Technical Being frugal bit me again ,but ya knew it would

What size Y block if it is a 272 I've got a set of NOS .040 pistons I will never use I would donate.

 

I had 312's to start with way back some years ago,now though 292 V8. All my 312Ys got used up,in the 70s at the local oval track{ Hialeah Speedway}. The class rules at the time in limiteds was real good for a 312Y,but trick thing to do was have 312 cranks mains turned down to 292 size an put it in a 292 block with over size pistons=now you have a 312 that could turn higher RPM,with out burning out the mains{312 mains were too big around,an that made oil overheat if you tryed to turn a stock 312 crank as high as you could turn a 292Y. After running out of 312parts way back,I started racing SBC an had a lot of fun with them tell the track closed up,in 2005. But I retired by then,an sold off as much race junk as I could at the time.

 

Buy some of that additive that comes in a can and stops leaking and rebuilds your power plant. I have a line on a 239 y block out of a 54 ford f100. guy build a hot rod .pm me if you want me to ck. I know it is a long way from N ala to real south fla.

 

Thank you for the thoughts very much!
,I'm thinking this old 292 I just got{an I just check the #s so far},hopefully checks out for oil presser n cly psi. valve movemint.
1954-239Y for other then restoring a car to stock,is a poor hot rod engine,do to the first heads were very small intake ports an have to have only 1954 intakes{ info for anyone not up on "Ys" .

 

Wishing you the best on this project, Dana. Not to hijack the thread, but I read your posting about the Kirkmans. Did you know Bob Luscomb also? Old time Florida racer.

 

Driving is over rated. Working on them is the fun part, right ?

 

were you able to get a look at the intake valve on that low cylinder?

 

C10ck,no not yet,will not be pulling head in rod, tell I know more about about possible temp replacement ,the old 292y I just got. How ever the first test showed,with 100psi air in #5 to try an hear were hissing is,with both in/ex fully closed,only hiss is oil fill tube=both valve are sealed. After I pull what was my good motor apart,I'll turn heads over an put gas in chambers/see if any leak out fast=tells bad valve setting fast,with out even pulling them out of head. If that shows a fail,be doing a valvejob.

 

Hey Dana, Good luck on this and for the record I want to be able to do what you are doing when I’m 76 as well!

 

That little roadster is super cool. Best of luck with the new engine!

 

I got in the shop today an dragged the old complet "Y" I had got for trade to check out,good news is I got some parts,bad news is,I just run a comprestion test,after some WD40 in the plug holes an a short spin. Started with #1 an so on. #1 is very low 40lbs ,the rest are all over 100#,so more wd40 an did #1 again,but still about 40#=this is not going to be that EZ, NUTs can't use as is. Maybe pulling head in hot rod an pan off,pop piston out,to see if I can patch up #5cly in it,just to get back rolling. For sure I'm planing on selling off,if I can some stuff { a SBF,2/FE's,some "Y" stuff I can't use,etc.} to buy pistons n rings an stuff needed for a good hot rod "Y"build.

Not the update I was hoping to post !!!!

 

#1 low AFTER WD40 added...Probably an exhaust valve. I'd 'lift the lid', and remove the valves in #1...
probably need one valve, and grind the seat. Simple 'gas station' fix.
Luck is with you, as you've been into Y's before, most haven't. Remember those two 'longer' short head bolts? LOL

I had my fast 292 apart in Santa Clara in '58, some self-proclaimed 'Engine Guy' picked up a mushroom tappet, was bewildered at what it was. Didn't believe it was a 'lifter', even when I showed him the clothespins. Doubting Thomas... and his real NAME was Thomas! LOL

 

Mike,LOL,yup I get a few guys at shows I enjoy going to,ask me why would I put Ford valve covers on a Chevy V8? After all,they say anyone can see the Dis. is in the back!!!!! LOL, I have to tell them must be that's what made Dis. leanover,I'd been wondering why that happened !! Thank you!!!LOL

Well I'm draggen 76 year old butt, an stopped for the day,did deside to pull apart some of rod motor in the car now. Got the block drain out an rad open an water out,so off with the header on right {on "Y" that were #5 cly is.} Valve cover set aside an pulled off rocker an p-rods,chrome A-corns off,an now intake bolts/an remover water crossover,temp sender. If I get back from DDS tomorow feeling OK**,I'll pull head bolts on right bank an lift head off. Check out what can be seen,an start pulling oilpan{ I design front cross member under motor to unbolt/so at lest thats not a big deal working on motor in the hot rod.

