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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / '36 engine needs replacement

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Posted By Discussion Topic: '36 engine needs replacement     ole_Bill 05-12-2010 @ 6:26 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 165 Joined: Dec 2009 Alas, I have been told the engine in my '36 Tudor Sedan is worn out and needs to be replaced. It is carrying only about 45lb compression on all cylinders. I'd like to get some horsepower increase by going to a relatively stock later model flathead but I'd also like a drop-in installation using the current transmission and running gear. This is a project for next winter, as I plan to buy components over the summer and finish before spring 2011. I got lots of time and little money. My mechanic recommends looking for a '48 engine as he considers then to be "the best flatheads made by Ford". Any recommendations? nelsb01 05-12-2010 @ 7:31 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 986 Joined: Oct 2009 With today's technology why not continue to use your current blcok and just have it sleeved?? That would save all the searching this year. supereal 05-12-2010 @ 8:12 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 If you are not planning to keep the car original. I'd opt for a '49-'53 8BA type. You will get straight stem valves with one piece guides, insert type non-floating rod bearings, vacuum advance distributor with single points, and increased cooling flow. To install in your car, you will 8RT water pumps and the truck-type bell housing adapter, all of which are fairly easy to locate. The 59AB type engine was in service from '37 to '48, and is a legendary engine. I don't know that the '48 was outstanding, as it was used in about the same form from '42 to '48. The later engines tend to be somewhat easier to find, and less likely to be as worn as the one you have now. 37RAGTOPMAN 05-13-2010 @ 5:54 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1969 Joined: Oct 2009 I just gotta ask , does the engine use oil ? does it make noise,? does it run smooth ? does it overheat ? if I were you, I would pull the heads and inspect and check bores and measure them ,before you rip the whole engine out, if the bores are good you could just rering the pistons, or replace the pistons and rings and do a valve job, to get the orginal performance back , yes you can put a different engine in and have more power, do you have hydraulic brakes ? this would be the next step after changine with a 39 48 engine,or 49 53, adding dual exhausts will help also,in more power switching a engine is a major task and about $5,000.00 before you are done, if you are in the NORTH EAST,I have a friend with many V8 FORD and MERC ENGINES, GOOD LUCK in which ever route you take,!!! KEEP ON TRUCKIN 37RAGTOPMAN, ole_Bill 05-13-2010 @ 3:55 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 165 Joined: Dec 2009 The car is an early '36 standard, so it almost surely has the poured bearings. I would like to go to the later technology. ole_Bill 05-13-2010 @ 4:08 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 165 Joined: Dec 2009 RAGTOP - The answer to all your engine questions is "I don't know". The car has excellent hydraulic brakes. I bought the car in Dec '09 and immediately started working on it. I've heard the motor run once, as we drove the car up on the trailer so I could haul it home. My mechanic had the car running recently at his house (I wasn't there) but says the low compression makes it difficult to start. He also says in his opinion the compression loss is coming from the valves, not the rings. I think I'd like to buy a good short block and then finish it myself. Put me in contact with your bud with the engines. Thanks Norm 05-13-2010 @ 5:34 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 85 Joined: Oct 2009 Boy - I don't know if I'd scr*p an engine for a valve job! IMHO - Try the old oil in the cylinder method to see if it's rings or valves. You put a few squirts of oil in each cylinder and then do the comression check. If the compression is higher, it's rings. If no change, it's valves. Not foolproof, but it's tried and true. Norm shogun1940 05-13-2010 @ 6:56 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 464 Joined: Feb 2010 get the engine running and put a vauum guage on it 18to 24 inhes at idle, if it is low then you can do the compression test. all low cylinders is usually aan engine timing problem , but flatheads have gears, then do a cylinder leak down test if the air comes rushing out the oil breather yuo have bad rings. myself i would have your engine rebuilt, unless your going to hotrod it , good luck TomO 05-14-2010 @ 7:27 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7261 Joined: Oct 2009 IMHO you should drive the car a little before you spend money changing the engine. The 36 stock Ford engine has plenty of "get up and go" and will keep up with modern traffic except on the interstates. The handling on the 36 Fords gets kind of dicey at speeds over 55 mph. Changing the engine for more horses, usually leads to a 'money pit', because someone else has more hp or his car is quicker, etc. Tom wmsteed 05-15-2010 @ 9:36 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 613 Joined: Oct 2009 I am going to chime in with Supers recommendations for an 8BA 49-53 engine. The '36 engine you have could or could not be an LB insert bearing engine... It has been well written that Ford continued to use the earlier babbit bearing engines through out the '36 model run. If you are looking to build a reliable driver in lieu of an original show winner, the 8BA engine is the better choice. Using Ford truck water pumps, w/ 49/50 Merc frame spacer, a truck/merc bell housing and the '36 exhaust manifolds makes for a bolt in installation. I have attached a picture showing the w-pumps and frame spacer required for the swap. The swap shown in the picture used the 8BA exhaust manifolds... the '36 manifolds fit better. If you are in or near Southern California, I have two 8BA truck engines. The plus side of your engine is that if it is the LB version, Ford used hardened valves/seats starting with the LB engine. If a engine rebuilder tells you that you need new valves and seats for unleaded gas, this ain't necessary so.... Ford built their engines to run on the lowest grade of gasoline because he knew that poor fuel was the norm in rural America. Bill 36 5 win delx cpe

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