59A flathead questions.

[Mart]

Hello.
I have just done an exploratory teardown on a 59A type flatty.
I know some parts can get swapped and changed around but I would appreciate it if anyone can enlighten me re the following questions.

This motor has a rear rope seal type setup. Approximately when would that have been introduced?
The center main has bolts instead of studs and nuts. Is there an approximate date for that detail being introduced?

The flywheel is the 9" type with the heavy outer rim. Was this the correct type for a motor with the rope seal and center main bolts? (I question it because the bolts holding the flywheel on were incorrect so someone had been in there before.)

The oil pan is a "truck" type with the removable section at the rear. This pan does not have the large clean out panel surrounding the drain plug though. The drain plug is the big hex type.
Would this type of pan be correct for this motor?

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

Mart.

[cas3]

I believe the large clean out on the bottom of the pan is an 8ba thing, and not found on 59a blocks. I have one with the removable rear section, this was usually for big trucks which may require clutch service more frequently than a car, and usually would have had the 11" clutch. I can not answer your other Q's Mart, some one else will I assume !

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by cas3

I believe the large clean out on the bottom of the pan is an 8ba thing, and not found on 59a blocks. I have one with the removable rear section, this was usually for big trucks which may require clutch service more frequently than a car, and usually would have had the 11" clutch. I can not answer your other Q's Mart, some one else will I assume !

Mart ....I've got to agree with cas3 on the 8BA/pan clean-out. Don't think I've ever seen one on a "59" and earlier block. DD

[38bill]

FWIW:

My 59a has the rope rear seal. My oil pan is the 2 piece with the large hex drain plug (just like the drain plug in the photo above) but it does not have the large clean out. Don't remember about the center main fasteners. My flywheel was drilled for a 9"-10" or 11" PP.

[Ol' Ron]

All the 59's I ever worked had the studs for the mains, but bolts work jus as well, if properly torqued
. gramps

[Ken/Alabama]

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I have a couple of 59A pans with the removable cover under the flywheel. Once I had one with the removable cover and a large clean out. Was told it was big truck and bus pan.

[40 Deluxe]

An old-time mechanic told me that the rope seal first appeared on the first (1939) 239 engines in Mercurys and big trucks. The 221 continued to use the slinger type seal. He pointed out the rope seal part # as evidence.

[Mart]

Thanks fellas.

I have a 239 59A that does not have the rope rear seal, so not all had them. In fact my 239 "Merc" (actually military truck) motor didn't have one either. The one I pulled down recently did, and I think the one that is currently in my sedan (was in my pickup) might have the rope seal, but not certain on that.

Thanks for the responses.

Mart.

[RalphM]

This is a 1942 mercury engine, 29A
No rope seal, studs all around, and big hex nut drain plug.

[flatjack9]

59A's would have had a 10" clutch.

[Brian]

Over the years I've had two oil pans with removeable clutch cover AND the large clean out. Our stuff down under is Canadian sourced, so possibly a Canadian thing?
Personally, I don't like having the large clean out; it is just one more potential leak!

[JWL]

I am with Brian on this. After tearing down dozens, maybe hundreds, of 59 A style engines I have seen many with bolt-on lower clutch housing pans but none with the large clean-out plate. This might have been a Canadian thing. And, indeed, a potential oil drip. Also, all 59A I have seen had studs for main clamping. I cannot testify to the presence of ropes but feel reasonably sure all had them. Some of my memory bank goes back more than 65 years so imperfection in this area is a slight(grin) possibility.

[miniceptor86]

Originally Posted by Brian

Over the years I've had two oil pans with removeable clutch cover AND the large clean out. Our stuff down under is Canadian sourced, so possibly a Canadian thing?
Personally, I don't like having the large clean out; it is just one more potential leak!

Ya but… you could put a gnome in there to scape out the gunk and maybe even change out bearings if it had enough training.

[Brian]

Also, every C59A I've torn down had studs holding the main caps...however, every C69A block uses bolts in those locations

[Mart]

I suppose all the anomalies can be put down to someone else working on it previously.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Brian

Over the years I've had two oil pans with removeable clutch cover AND the large clean out. Our stuff down under is Canadian sourced, so possibly a Canadian thing?
Personally, I don't like having the large clean out; it is just one more potential leak!

How's about this, supposedly from a C69T? DD

[Brian]

Yeah Coop, that's what I've encountered over the years...

[Step-down]

My 59ab has a heavy outer lip on flywheel from 40’ I believe .

[Mart]

Originally Posted by Mart

Thanks fellas.

I have a 239 59A that does not have the rope rear seal, so not all had them. In fact my 239 "Merc" (actually military truck) motor didn't have one either. The one I pulled down recently did, and I think the one that is currently in my sedan (was in my pickup) might have the rope seal, but not certain on that.

Thanks for the responses.

Mart.

Responding to my own post. The 99 motor I have DOES have the rope seal. So I am at a complete loss as to why my 59A which must be a later motor, has the slinger type.

With so much time gone by maybe we will never know all the little anomalies that can take place.

Mart.

[38bill]

My 59A also had a slinger in it. I'm guessing backyard rebuild with whatever parts they had????