 

Hello Dana:

here are some Y blocks available including 312's! Maybe one of these guys can ship you the parts you need to assemble a 312 shortblock like you wanted. Now that the new 292 you got looks like it will need some work. Sorry they are in the Mid Atlantic area not FL

1957 312 Y block

https://baltimore.craigslist.org/pts/d/cleaning-out-my-garage/6487199111.html

312 Y block $600 -Virginia

https://baltimore.craigslist.org/pts/d/1956-ford-motors-and/6528309098.html

eight Y blocks disassembled ,from 272 to 312 "cleaning out father in law's garage" NJ

https://newjersey.craigslist.org/pts/d/vintage-1950s-1960s-ford/6501025861.html

 

Seems like when it rains,it pours.Wishing you the best on the engine.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Dana, referring to the dist. in back conversation:
I remember when Ford came out with the FE in '58 my comment was that figures, all the time the dist was in back, the hood was hinged in the back also. Now, just a year after moving hood hinges to front, they also move the dist. to the front so you still got to stick your head up under the hood to see what you're doing on the dist! LOL

 

Bucket of my go go is low,but made myself go out a finish pulling the left head off. I turned head up side down,added a sparkplug an put some gas in #5 chamber=it's good,did not leak out ether IN take or EX. So looking down cly and at top of piston also see nothing. Going to need to pull pan,and then piston n rod out next when I'm feeling up to that.

 

since you have the head off on the "bad" side can you find a way to measure the stroke of that side? That can help you rule out a bad connecting rod (i suppose hydrolock is the only thing that would likely do that kind of damage however). At this point it's almost "got to be" the rings though, eh? good luck. pictures are fun too, if you have time

 

I don't have a smartphone/pictures,I offten get a buddy to snap one if I need. If there is something that is uncomen,I'll try an get a pic done. Maybe in the next few days when I get more apart. At this point,I'm pretty sure we're going to be looking at broken ring,ringland or both,if nether the ring may of lost all its spring n edge? I want to get back on the road.,with out the oil tube breather looking like a cho cho train.

 

Dana,I have a dumb phone,actually a old flip phone.

I bought a cheap digital camera and take the card out and download any photos to my computer,ease as pie. HRP

 

Dana, at 80 myself, I certainly know how hard it is to get yourself up for major engine work. Glad you have things set up to where you can get the pan off without involving a lotta other stuff.

 

How about pouring some gas in the bad cylinder and do the same in a good cylinder and see if it runs past the piston faster on the bad cylinder?

 

Not to hijack thread,but Hialeah, aint' that where Red Farmer And the Allisons started?

 

Always dug your car. You’ve got this Dana!

 

In the '90's in some old PHR or Hot Rod mag the did a low buck rebuild on a 455 olds or buick by knurling the one piston that was really loose...as I recall they got some pretty fast times and it stopped smokin' ;-)

 

One of my favorites,hope you get the car back on the road soon.

I'm not good at photo retouching but I wanted to post a picture of your car without a off topic car in the background.HRP

dennys show by Danny Berry, on Flickr

 

B.A.King,
Yes I started racing just before Bobby n Donny Allison,an Red Farmer moved up to Ala. Bobby was driving at the time for Lou White #312,I was a part time helper for Lou,after a few drivers filled in on Lou's car,an we kind of had too much repair on it, more then with Bobby driving. Lou asked me to give it a try. I drove most of the races for Lou the next 5 years,an only a few in my own race car,tell Lou retired from owner/builder. Later after a few years Lou an I built his son Kenny White a race car.

 

Well I got #5 piston out a few min. ago,an this is what fell out as it came clear of #5 hole,any one got some really good glue LOL.

 

I think you found the problem. HRP

 

YUP,,,,I cheeted the pic,by putting those crapped out rings on too my printer/copyer,so could post a pic{ amzed it worked.
Now time to go look through my boxs of old 292 parts for a piston n rings,hone this thing out an replace. That should get me going again for a little time.
Will be trying to sell off some things,an get enough $ together for doing a propper rebuild in this year. Plan will be over bore to 300-Y vs 292.