Well I have a patiently soaked the cylinders for about a week and she is still stuck so I started some disassembly tonight. First piston popped out nicely, second one was stuck but came out fine after I jarred it loose with a long drift. There is some corrosion on the pistons in the middle of ring pack the solvent is not reaching. No pitting on the cylinder walls so far. Pistons look pretty worn, a few busted rings that I don't think I caused breaking pistons free. Rod bearings look very fresh and have FM markings which I assume is Federal Mogul. I have one more rod journal toward the bottom or it's stroke. If she won't turn with 2 more pistons out, I'll have to get a little rougher.

 

Take the cam gear off, see if it turns then.

The bearing shells are Federal, besides the U/S they have a month and year stamp (at least mine do). Gives you an idea how long ago it was rebuilt.

 

I do need to pull the cam gear, but I did find most of the stickage. # 8 is siezed REAL good. I popped the rod cap even though it wasn't at BDC. I was then able to turn the motor 20 degrees perhaps. Wouldn't call it smooth, but it did turn. #8 piston is not tapping out with the drift. I am trashing the bottom of the piston (not that it matters). I just don't want to hit the rods, cylinder walls etc. The rod bearings are dated 1973. Told ya they were new. Last couple were down to the copper, but crank is smooth and appears to be STD (on the rods anyway). I want a merc crank so all I really need to save is the block.

Couple questions...

I have iron timing gears, did they use fiber on flatties at some point? Gears look to be in excellent shape, can I use them again?

I noticed the Eddy Slingshot repops are listed through 1948. Won't work on 8BA? That was about the only speed part I had my heart set on.

 

Just my note on engine stands I have always been in the habit of using
a front support which i made adjustable. I just dont trust little bolts
holding all that off center weight.

 

I've never seen a c.i. cam gear, fiber was stock for 8BA/8RT. Aluminum was used on some earlier engines and for replacements. Fiber ones can deteriorate but I've never really heard of them wearing out. The earlier cam gears had opposite helical angle so are not a direct swap.

Do you mean the Eddie Meyer slingshot? I think they are strictly 59-series.

 

No, Edelbrock. Almost certain they made a slingshot for flatties that worked for 59 series back in the day. They released heads again a couple years ago. Maybe I am getting intakes and heads confused, but Edelbrock cast both. I thought heads and cams would cross between series. I know the water necks, generator brackets moved around.

My engine definitely has an iron timing set, and I have seen them listed from vendor sites. New or used I don't recall.

 

You have to plug a hole on an 8BA block to use 59-series heads. I don't recall whether 8BA heads work on 59 blocks, the water passages are pretty different. 8BA's have better cooling.

Flatties that used the front-mount dizzy have gears and cams that put the drive thrust into the timing cover. 8BA's put the thrust into the block. If you look at a 59 timing cover, there is an external oil feed connection to the thrust surface.

 

I intend to run the correct heads. I was just mostly curious what is different about the intakes. I should launch a HAMB thread and make friends over there. I'll ask them about intake differences.

Forget what I said about an iron cam gear. The cam gear is fiber. It sure looks metallic from the old oil ground into it. Anyway, I got as far as I can. Cam gear removal cut the resistance in half. Crank is out and 7 1/2 pistons. I pushed about five pistons out with my hands, busted rings and all. NO signs of cracks in the main web area. 7 cylinders that will clean up easy. Crank looks great, factory type bearings with no markings. Time for some more patience as #8 is really stuck. I knocked the piston crown off with an old long 1/2 drive extension. I've tapped pretty forcibly around the piston skirt and she ain't moving today without putting the block at great risk. No sense in that. If I get desperate, I have porting tools and could thin the piston skirt if necessary to get it out safely.

 

Try the hot wrench on that piston.

8BA intakes have the draft tube and oil fill connections at the DS front. 59 series doesn't, and vents the crankcase thru the fuel pump stand. That was a key improvement on the 8BA, a flow-thru crankcase vent system. You can run an early manifold on an 8BA but you have to leave the tube at the front of the manifold that comes up from the crankcase out (or modify it for PCV).

 

The PCV sounds like a very good mod. I will plan on that. I'll let the piston soak awhile now that more corrosion is exposed. Then I'll get out the smoke wrench if needed, and I think it will be required.

 

Try a 2 ft chunk of 2x4 and a bfh on the piston. You may have to whittle the corners a bit so it doesn't jam up

 

I will try that later after she soaks a bit A little uneasy about excess violence (heat or jack hammers) I really think I am one piston away from not just a useable block, but a too good to be true block. I have read too many flatty block horror stories to mess this thing up. It's not going to take me long to get this this magnafluxed.

Think I will try some moderate heat, immediately followed by the 2x4 beatdown. That way it's both your fault when you crush my dreams.

 

I got big shoulders and an unlisted address

 

I thought everything is in its place! I wish my garage had half the stuff yours does in it!

 

may not be able to use this one over