The Ford Barn - View Single Post - I think the engine in my truck is an 81A...

rotorwrench · 03-07-2017, 06:13 PM

The 81A 221 CID engine would be 1938 up to the start of wartime changeover to military production in early 1942. I assume your vehicle is somewhere in that era but you didn't indicate that. There is nothing wrong with the 81A and since it is a 24 stud variant with the later in block water pumps, there is a lot of interchangeability with 239 CID and post war 59 series engines. Up until 1942, the passenger cars and commercial pickups shared pretty much the same drive train and frame with exceptions in 1941.

The condition of the engine will determine whether it is worth performing an overhaul. Some of the Canadian manufactured stuff is a bit different than the US manufacture but the 81A may be US manufactured too and most stuff is interchangeable. Most of the Canadian stuff had a C in the part number prefix so you can tell where it's from.

There are shop manuals available and each vehicle had an operator's manual which are reprinted now. There is a good shop manual available that is based on the Canadian wartime manual and it is very good but we need to know what year of vehicle you have.

Welcome in to the Barn.

03-07-2017, 06:13 PM	#2
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 18,007	Re: I think the engine in my truck is an 81A... The 81A 221 CID engine would be 1938 up to the start of wartime changeover to military production in early 1942. I assume your vehicle is somewhere in that era but you didn't indicate that. There is nothing wrong with the 81A and since it is a 24 stud variant with the later in block water pumps, there is a lot of interchangeability with 239 CID and post war 59 series engines. Up until 1942, the passenger cars and commercial pickups shared pretty much the same drive train and frame with exceptions in 1941. The condition of the engine will determine whether it is worth performing an overhaul. Some of the Canadian manufactured stuff is a bit different than the US manufacture but the 81A may be US manufactured too and most stuff is interchangeable. Most of the Canadian stuff had a C in the part number prefix so you can tell where it's from. There are shop manuals available and each vehicle had an operator's manual which are reprinted now. There is a good shop manual available that is based on the Canadian wartime manual and it is very good but we need to know what year of vehicle you have. Welcome in to the Barn. Last edited by rotorwrench; 03-07-2017 at 06:21 PM.