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Old 06-24-2021, 07:59 PM   #1
russcc
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Default Cylinder heads

On the 59AB engine, you can use either head on either side in respect to water outlets & stud hole locations, Is that the same on earlier engines like the 21 stud '37s & up ?
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Old 06-24-2021, 09:02 PM   #2
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Originally Posted by russcc View Post
On the 59AB engine, you can use either head on either side in respect to water outlets & stud hole locations, Is that the same on earlier engines like the 21 stud '37s & up ?
With respect to water outlets and stud holes. Yes

With respect to valve head clearance. No
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Old 06-25-2021, 05:17 AM   #3
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

Thank you. Where is the interference on the valves ? Are the valve pockets in a different relationship on the 6050 & 6049 heads ?
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Old 06-25-2021, 07:17 AM   #4
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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On the 59AB engine, you can use either head on either side in respect to water outlets & stud hole locations, Is that the same on earlier engines like the 21 stud '37s & up ?

That's a good question, since I have two sets of '37, 21 stud cast iron heads, and only one of the four heads is marked with a part number. The only marking on the other three is a Ford script logo. I'm also curious to find out what then determines right from left on these '37 cylinder heads?
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Old 06-25-2021, 07:47 AM   #5
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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That's a good question, since I have two sets of '37, 21 stud cast iron heads, and only one of the four heads is marked with a part number. The only marking on the other three is a Ford script logo. I'm also curious to find out what then determines right from left on these '37 cylinder heads?
Can't answer for '37. However, '38-'41 heads are right and left. Water passages are not the same between the two.
They will "fit" either side but not be proper.
There will be no issue with valve clearance. Engine will run just fine with heads fitted incorrectly. Difference in cooling???? I don't have any data on that.

When concourse judging these cars it is quick to see whether or not the cylinder heads are installed properly left / right. The cast part number should always be closest to the dash panel (firewall). If the number is near the front of the engine, the heads are installed incorrectly.
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Last edited by Kube; 06-25-2021 at 09:17 AM. Reason: additional information
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Old 06-25-2021, 08:08 AM   #6
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Somewhere I have an article ( though not 21stud) on Edelbrock having different cc combustion chambers fro left & right. Externally identical.
This was an old article.
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Old 06-25-2021, 12:45 PM   #7
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Can't answer for '37. However, '38-'41 heads are right and left. Water passages are not the same between the two.
They will "fit" either side but not be proper.
There will be no issue with valve clearance. Engine will run just fine with heads fitted incorrectly. Difference in cooling???? I don't have any data on that.

When concourse judging these cars it is quick to see whether or not the cylinder heads are installed properly left / right. The cast part number should always be closest to the dash panel (firewall). If the number is near the front of the engine, the heads are installed incorrectly.
I believe it was K W that made the tool for modifying the combustion chambers on these heads for valve clearance so they could be used on either side.
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Old 06-25-2021, 01:16 PM   #8
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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I believe it was K W that made the tool for modifying the combustion chambers on these heads for valve clearance so they could be used on either side.
Bill
Well Bill, kinda, sorta. It was KR Wilson. The tool you refer to did in fact modify the valve clearance in the cylinder heads. However, it had zero to do with location of the head(s) on an engine.

It (the tool) milled the necessary clearance in early heads so they could be installed on a later engine.
The center line between the cylinder bore and valves was increased with the 59 series blocks.
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Old 06-25-2021, 02:22 PM   #9
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Well Bill, kinda, sorta. It was KR Wilson. The tool you refer to did in fact modify the valve clearance in the cylinder heads. However, it had zero to do with location of the head(s) on an engine.

