46 Merc PU Engine overhaul
- Thread starter e-tek
- Start date
jayoldschool
Well-known member
Shipping on the bus (Greyhound) is dirt cheap. I'm sure one of the Toronto area guys would take care of it for you...
Keep
Well-known member
Well I will try and get a hold of the guy. If anything I could pick it up and store it until other arrangements could be made. I was thinking of grabbing one myself, there are a couple "Canadian" ones with the aluminum heads.
I do not know much about the flatheads but I know there were ones with the waterpump on the heads, and ones without. I used to have some head numbers written down somewhere.
I do not know much about the flatheads but I know there were ones with the waterpump on the heads, and ones without. I used to have some head numbers written down somewhere.
"I do not know much about the flatheads but I know there were ones with the waterpump on the heads, and ones without. I used to have some head numbers written down somewhere. "
I never knew there were flatheads with water pumps.
I thought they all just thermo siphoned the block water.
Did any have water in the head?
I never knew there were flatheads with water pumps.
I thought they all just thermo siphoned the block water.
Did any have water in the head?
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
All flathead V8s had water pumps and water cooled heads - the model T four cylinder was the thermosiphon engine. Early flatheads (up through 1936?) had the waterpumps on the heads, later ones had the pumps down on the front of the block.
Fidget
Well-known member
Hard to find any surviving flat head blocks without cracks. Time has taken it's toll on us all! e-tek you're are you on the HAMB site?
bgott
Well-known member
Is there still any of those French military engines floating around? The French ran flathead Ford engines in some of their trucks up into the '80s. Some guy bought a warehouse full of surplus crate engines a few years back. Are there any of them still for sale?
http://www.reds-headers.com/html/ffh.html
http://flatheaddrag.com/french.html
http://www.reds-headers.com/html/ffh.html
http://flatheaddrag.com/french.html
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Fidget
Well-known member
Word on the HAMB site is that they're all gone. Once in a while something seems to surface, and everyone gets amazed that one was still floating around.
rsanter
Well-known member
not much help, but I happen to know there is an NOS flathead block in Don Garlits shop.
still in the original crate.
it was cool to see, but the chance of getting it would be about zero
bob
still in the original crate.
it was cool to see, but the chance of getting it would be about zero
bob
Well boyz, found a few sources for engines and blocks. A few local guys on the Ford site have complete engines that where running. Plus there's a local flathead parts dealer that is actually quite famous! He's mentioned in HotRod and in a book on Flathead engines. Anyaways, he has reconned blocks - hot-tanked and magnafluxed.
What I'm leaning towards is buying a complete engine AND a good block. It'll be good to have a spare, plus a flathead can be my shop art piece! Maybe I'll doll it up and park it in the 2-car once I epoxy the floors and add my neons, etc!
What I'm leaning towards is buying a complete engine AND a good block. It'll be good to have a spare, plus a flathead can be my shop art piece! Maybe I'll doll it up and park it in the 2-car once I epoxy the floors and add my neons, etc!
Keep
Well-known member
Glad to hear you found something. I am still waiting for a return call. :|
I gotta say: I have really fallen for the flatty! I've had most kinds of "common" engines and a few no so common, but the flatty looks cool and is totally ODDBALL inside. Generally they are hard to kill - so long as they don't freeze hard, which mine obviously did, just before I got it. That and me overheating it due to the water loss made the crack HUGE!
I really can't wait to get it back together!
I'd also put a flatty in a rod I'm gonna do, if I didn't have a FORD Windsor/C6/9inch drivetrain waiting to be used!
tcianci
Well-known member
I was about 10 years old when I watched my dad tear down a flatty for the first time. He was a Lincoln/ Mercury mechanic in the late 40's through the 50's He had the thing apart, swapped out a cam and we had it running by that after noon. It was in a 51 Merc. Nice sounding motors. If he were alive today, I doubt that my 40 Ford would have an orange motor in it. He probably wouldn't stand for it! I have seen a couple of magazine ads for the pending release of an all aluminum flathead thats about 100 CI, bigger than the originals to hit the market soon. I'm sure they will be spendy but the idea of brand new big inch flattys is pretty cool!
Quote:
One item of interest is this plugged water pump outlet, which could've caused some overheat issues, but not sure if it let water into the oil:
This is nothing to be concerned about (I know this was early in the investigation.) There is no passage at this point, the gaskets do not even have a hole here normally.
Thanks for showing the pictures of the crack. I have never seen shots like that before.
Mart.
One item of interest is this plugged water pump outlet, which could've caused some overheat issues, but not sure if it let water into the oil:
This is nothing to be concerned about (I know this was early in the investigation.) There is no passage at this point, the gaskets do not even have a hole here normally.
Thanks for showing the pictures of the crack. I have never seen shots like that before.
Mart.
