Trying to identify engine.

[Chris Haynes]

I just picked up a basket case 8BA engine. 2 cranks, 2 sets of pistons and rods, ETC. This was in the back of an 1949 F1 I just bought. Are truck engines different? How do I identify what block I have? Heads are 8BA.

[39portlander]

pencil test....and it looks like those center exhaust ports got overheated with the discoloration I see in your photo.

Check those exhaust valve ports down to the middle coolant hole

[Ken/Alabama]

The block is a 49-53 8BA. Everything in the picture looks to be 8Ba. I’m not seeing any 59A stuff.

[Bob C]

The block, heads and intake look like 8BA or 8RT to me.

[51504bat]

Lots of good info on the Van Pelt site
http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/f...85to100mid.htm
59 series

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/f...0to125late.htm
8ba/8rt

[tubman]

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Truck engines are the same as car engines except for the heads and carburetor. The truck heads are marked "8RT" and are supposed to be a little lower compression than the cars. The carburetors are slightly different in that they have a different top rim for air cleaner mounting. I believe there are "8RT" distributors as well, which may have a slightly different advance curve, but I don't use stock distributors, so that is the extent of my knowledge. In the back of my mind, there may be a difference with timing covers (aluminum vs. cast iron) and extended distributor shafts, but I know even less about that.

[38 coupe]

For all your 221-239-255 Ford flathead identification needs: https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthrea...4280&showall=1

[tubman]

That's an excellent thread, but the O/P's question was : "Are truck engines different?", and since he's asking about an '49 F1, it's way more information than he asked for and actually doesn't even come close to answering his question. (Even though he mistakenly references a "59AB", he is obviously asking about an "8RT" from the picture posted.)

[38 coupe]

Originally Posted by tubman

That's an excellent thread, but the O/P's question was : "Are truck engines different?", and since he's asking about an '49 F1, it's way more information than he asked for and actually doesn't even come close to answering his question. (Even though he mistakenly references a "59AB", he is obviously asking about an "8RT" from the picture posted.)

Edit to my response:
Yes and no. The original post asked two questions, about any differences in truck blocks and how to identify his block.

Originally Posted by Chris Haynes

... Are truck engines different? How do I identify what block I have?...

About car vs truck blocks, tubman you are realistically correct in that while technically the answer is there, it is buried in one of the posts in a sentence among lots of other 8BA type engine information and easy to miss. The short answer is all 8BA type USA blocks are equivalent, except some didn't come from the factory with hardened valve seats. Truck specific parts are the things bolted onto the block such as oil pan and matching oil pickup, water pumps, and bell housing.

The thread provides the answer to the other question, how to identify the block, by going over how to identify any 221-23-255 block.

To provide better guidance we need to know what vehicle this engine is going into. That will dictate what parts are needed to assemble for bolting into the chassis.

[rotorwrench]

In 1948, the 8RT parts and 8BA engine type was released only for light F1/2/& 3 pickups and the trucks through F6. The cars were still the earlier 59A type engines that have the half bell integral to the block. 8BA engines require either a stamp steel or cast iron bell housing depending on model. The 59A may fit into a 1949 F series pickup but it has a fair amount of different parts. The 8BA is the way to go for it.

[KiWinUS]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

In 1948, the 8RT parts and 8BA engine type was released only for light F1/2/& 3 pickups and the trucks through F6. The cars were still the earlier 59A type engines that have the half bell integral to the block. 8BA engines require either a stamp steel or cast iron bell housing depending on model. The 59A may fit into a 1949 F series pickup but it has a fair amount of different parts. The 8BA is the way to go for it.

Correct for USA vehicles. 1948Canadian built pickups shipped to New Zealand still had 59AB engines.