59A head gaskets and water cooling passages
 

Posting what I thought to be pertinent information. And curious what style of head gaskets you are using on your 59A. I've noticed both head gasket styles are still offered by suppliers. The excerpt below shows the recommendation to use the "new style(center - top hole triangle, middle large hole, lower small hole)" 59A head gasket vs. The "old style(center - top hole triangle, middle and lower trapezoidal)" 41T head gasket. Also note on the "new style" smaller holes at the bottom between cyl. 1-2 and 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8.

I find most guys just match the shapes of the cooling holes in the center of the block. Anyone ever ran either and or noticed a difference in cooling?

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1615743324

On a side note, kind of interesting when comparing my C59A block to the MacVanPelt block identification page and descriptive photos.
http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/f...85to100mid.htm

1. My C59A block has cast marks on front/top of the engine beside the head, and not on the bellhousing.
2. It has a mix of the 2(pre/post war) blocks center cooling passages with top hole triangle, middle hole large round and bottom hole trapezoidal.
3. But has the "new style" cooling passages on the heads cast marked C59A.

My block:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1615743324

Prewar 41-42 block:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1615743324

Postwar 46-48 block:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1615743324

Excerpt from:

REPAIR MANUAL
Ford and Mercury
V8 ENGINES
78 - 81A - 59A Series
1937 to 1948 Pass. Cars
1937 to 1947 Trucks
(June 18,1948)

(Pages 35 - 37, omittions marked with ". .... ." for the sake of length)

CYLINDER HEADS

Instructions for the inspection and repair of both the 41T and 59A styles of cylinder heads are given in par. a. below.

a. Cylinder Head. .... . Cylinder heads with the basic part number prefix 41T and 59A have an improvement which provides better cooling (fig. 38).
It is advisable when overhauling an engine to make modifications on the early type cylinder heads to obtain this extra cooling. Cylinder blocks the basic part numbers of which have a prefix of 41A for the 85 - and 90 - horsepower engines or 59A for the 90 - or 100 - horsepower engines have the valve ports located 0.090 inch farther from the center line of the block than did the early type blocks. This late type block is supplied for all service replacements. In order to use old type cylinder heads on these blocks, it will be necessary to enlarge the combustion chamber and enlarge the water holes in the heads as outlined under cylinder head modifications (subpar. (2) and (3) below).

(1). .... .
(2) MODIFICATIONS FOR BETTER COOLING. The 7/16 inch water hole in the center of the top edge of the head between Nos. 4 and 5 valves is to be increased from 7/16 inch to 3/4 inch (fig. 38), and the water hole in the center of the head between Nos. 2 and 3 cylinder bores is to be increased from 7/16 inch to 5/8 inch (fig. 38).
NOTE: These heads will require different cylinder head gaskets after reworking.
(3). .... .

FIG 38.--cylinder heads and gaskets (old style 41T and new style 59A)

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...1&d=1615743324

Re: 59A head gaskets and water cooling passages
 

Will, The Canadian blocks did have their cast ID's on the front rather than the bell as USA blocks had. Regarding the water holes and the correct gasket, the smaller holes on the heads you describe would determine the flow, so either gasket should perform the same. I'm assuming the advice you heard would have been pertinent for those using heads that matched the blocks.

Re: 59A head gaskets and water cooling passages
 

Thanks Alan, it's much easier to find USA information on block identification than Canadian made.

Yes, the smaller holes on the 41T heads would determine the flow, this is why ford recommended drilling the top 2 larger to improve flow and cooling. Without the modification, you are correct, the flow would be relatively the same with the exception of the smaller holes along the bottom of the 59A gasket. Which would set the flow rate on the bottom of the head/block as they are smaller than the block and head holes.

The excerpt of the manual I posted is advice pertaining to the correct head gasket for a 59A block with matching 59A heads or earlier 41T heads. To use the 41T heads on the 59A block, further chamber grinding is required on the head.

What prompted the inquisition was the discovery of 41T head gaskets installed on my 59A block with 59A heads by the previous owner. This is not the first time I've seen this.





Here's in a little simpler form I foundon the hamb, compliments of Bruce Lancaster.

First, there are 3 basic patterns of gasket available:

1. Early with big trapezoidal hole near center. Do not use on anything--its ONLY application is prewar block with prewar heads, and on that combo Ford said to redrill head holes and go to gasket #2 to improve cooling!
2. Early with only round holes near center.
3. 8BA


The 59A round hole gaskets were Ford's answer to flow control with early type outlet (both on OEM application '46-48 and as an upgrade for '39-'42-WWII engines), and they accoomplish the same thing as 8BA for the center outlet--water to ends in block, then to outlet via heads. Note they are throttled a bit more tightly in front than rear to tune for the natural flow advantage of the cylinders close to the pumps.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...askets.225221/