1936 LB marking

The LB marks can be all over the place. Mine is on the RH side in the back by the fuel pump stand and can be seen with the intake on. I always understood that it was for Large Bearing as the crank main are larger then the earlier babbit ones.
And the main studs are 1/4 inch wider then the earlier ones.
 
KiWinUS is correct as regards Canadian blocks; all Canadian blocks since and including the 36 LB block, have an approximately 5/8" dia hole in front of oil pan mating surface, behind the pulley. They also have another similar hole at rear of oil pan mating surface which is only visible with the pan removed. I can only assume these two holes were machined to locate the block into fixtures for subsequent machining operations in the factory.Anyway, as that front hole is easy to see/feel, if a early style block, ie pump in head, is found that carries said hole, it is a 100% sure indication that it has liner bearings [LB block]. No babbitted main bearing engines carry this identification.
Again, USA LB blocks do not have this feature, Canadian only!
 
In the '36 production year babbit and LB blocks were both produced. Who knows the percentages..... It was Oct. of '35 that LB blocks started into production.
With the introduction of '37 production and all the changes involved there who really knows if LB type blocks were produced into the '37 production year.
Interesting subject.
 
Here is a basket of LB blocks in Christchurch NZ & if you enlarge you will see the hole in pan rail of block front left of pile
 

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with the intake manafold off if it,s a babbit block you will see holes where the main bearing bolts are held with a squre nut
 
The 78 block was a change for the 1937 engine production with the low mounted water pumps so that would have started with 1937 production. The LBs were started up in late 1935. They likely just had a lot of older blocks to use up in the assembly line process at various assembly plants so both were around in late 1935 and early 1936. This is why they stamped them so they could tell the difference, not that it made all that much difference. Either block would work in that time frame.

Ford of Canada always did things differently even if the differences were subtle.
 
Thing is though, there are a lot of LB blocks out there with no stamping "LB"
All in U.S. Ford manufacturing were produced at the Rouge. How are so many LB blocks not stamped?
 
Ford of Canada was a separate company from Ford Dearborn. They did things a lot like their counterpart but they made plant changes in a different way than Dearborn did. Windsor or Walkerville was where they set up their own foundry. The River Rough plant was just a ways down and across the Detroit River from there but it was a separate operation in every respect. More aluminum was used for castings and they marked things differently were just a few of the manufacturing differences.
 
Willit Stop said:
From what I've read,the LB main bearing studs are 4-1/4 inches apart on center.
Click to expand...

See Thread 5-3-19 titled :

" Re: Engine Block ID pictures " Post # 14

LB main studs are 3 1/4 " center to center ---- poured babbit

21 stud mains are 3" ctr to ctr.

I like all these Flathead Fords! Fun! Keep them running!

Thanks Gene Tulsa
 
richard crow said:
with the intake manafold off if it,s a babbit block you will see holes where the main bearing bolts are held with a squre nut
Click to expand...

Richard ;

1932, 1933, 1934 only . Stopped in still babbit 1935 - 1936 (need to pull

pan to be sure of LB).


Thanks Gene Tulsa
 
Willit Stop said:
Looks like I screwed up again.Please ignore #14 and #26. W-w-w-ong.
3-1/4 inches is correct for LB. Sorry.
Click to expand...

No sweat man ---happy you're here---happy i'm here too.

I usually figure out something I didn't know or wasn't clear about

when I make a post. Trying to learn.

Nice Ford day in Tulsa.

Gene
 
That's the usual placement of the stamp.
It's been said that those stamps were placed once an engine was overhauled or some major service work performed after leaving the factory.
It could be why so many aren't stamped to this day.
Food for thought....
 
50droptop said:
LB photo
Click to expand...

Not sure about the LB being stamped after overhaul, but this engine was std bore from a 40K mile ‘36 5W. Engine was torn down, cleaned, new valves/lifters and new STD rings and bearings added. No machine work was required. The rebuilder even commented what I was doing was overkill as engine was all within tolerances and surfaces were excellent.
 
Beings we're talking about LB blocks - what is the current situation as far as finding bearings for them? Are there any current manufacturer's, or is it a situation of having to find NOS stuff? Are there issues as far as certain sizes being unobtainium?
 
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