8RT motor - what year ? HP? type ?

[Tom Bellfoy]

I have my eye on a Flathead V-8 motor with 8RT markings - what can you tell me about the year and what were they installed in ? also HP ?
Thanks

[George/Maine]

I have one that I got out of a 53 f100 pu moves my 47 ford coupe ok.

[Ken Crans]

Its a low compression truck engine 49-50 i believe... if you can find an 8BA,
little more compression. pretty common.

[Phil Gillespie]

This may help.
239[edit]


V8-B3 engine in a 1953 Ford Crestline Sunliner


Ford introduced the 239 cu in (3.9 L) V8-99A engine with 3.1875 by 3.75 in (80.96 by 95.25 mm) bore and stroke and 6.15:1 compression in 1939.[14] It produced 95 hp (71 kW) and 170 lb·ft (230 N·m).[14] This was done to provide a more powerful engine for the Mercury cars, which Ford Motor Company started making in 1939. It was used in Mercurys in 1939 and in Fords in 1946. This engine is very similar to the late 221 engine. As the V8-09A in 1940, compression, power, and torque were unchanged; in 1941, the V8-19A compression and power were static, but torque rose by 6 lb·ft (8.1 N·m), while the 1942 V8-29A increased compression to 6.4:1 and power to 100 hp (75 kW), while torque stayed the same.[14] Postwar, it became the V8-69 (suffixed "A" in Fords, "M" in Mercurys), with compression 6.75:1, 100 hp (75 kW), and 180 lb·ft (240 N·m).[14] For 1947 and 1948, only the designation changed, to V8-79 and -89.[14] The 239 was redesigned in 1948 as the 8RT for Ford trucks and in 1949 as the 8BA for the cars. It had higher 6.8:1 compression, but performance was unchanged.[14] The 1950 V8-0BA boosted torque by 1 lb·ft (1.4 N·m), the 1951 -1BA by 6 lb·ft (8.1 N·m) more, while in 1952, as the V8-B2, compression climbed to 7.2:1, power to 110 hp (82 kW), and torque to 194 lb·ft (263 N·m), then to 196 lb·ft (266 N·m) in the -B3 of 1953, its final year.[14] The 1948 to 1953 engines have a revised cooling and ignition system. Collectively all 239 engines are referred to as "100 horse" engines, although the horsepower was increased in 1952 to 110 horsepower in cars and 106 horsepower in trucks. This engine was used in Ford's transit buses during the most productive years of the company's short stint in the transit bus business from the mid-1930s to the early 1950s, most notably in the 1939–1947 version of the Ford Transit Bus.
The latest iteration of this engine, used from 1948 to 1953, was initially designated the 8BA (see above) in automobiles and the 8RT in trucks. 8RT remained the truck engine designation throughout the entire run from 1948 through 1953. They were essentially identical. Earlier Ford V8s had the unique Ford designed distributor driven directly from the forward end of the camshaft, which was an inconvenient location for maintenance. This final flathead used a more conventional distributor driven at a right angle to the crankshaft and located at the right front of the engine where it was readily accessible. The water inlets and thermostat housings were moved to the front end of the heads, and the 24 studs and nuts that attached the heads on the old engine were replaced by 24 bolts.

Phil NZ.

[Ol' Ron]

Ken has it. A low compression truck engine, basically the same as all the other 239 engines except for the heads and a few bolt on truck parts. By installing EAB heads the compression can be raised aprox one point. However, JWL's book "flathead facts"Will give you the real story of the power of these engines, from stock to hot. Knowledge is power, it can also save you allot of money.

[Ross F-1]

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Keep in mind that 8RT's were installed in trucks from F-1's to F-6's. In the big trucks they were worked mercilessly, high load and RPM for hours at a time. They are frequently really worn. Can you imagine one of our little flat V8's pulling 18,000 lbs up and over a mountain?!

[rotorwrench]

All the 8BA family of engines from 1948 thru 1953 (1954 in Canada) use the same basic block with some valve seat exceptions after early 1951 and it's the part that is hardest to find in repairable condition. There is usually a date code stamped on the intake manifold deck of the block at the right rear area. This would tell a person when it was made but that's about it. The blocks can crack and rust up no matter what they came out of so a person has to check for damage in several areas to determine if it's usable.

[russcc]

Very good point about an 8RT pulling heavy trucks and buses. Mine came out of 1953 Ford dump truck. Had overheating and coolant loss problems. Cracks into the replaceable vale seat area. Have not had a chance to take to Frank Casey to see if it can be stitched. I would skip the 8RT's for many reasons.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by russcc

Very good point about an 8RT pulling heavy trucks and buses. Mine came out of 1953 Ford dump truck. Had overheating and coolant loss problems. Cracks into the replaceable vale seat area. Have not had a chance to take to Frank Casey to see if it can be stitched. I would skip the 8RT's for many reasons.

You may be right about "heavy trucks and buses"; however I have had good luck with engines from pickups (and Mercury's). I always figured that they had a larger, better cooling system than the Ford cars, and probably a little better maintenance. I guess all 8RT's are not created equal.

[rotorwrench]

I wouldn't turn down any block because of what it came out of. It's all about current condition. My Pop traded and old 49 F6 for a bigger truck in the 70s and the old 49 only had around 80K miles on the clock in all those years. Damn thing still ran good. For what the trade value was, he should have kept the thing. I sure would'nt have minded that.