[Tom Vaught]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/enth...ab1ba0f5&ei=15

Tom V

[abefromen]

The flathead Ford V8 does not belong on that list IMO

[mgarblik]

More or less agree. They could have made it a top 30 list and had more disagreements. I can certainly think of 20 more to add with the Vega in their somewhere. Personally, I think the Flathead Ford could have been left off a top 10, simply because of it's historical importance and Ford did address the overheating issues with an improved head later in production.

[mgarblik]

Oh, I just noticed the list was V-8 engines only. That eliminates the Vega. Could probably shorten my list to 20 then. Even my favorite engine, the Strato Streak Pontiac would probably make someones list for oil leaks everywhere and the plastic camshaft sprocket failures. Both easily fixed.

[george kujanski]

This comment on the Caddy HT-4100 "but the worst came from Cadillac's choice to use cast-iron head bolts. but the worst came from Cadillac's choice to use cast-iron head bolts. "

Seriously, cast iron head bolts? I doubt if that's true... I had the 4.5L version in a '93 Eldo. It had cast iron heads on an aluminum block, maybe that's what the ignoramus writer had in mind.

george

[Sirrotica]

The 6.5 Detroit Diesel designed engine had faulty harmonic balancers, which caused the cranks to break soon after the balancers failed. The balancers became a maintenance item after the failures were determined to have caused the cranks to break.

I have 2 trucks with 6.5 engines, both over 250,000 miles, not buying that they can't run reliably if the balancers problems are addressed. JMO.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

The 6.5 Detroit Diesel designed engine had faulty harmonic balancers, which caused the cranks to break soon after the balancers failed. The balancers became a maintenance item after the failures were determined to have caused the cranks to break.

I have 2 trucks with 6.5 engines, both over 250,000 miles, not buying that they can't run reliably if the balancers problems are addressed. JMO.

Brad, the cracking in 6.2/6.5 cranks was primarily in early 6.2 nodular cranks. We magnafluxed hundreds a month; never found a late 6.2 (one piece rear seal) or a 6.5 crank that was cracked. Since WHEN do millennial automotive writers know ANYTHING about anything?

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by george kujanski

This comment on the Caddy HT-4100 "but the worst came from Cadillac's choice to use cast-iron head bolts. but the worst came from Cadillac's choice to use cast-iron head bolts. "

Seriously, cast iron head bolts? I doubt if that's true... I had the 4.5L version in a '93 Eldo. It had cast iron heads on an aluminum block, maybe that's what the ignoramus writer had in mind.

george

Odd, but ALL the nearly two thousand HT4100 engines I machined had steel head bolts and main cap bolts. It was one of the many weaknesses of this engine: galvanic corrosion in the main saddle and head bolt bosses. George, all of the HT4100 had cast iron heads( which were amazingly durable) on aluminum blocks. If you ever get the chance, lift a 4.1 block, then lift a late 4.9 block. The 4.9 block is nearly fifty percent heavier.

[Tom Vaught]

Pisses me off when you put together a great post about racing a Flathead Ford Engine at the Bonneville Salt Flats and the Site wipes your post clean due to a "Timed Out for the post"

Tom V.

[hgerhardt]

American-made V8 engines are among the best engines from the Big Three; even today, they continue to use a cross-plane-crank setup, which is why they sound so different from their European counterparts, who opted for a flat-plane setup. "

James Bimson has got to be pretty clueless to make a statement like that. Only a few Italians did that, plus the lone, extremely limited AMG V8 in the GT Black Series. All the other V8's from Europe are cross-planes (and sound just like American V8's).

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by hgerhardt

James Bimson has got to be pretty clueless to make a statement like that.

I think most of the clickbait on MSN is written by low paid interns and not reviewed by editors...the stuff posted there is usually full of glaring errors.

[TAKerry]

Originally Posted by Stuart

I think most of the clickbait on MSN is written by low paid interns and not reviewed by editors...the stuff posted there is usually full of glaring errors.

I didnt bother reading. I have found that anything MSN is garbage. I would bet the writers in all likelihood have never driven a car, much less know the ins and outs. Just about everyone I have read to date is seriously flawed to some degree. It is so I wont read them at all. SO, maybe there was something intelligent, but somehow I doubt it.

[hgerhardt]

I'd go further and say the Olds diesel reputation ruined the ENTIRE US (car) diesel market for decades.

[carbking]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

Pisses me off when you put together a great post about racing a Flathead Ford Engine at the Bonneville Salt Flats and the Site wipes your post clean due to a "Timed Out for the post"

Tom V.

Tom - either both of us are too wordy , or both of us type poorly! (OR both!!!)

My solution, if the post will be long, is to type it on Microsoft Word, edit, then cut and paste.

Jon

[b-man]

They did the Ford flathead V8 dirty.

Sure it was best suited for cooler climates like in Motor City but that one major innovation (first monocast V8 block) opened the door for the common man to own an affordable V8.

It grew from 65 hp in ‘32 to 75 hp in ‘33 to 85 hp in 1934 where it stayed for quite a few years. These engines had full-pressure oiling to all the bearings, unlike their main competitor Chevrolet’s straight six that utilized low-pressure main oiling and babbit conrod bearings that were splash oiled. Not a high-speed engine design unlike the Ford.

The 239-inch 85 hp V8 Fords ruled the highways, they could cruise at 80 mph which was pretty much unheard of for mass-produced passenger cars until their introduction. Even the first somewhat trouble-prone 221-inch ‘32 V8s (cracked blocks and overheating issues) delivered 65 mph speeds, compared to the previous 40 hp Model A that was practically throwing the crankshaft out of the block doing 45 mph.

Part of the problem was for the first few years Ford V8 engines had head mounted water pumps that created low pressure in the engine block which caused the water to boil at a lower temperature. After the water pumps were moved to the block where they pushed the coolant through the block instead of sucking it through like the 1937 and earlier designs this helped but never fully cured it.

Back in those days because of the comparatively crude machining none of the engines lasted much more than 40k miles before needing a rebuild, just a sign of the times and really not a Ford Motor Company issue.

No matter their flaws this engine opened the door for what we all enjoy today, the affordable American V8 powerhouse.

[NeighborsComplaint]

They left out the 307 Oldsmobile V8s of the mid-80's that all puked antifreeze from blown intake gaskets due to intake manifold flange erosion.

[77 TRASHCAN]

One has to consider that the flat head V8 came out in 1932. It can't really be compared to engines conceived in later decades. It was the "go to"Hot Rod" engine.......until 1949 and was taken out of the picture in 1955 mostly...

[RocktimusPryme]

I remember reading an article In Hot Rod probably 20 years ago about a guy who made big power using those olds diesel blocks for gasoline engines. Made big power at an Engine Masters event.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by RocktimusPryme

I remember reading an article In Hot Rod probably 20 years ago about a guy who made big power using those olds diesel blocks for gasoline engines. Made big power at an Engine Masters event.

Yep. The Olds 350 diesel block was the best thing about that engine: a high nickel content four block main block.

[Mr Anonymous]

Originally Posted by RocktimusPryme

I remember reading an article In Hot Rod probably 20 years ago about a guy who made big power using those olds diesel blocks for gasoline engines. Made big power at an Engine Masters event.

I did exactly that. Went from 4.057 bore to 4.250, and put in a 4.00 crank from a 425. Ended up with 454" in a small block package, with the nice meaty main bearing support.

In defense of the flathead Ford, it was decades prior to any of the other engines on the list. I'd give them a pass, based on that alone. It was a breakthrough in its own way. Those others, well, I say they should have known better.