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Old 11-19-2014, 11:27 PM   #1
Test Osterone
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Default Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

First question: What oil filter to use in the canister?

Second: What is the oil replacement quantity in this engine?

Thanks in advance!

Test.
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Old 11-20-2014, 12:28 AM   #2
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

NAPA # is 1006. 5qts.
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Old 11-20-2014, 10:22 AM   #3
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

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NAPA # is 1006. 5qts.
Thank you.
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Old 11-27-2014, 01:09 PM   #4
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

Have spent some quality time on the site reading about these flat head engines. Tried to search for the differences between the 8ba (or is it b8a?) and the 59ab. As described earlier, this car has a Merc engine (where it is to have the 4" stroke) also has the thin water pump pulley configuration.

Just really enjoy getting to know more about the engine and all the mods that can be done to these tried and true machines.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Test.

PS: A picture or it's not real:


Last edited by Test Osterone; 11-27-2014 at 01:19 PM.
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Old 11-28-2014, 07:49 AM   #5
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

Had one just like that in 1960, but was white ! Nice car you have !
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Old 11-28-2014, 08:18 AM   #6
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

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The Merc and Ford engines are exactly the same, except for the bolt on stuff, Intake, oil pan and a few other things including color. Unfortunately some people put Merc intakes and heads on their 239 engines expecting a performance improvement. The only real difference is the 4" cramk.
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Old 11-28-2014, 10:13 AM   #7
Test Osterone
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

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Originally Posted by mike42 View Post
Had one just like that in 1960, but was white ! Nice car you have !
Thank you, Sir! Car is on extended loan and treating it like it was owned.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ol' Ron View Post
The Merc and Ford engines are exactly the same, except for the bolt on stuff, Intake, oil pan and a few other things including color. Unfortunately some people put Merc intakes and heads on their 239 engines expecting a performance improvement. The only real difference is the 4" cramk.
Thanks for your note. Have greatly enjoyed reading your many posts on this board. Appreciate your response to my questions.

Test.


Last edited by Test Osterone; 11-29-2014 at 03:39 PM.
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Old 11-28-2014, 10:23 AM   #8
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

Howdy Test Osterone, and Everyone else! I'm certainly no engine expert but if you are curious about the crank... Same trick to find TDC on any given cylinder.

Couldn't an easy stroke test be to take a chopstick or ke-bob stick and put it down a handy empty spark plug hole, mark lowest and highest points when spinning engine BY HAND and bingo, a rough stroke measurement? Be sure to video it for us, don't shoot the stick across the garage or dent the underside of the hood. I always wear safety glasses. You might have to jiggle the stick a little as it moves up and down so it doesn't get crushed, but that's why you use something soft (no screwdrivers) and don't use power to turn the engine.

Just a thought, and congrats on the new car, I think that year is very sharp.

edit: Waitaminute! What is that silver thing parked next to your new baby? Looks like an 'I' car, ends with the letter I? Duh, on third look I noticed the banner. Color me green with envy.
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Last edited by VeryTangled; 11-28-2014 at 10:31 AM.
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Old 11-28-2014, 10:41 AM   #9
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

Quote:
Originally Posted by VeryTangled View Post
Couldn't an easy stroke test be to take a chopstick or ke-bob stick and put it down a handy empty spark plug hole, mark lowest and highest points when spinning engine BY HAND and bingo, a rough stroke measurement?
The only thing you can measure through the spark plug hole on a Ford flathead is the exhaust valve lift. You have to either remove a head or the oil pan to measure stroke.
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Old 11-28-2014, 10:43 AM   #10
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

Yup, that's what I get fer thinkin' again. Of course the spark plug hole is not above the piston, goofball!
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Old 11-28-2014, 03:01 PM   #11
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ol' Ron View Post
The Merc and Ford engines are exactly the same, except for the bolt on stuff, Intake, oil pan and a few other things including color. Unfortunately some people put Merc intakes and heads on their 239 engines expecting a performance improvement. The only real difference is the 4" cramk.
And that big ol carbytutor with its big inlet manifold risers, good for a few more horses.
Martin.
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Old 11-28-2014, 04:44 PM   #12
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

The biggest problem here is the distributor, regardless of the stroke. Swaping intake and carbs has ab affect on timing and these distributore don't work very well when everything is right.
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Old 11-28-2014, 06:21 PM   #13
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

I agree Ron, it's a stupid distributor.
Martin.
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Old 11-28-2014, 07:25 PM   #14
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

It looks like it has a Malory dist. Walt
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Old 11-28-2014, 07:56 PM   #15
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

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Originally Posted by Walt Dupont--Me. View Post
It looks like it has a Malory dist. Walt
Yep! and one with centrifugal advance as well. Maybe not as good as a good vac. advance but better than original.
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Old 11-29-2014, 01:15 AM   #16
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

Quote:
Originally Posted by VeryTangled View Post
Howdy Test Osterone, and Everyone else! I'm certainly no engine expert but if you are curious about the crank... Same trick to find TDC on any given cylinder.