It (the tool) milled the necessary clearance in early heads so they could be installed on a later engine.
The center line between the cylinder bore and valves was increased with the 59 series blocks.
Kube, On the early engines The valves are located closer to the cylinder on the left bank than on the right bank. apparently the reason for different cylinder heads.
The difference is 2 1/2 degrees according to the engineering drawings.
If valve clearance wasn't a problem why would Ford make a different head for each side?
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Old 06-25-2021, 02:31 PM   #10
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Old 06-25-2021, 02:38 PM   #11
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Kube, On the early engines The valves are located closer to the cylinder on the left bank than on the right bank. apparently the reason for different cylinder heads.
The difference is 2 1/2 degrees according to the engineering drawings.
If valve clearance wasn't a problem why would Ford make a different head for each side?
Bill
Cooling ports in the heads were different left to right.
The valve location was NOT the reason for the different (left vs. right) heads.
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Old 06-25-2021, 06:12 PM   #12
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

Thank you all for your information. I will give the heads a close check to see if there is any difference in the alignment of the cooling passages and valve pockets from side to side. The reason I ask is have some NOS 6050 heads, but no 6049s.
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Old 06-25-2021, 06:35 PM   #13
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Thank you all for your information. I will give the heads a close check to see if there is any difference in the alignment of the cooling passages and valve pockets from side to side. The reason I ask is have some NOS 6050 heads, but no 6049s.
It is not an alignment issue but rather a diameter (cooling passages) holes.
They will fit and function on either side.
There is no discernable difference in the valve chambers.
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Old 06-25-2021, 10:43 PM   #14
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

It's closed now (the original race cars of yesterday/year in Saint pete, Fl) Dave said they would run roundy-rounds with flipped heads on early motors so the water came out the back of the motor. Some firewall cutting was involved. Would guess flow was better. He had drawers filled with race billings going back into the 40-50s, probably lost now. He also supplied the cars for grease lightning with Richard Pryor. Movie about Wendell Scott. Great movie.


He also told me they would put frames up right all around the 1 ton so they could add more scrap on a load to recycle.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1gUrI4YiKI

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Old 06-25-2021, 11:30 PM   #15
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Can't answer for '37. However, '38-'41 heads are right and left. Water passages are not the same between the two.
They will "fit" either side but not be proper.
There will be no issue with valve clearance. Engine will run just fine with heads fitted incorrectly. Difference in cooling???? I don't have any data on that.

When concourse judging these cars it is quick to see whether or not the cylinder heads are installed properly left / right. The cast part number should always be closest to the dash panel (firewall). If the number is near the front of the engine, the heads are installed incorrectly.

Mike isn't the cooling passages have more to do with the head gasket holes and not the heads? Small hole to the front to slow down flow. Head holes are all the same.
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Old 06-26-2021, 01:04 AM   #16
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Mike isn't the cooling passages have more to do with the head gasket holes and not the heads? Small hole to the front to slow down flow. Head holes are all the same.
You're right Tinker!
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Old 06-26-2021, 06:03 AM   #17
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

You'll notice on BEST gaskets that the head gaskets have a 'notch' cut out to denote which way the gasket should be installed (notch to the front).

They deliberately restrict the water in the front of the deck/block and have bigger holes in the rear. This is to get more water flow and cooling to the rear of the block (which always runs hotter).

In 1949 to 1953 engines, they obviously made major mods to the deck surfaces, heads and gaskets - to drive more water to the rear - for the same reason.
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Old 06-26-2021, 12:24 PM   #18
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Originally Posted by russcc View Post
Thank you all for your information. I will give the heads a close check to see if there is any difference in the alignment of the cooling passages and valve pockets from side to side. The reason I ask is have some NOS 6050 heads, but no 6049s.

As some have noted, depending on the year, SOME engines can use the same head....either side. In that case, they are usually marked as "6050". In case you didn't realize, the difference between the two numbers is that "6049" designates PASSENGER side, whereas "6050" designates DRIVER side. DD
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Old 06-26-2021, 01:04 PM   #19
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Interesting point about being marked 6050 if they can be used either side, as I have a number of 6050s, and was hard pressed to find any 6049s. Thank you for that.
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Old 06-26-2021, 04:05 PM   #20
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Default Re: Cylinder heads

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Interesting point about being marked 6050 if they can be used either side, as I have a number of 6050s, and was hard pressed to find any 6049s. Thank you for that.

Whoa! That is not quite what I said....or at the least, not what I meant to say.

I was implying that in the cases where two identical heads WERE used from the factory, and that IF they WERE numbered, the number TENDED to be "6050".

I DID NOT mean to imply that "6050" heads COULD be used on either side!!! DD
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