What are these small holes behind the water pumps?

[Talkwrench]

Wondering what these small holes are? Seems one side of the block they are not open. You can see one goes through to the drain hole yet on the other side of the block I tried drilling through thinking it was crud I hit metal .. the other small hole just seems to be blocked, other side open ....?

The block is upside down on the stand.

[19Fordy]

What year is that? What is that black opening to the right of your finger?

[rotorwrench]

Some blocks have oil holes for bushing type water pumps. I can't tell what series of block that one is though. Not enough visual information. Folks in your region generally got their Ford motors through Canadian sources.

[deuce_roadster]

Those are holes to provide oil from the timing gear for bushing in stock pumps. Most of the blocks I have, the hole on one side is larger then the other.

[blucar]

The usual procedure to clear the "oil holes" in the block is to run a wire through them when changing the water pumps.
Probably one of the most overlooked items on the Ford flatheads..

[OLD AS I]

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What yr blocks are these oil passages found in ?

[Talkwrench]

It's a pilot engine. Basically a 37 block. Just weird how one side of the block seems open and the other side blocked. If I'm running the 'drake' pumps should I just block them with grub screws?

[Talkwrench]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

What year is that? What is that black opening to the right of your finger?

It's one of the slotted openings where the coolant comes through, the impellers of the water pump sit next to it..

[flatheadmurre]

Just leave it, the gasket and pump will seal it off...you never now if you want to go back to bushing type pump one day.

[Mart]

You are illustrating two different holes. The uppermost ones are (as said) oil feed holes and must be open if using original bush type pumps. 8BA do not have these, so if using 59A type pumps on an 8BA, they must be later type or repro with bearings. The oil gets supplied by being flung from the timing gear on the cam.

The other holes are water drain holes at the lower most part of the block. They allow water from then block to pass into the lower hose outlet on the water pump. (I say outlet, I suppose strictly speaking it is an inlet).

Mart.

[Talkwrench]

I suppose it doesn't hurt the (new) sealed type pumps having the oil holes free.

With the lower ones I take its not crirical open or not? Should I try drill the one that seems blocked or just not worry?

[Mart]

It might just be blocked with a bit of crud. Try careful probing/drilling. You will need to make a judgement whether what you are drilling into is sandy/muddy dried sludge or virgin cast iron. If one is open, the other should be as well.

Mart.

[Talkwrench]

I'll look tomorrow .. As you can see there seems to be metal I hit first off? Mmm odd..

[rotorwrench]

I've heard that the Pilots used Canadian made new surplus engines that were manufactured for universal carriers at least till the supply was used up. The UK had some rules on surplus war materials where a lot of surplus stuff had to be bought back by the manufacturer. That may have been the case at Dagenham for a time but I'm sure they manufactured those engines there too since the Pilot stayed around till at least 1951 or so. They were equivalent to the last of out 21 stud engines made in 1937 & 1938. I've read somewhere that the only difference was that they cast in some extra core sand removal holes at the rear of each cylinder bank unless they were actually for freeze plugs. I've never had a chance to really look at one to see what they were. Most of the heads I've seen have the firing order illustrated on the casting.

If you use modern bearing type pumps, you can leave the oil holes blocked.