Couldn't an easy stroke test be to take a chopstick or ke-bob stick and put it down a handy empty spark plug hole, mark lowest and highest points when spinning engine BY HAND and bingo, a rough stroke measurement? Be sure to video it for us, don't shoot the stick across the garage or dent the underside of the hood. I always wear safety glasses. You might have to jiggle the stick a little as it moves up and down so it doesn't get crushed, but that's why you use something soft (no screwdrivers) and don't use power to turn the engine.

Just a thought, and congrats on the new car, I think that year is very sharp.

edit: Waitaminute! What is that silver thing parked next to your new baby? Looks like an 'I' car, ends with the letter I? Duh, on third look I noticed the banner. Color me green with envy.
Yes, you are right. It is one of those with an "I" ending Marque. This one is a 456 GT. 12 cylinder front engine 2+2 car. Not an in your face Ferrari, but one with some elegance and lots of go... In it's day, was the fastest production car in the world save for the F-40. Please excuse the Ford above the 456 GT....



Quote:
Originally Posted by V8 Bob View Post
The only thing you can measure through the spark plug hole on a Ford flathead is the exhaust valve lift. You have to either remove a head or the oil pan to measure stroke.
Seems logical, but not practical in real life. Will simply believe it is the Merc variant of the Ford Flathead.....

Quote:
Originally Posted by scooder View Post
And that big ol carbytutor with its big inlet manifold risers, good for a few more horses.
Martin.
Is this considered a "high rise" intake manifold? Or, is this the OE Merc intake manifold?

Quote:
Originally Posted by scooder View Post
I agree Ron, it's a stupid distributor.
Martin.
Really? Seeems to work well. Should it be a different configuration for even better performance?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Walt Dupont--Me. View Post
It looks like it has a Malory dist. Walt
How to tell if it is a Malory dist? From the discussions above, is this configuration not desirable?

Quote:
Originally Posted by 51 MERC-CT View Post
Yep! and one with centrifugal advance as well. Maybe not as good as a good vac. advance but better than original.
What is the best distributor configuration for this application?

Guys,

Really appreciate your contribution to this thread and certainly for my education on all things "flathead!"

Again, many thanks for all of your comments as well as contributions and help on all the various applications for this most interesting platform.

Test.

Last edited by Test Osterone; 11-29-2014 at 02:52 AM.
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Old 11-29-2014, 07:07 AM   #17
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

The Merc intake I was relating to is the stock OEM one, it has a four bolt carb flange and bigger bore riser part (the bit twix the carb and the front and rear facing inlet tracts) not a "high rise"
The distributor, I was relating to the stock Loadamatic one, this is the stupid one.
I hadn't actually looked at your pic, just agreeing with Ron.
Should read all posts, my mistake.
yours appears to be a Mallory with centrifugal advance. These more often than not have the wrong advance curve from the factory, it uses a sbc Chevy curve. It'll run and to someone that hasnt driven a Flathead with the right ignition curve, will appear to work "ok". I can tell you for certain, if it has the wrong advance curve now, recalibrating the distributor with the right curve will make you smile, a lot. The difference can be huge. With higher compression like yours, a sbc curve can give getting on for twice the advance you need or want, hurts power a lot.
Centrifugal advance + vacuum advance will give you all you need. The vacuum advance will increase your mpg. Still gota be curved right though.
Nice car, yours appears to have an 8BA-8RT intake, not the Merc one.
Martin.
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Old 11-29-2014, 07:18 AM   #18
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

Let's see some more pics of the shoebox please.
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Old 11-29-2014, 07:28 AM   #19
51 MERC-CT
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

[QUOTE=



What is the best distributor configuration for this application?

.[/QUOTE]

The consensus seems to be a modified GM or a modified Mallory with vacuum advance (like I am using) see here--
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=102434
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Old 11-29-2014, 08:41 AM   #20
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Default Re: Recently Acquired 50 Ford With A Merc Engine

Call Bubba's
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