59/8ba starter howling/grinding

1

1951merc

Junior Member
New to forum,thanks in advance.. Aquired a 1940 ford p/u with what seems to be a Frankenstien engine combo ..Trans back all 40 ford orig.Engine is a 59 with 8ba heads and a late front end with 2 3/8 fan belts and right top front distributor..Using a stock starter 6volt i think on 12volt system...starter howls and grinds horribly sometimes..Starter measurement from mounting face of starter to back of flywheel is 1 3/8 in.I think it should measure 1 1/8..Do I have an 8ba flywheel on an 59 engine ??????????? also starter drive gear and fly wheel are chewed up not too bad..
 
The front end "hardware" (water pumps, front cover , generator/fan) can be swapped between the two engine series. It is complicated even more by the fact that the cam thrusts different ways between the series. Folks usually swap the front end parts from the earlier engines onto the later (8BA) ones, but there is no reason it can't be the other way.

As to the flywheel, I am only an "8BA guy", but I don't think it will even mesh if you try to use different series flywheels. I'm sure someone with full knowledge of this will chime in.
 
I'm not convinced you don't have a 8BA.
After 1948 the blocks are about 3" shorter at the back, meaning the flywheel is covered by the block casting.
From 1949 (8BA / 8RT) the flywheel is exposed when the transmission is off.
The flywheels will both bolt to the crank shaft but are different.
The best way to tell the difference is that the clutch bolt holes on the later flywheels are drilled all the way through. The early clutch holes aren't.
The ring gear will be out of alignment by 1/4" or so.

Let us know exactly what block and flywheel you have.
 
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Yea, the 59 series and earlier have the half bell. The 8BA family all are flat flange on the back. The early flywheel does not interchange with 8BA. The starters are the same but mounting is also different. Early types mount to the pan. 8BA mount to the bell housing.
 
Make sure the starter is bolted tightly and the small bracket from the end of the starter to the pan is in place
 
also starter mounts to the pan..thats where Powermaster starters told me to measure from ,,starter mounting surface (pan) to back of flywheel should be 1 1/8 mine measures 1 3/8...starter is tight and has pan support brkt.
 
I do not have it apart to see clutch mounting..the flywheel looks smooth on back side looking through srarter hole . Thanks
 
8ba flywheel will have pp bolt holes drilled through flywheel , you should be able to see them with starter removed , i think.
 
According to Google. The 59A ring gear is thicker (7/8") v the 8BA (5/8")
I'm thinking you have the 8BA flywheel
 
The flywheels are the thick part. The starter ring is narrow by comparison. This is an old thread on this subject. https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=240544

The mounting location on the different flywheels is also different. The flywheel goes with the type of block. A person needs to compare the two types in order to know what to look for. The type of clutch used on 8BA is mostly the 9.5 with the smaller splines but there were 10" and 11" clutches available to fit them. The early type flywheel could have a 9", 10", or 11" but they used the larger 1-3/8" spine discs. Any flywheel can be indexed and redrilled for any clutch cover a person wants to use. The 9 " and 10" types are prerferible to the big 11" 4-speed truck clutch.
 
Thanks to all....... looks like I need to remove the flywheel to figure this out.. might be a couple months befor I can do that
 
This photo may help……..Mark
 

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