Earlier in the thread someone said how hard the valves are to get out of a FH....well, after the first couple came out easy I disagreed, but now that I'm on 12 of 16, I have to agree!!! Holy **** - if they haven't been out for a while (long time on mine!) they can be DAMN sticky. I bought a 3 foot compression bar and even so some of them will NOT release the horseshoe clip that holds them in the block. SHEESH!!! I guess I could use heat, but that might risk the springs...so I've been soaking them in the famous Acetone-ATF mix...
If they are inlets you could try a tire iron down the inlet tract and push the guide down to release the horseshoe-clip. Or try removing the spring in situ and knockingb the guide halves down from above. Once the clip is out you can then lever them up and out.
Mart.
Mart.
Hey Ken,
Again, still awaiting the "new" block. My guy was supposed to have it for me end of January, but called because once he got it all apart it didn't pass the Magnuflux test. So he's tearing down another. Hopefully this one turns out OK!!!
As well, I've sourced a complete engine that I will also rebuild. I wouldn't mind a spare....Plus that way I'll be SURE to have it up and running for spring!
Boy that L24 brings back memories. Thoses SU's bring back nightmares ;-) A motor so simple even I could build one. My first car was a '72. I had no idea what I was doing...cam and headers killed any hope for low end torque, but I could brag I had a big cam ;-) Loved that car. Maybe I'll get another one day...v8 swap...hmmmm.
Flathead Youngin'
Well-known member
Man, how did I miss this thread.......
get that ole' flatty back on the road!
get that ole' flatty back on the road!
regguy1
Well-known member
I agree, Just for kicks use a Plastigage on the old bearings..bet you'll be surprised how looose they are.
FINALLY - I found an ENGINE. This will be a spare until I can find a 46 block for my original engine. It's a 51, meaning that the water intakes are in the front of the heads, the distributor is top left (and servicable!) and the water pumps do not double as engine mounts. I got it from a fella near me who I met on the Ford FTE site. He has like 4 Mustangs, several vintage Ford trucks and new Bobcat - which he used whenever he could!!
We got it started - he wanted to show me it ran - then pulled it out and put it in my mini-van for the trip back to my place (I love my Mopar Van!). Back at my place I pulled it out and spent next the day cleaning it up for a coat of paint tomorrow. I'm THRILLED - The Old Man will run again!!!
We got it started - he wanted to show me it ran - then pulled it out and put it in my mini-van for the trip back to my place (I love my Mopar Van!). Back at my place I pulled it out and spent next the day cleaning it up for a coat of paint tomorrow. I'm THRILLED - The Old Man will run again!!!
rarevair
Well-known member
So, if you don't use the waterpumps to mount the front of the engine are you going to fabricate something to use the '51 truck style mount? It is interesting that your original engine used the two belt waterpumps with the front mounted dist.
Glad you are sticking with the Flattie, have had a '46 AB in my '40 coupe since I got it in '76. Thought about swapping it out several times, but the flattie starts runs sooo sweet.
Good luck with your project.
Glad you are sticking with the Flattie, have had a '46 AB in my '40 coupe since I got it in '76. Thought about swapping it out several times, but the flattie starts runs sooo sweet.
Good luck with your project.
Flathead Youngin'
Well-known member
swap out the water pumps and then use some of the old spacers that hot rodders used to use........
i think those are car pumps, i'm pretty sure you are looking for truck pump that have the "ear" on them.....but the ear is still too high, which will make your engine sit lower......thus needing the U shaped spacers....
they used to use them when say, old hot rodders would want to put a 49-53 merc (or any late model) in to a something like a 35 ford......
i can grab some pics of my stuff if you need to........napa had the pumps but the double pulley make make it a bit more difficult......
i think those are car pumps, i'm pretty sure you are looking for truck pump that have the "ear" on them.....but the ear is still too high, which will make your engine sit lower......thus needing the U shaped spacers....
they used to use them when say, old hot rodders would want to put a 49-53 merc (or any late model) in to a something like a 35 ford......
i can grab some pics of my stuff if you need to........napa had the pumps but the double pulley make make it a bit more difficult......
tatra
Well-known member
e, you going to run it on your test stand first?............
bgott
Well-known member
That truck you pulled that out of is a '53. At least, here in the states it's a '53. Did the truck have an older engine?
bgott
Well-known member
http://www.ford-trucks.com/pictorial/1951.html
After you look at these, click on 1953 and see the difference.
After you look at these, click on 1953 and see the difference.
tonydanzah
Well-known member
wow that website loads slow
rarevair
Well-known member
If you go back to the pumps on the original engine, I don't think they will clear the dist. My best guess is that these are the pumps you will need:
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/1949-53-Flathead-Car-Pickup-Water-Pump,5317.html
They may even work will all the other pulleys and accessories on the new engine. Aren't flathead engine swaps fun? BTW when swapping pumps, don't forget the bolt in the water outlet.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/1949-53-Flathead-Car-Pickup-Water-Pump,5317.html
They may even work will all the other pulleys and accessories on the new engine. Aren't flathead engine swaps fun? BTW when swapping pumps, don't forget the bolt in the water outlet.
