Grandpa's Bottom End

(No, not that one!)

With the pan and timing gear cover removed, you can see from the top, the spiral-grooved sleeve that the rope oil seal clamps against, an oil slinger, and the gear which drives the camshaft gear. The front main bearing cap is next. It looks pretty much like the center main bearing cap except that it has a little tit cast onto it which you can barely see before it slips into the shadow. The first two rods on the crank are #5 and #1. Don't ask me. It's just the way Henry did it. You can also see the camshaft's distributor drive gear in the back at the top of the picture

On the back half you can see the oil pump on the picture's right and the pickup screen on the picture's left. Notice how grandpa's oil screen is collapsed. I can only assume that it was clogged and the pump sucked hard enough to cave it in. I was amazed at the distinct flash from the casting molds on the crankshaft. A hot rodder would smooth these to prevent stress risers.

I don't recall seeing 8BA cast into '49-'51 Ford cranks, but I guess they didn't want to confuse anyone in the later years. EAB would be the markings on passenger car heads for '52 and '53. The 8RT truck engine used the same crankshaft. Also notice that the rods and rod caps are stamped with their cylinder number - 5 & 1 on the top two. The stamp is on the outer or downward side of the rod, depending on your perspective.

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