8BA questions

[ford35lh]

I have a complete 8BA engine that has been here so long that I
forgot how I came by it.

What years did Ford make the 8BA and is there any variations
in those years ???

Were the pistons domed ???

[51504bat]

'49 to '53 in cars. '48 to '53 in trucks although they were 8rt's and '54 in Canadian trucks. The later year 8ba's were EAB's but the blocks and internals were the same. The EAB heads were higher compression and the 8rt heads were lower compression than the 8ba's IIRC. Trucks had wide belts while the cars had narrow belts at least in the later years. Not sure about the earlier 8ba's.

[51504bat]

Forgot to add that trucks had a rear sump pan and cars a center sump pan.

[petehoovie]

Hardened valve seats were eliminated in the 8BA by 1953....

[tubman]

Don't forget the ever popular Mercury with the 4" stroke for 16 additonal cubes. They will usually have 8CM, 1CM, or EAC on the heads. They also have a slightly "hotter' cam than the Fords. Also, '49 cars had wide belts as well as the trucks. After fooling around with these things for years, I have found there are some little details that can complicate things a bit, such as short vs. long crankshaft pulleys, oil pump pickups, and minor differences in how the oil filters are connected. All are easily overcome, but can be a bit frustrating when you find you don't have the exact combination of parts you need on Saturday night.

[ford35lh]

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Wow! I just came to me that this engine was in a 36' Cabriolet that I
bought in 1965. When my dad went to look at it we started it up and after
a few minutes water came out of the breather.

Bought it anyway as dad knew a guy that, it turned out, had a 36' engine.
Swapped out the 8BA and it has been stored ever since and moved 3 times.

Tomorrow I am going to pull the heads and intake and take a look.
It has 8BA heads and Carb.

Is there a place to look for any identification on the block???

[19Fordy]

I recall that some of the later 8BA's had squirt holes in the connecting rods for added lubrication in addition to the "splash system". Others may be able to provide more detailed info. Read this thread:
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238212 Also, the shape of the coolant openings in the block and heads were also redesigned on later blocks for better water flow and cooling.

There are no specific identifying marks on the blocks except some had numbers stamped on the intake surface of the block telling when block was made.
Here's some good info.
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...1561&showall=1 and here:
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/searc...archid=9894738

You will find that the 49-53 Merc and Ford engine blocks are the same and many times parts were interchanged, like putting a Merc crank in a Ford block.

[transbytip]

Hi I recently pulled 2 engines from 53 P.U,s both after teardown had valve seats on both in.&ex.they both were mounted from side bell housing &front mount like the Y blocks have all for sale.Cliff.

[Ol' Ron]

Transbyte
That's a 48/49 engine with 53 motor mounts. Very good block. May also have 59 fuel pump rod. After 70 yers, no telling what you have when you open the package.

[rotorwrench]

The ones set up for Ford-O-Matic usually have a 1BA casting mark in the valve chamber of the block. Cranks, cams, rods, etc, can all be replaced. Rotator valves indicates sometime in early to mid 1951 and some of the later ones have no hardened seats in the valve pockets. Plain valves would be earlier. 8BA blocks sometimes have a date code in the top right rear of the intake deck. They use alpha letters and numbers for the code. Other than that, they are all interchangeable from any where from 48 thru 53. A 4-inch Mercury crankshaft will bolt right in any of the blocks that will fit them and all of the 8BA types will fit them. That and a set of pistons for a Mercury application and you have a larger CID motor. Pistons were all domed from the factory.