Canadian Merc crank; it will have a "dimple" on the front counterweight, -visible with the crank IN the engine, and the pan off, and counterweight UP; roughly the size of the end of your little finger. Canadian Merc - and Ford - almost always have THREADED "clean out plugs" on the outside of the rod journals. (AND they are NOT always 5/8" in diameter either; not unusual to be 3/8") Your on the right track, BUT your explanation needs a bit more detail. To check for stroke on EITHER Canadian or US cranks; and this can be done with the crank IN THE ENGINE, or out. Measure ACROSS the FLATS - at right angles to the centerline of the crank - of one or the other - of THE LARGE COUNTER WEIGHTS. If it measures slightly OVER 6", (about 6 1/8") it IS a Merc 4" stroke crank. If it measures slightly UNDER 6", (about 5 7/8") it is a Ford 3 3/4" stroke crank. And; regardless of what ANYONE says, ALL Ford and Merc flat head engines made after the '40's have 24 HEAD STUDS - or BOLTS on each side. (it's possible someone was counting the oil filter mounting holes on the upper left side)
NOW your talking about a completely DIFFERENT flat head - the 8EQ & 8EL. Manufactured by Ford. This engine was NEVER used in any Ford OR Mercury automobiles. The "8EL" engine was for Lincolns, and as the "8EQ" engine for large Ford trucks (F-7's and F-8's). The subject of this thread was about " '49 - '53 Merc flat heads. The 8EQ & 8EL were produced from 1949 to 1954. (no, that's NOT a MISPRINT! Flat heads continued in production until late 1954 in Canada) The 8EQ Engine was used exclusively in F-7, F-8 trucks and the 8EL for Lincoln cars, and it was a monster! (it weighed over 800 pounds) It is an eight cylinder "V" configuration engine; that can easily be identified by the location of the distributor, which is at the rear, on top of the block, next to the fuel pump and by the external water byp*** tubes. AND it uses 27 Head Stud / Bolts on each side. The 8EQ and 8EL engines displaced 337 Cubic Inches and developed 145 horsepower! So ... it ain't a Merc!! OR a Ford for that matter. (unless you count big "honkin'" trucks) Oh, and by the way; speed parts are almost none existent!
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