Technical Who owns a Y block?

I have one in my 55 Ford but it is pretty tired. It needs an overhaul.

Just curious with all the improvements in oils, lighter pistons, better aftermarket parts etc. if it would be worth it to invest the $7-8K to overhaul the old Y block for the 220 hp or forego that and build a later 302/351 etc?

I know the Y block is a good engine, but dollar for dollar, is it my best choice?

This would be for the 56 F100 I just acquired. It will be my new daily and will have some light duty towing, up to maybe 5500#.

I'm not worried about being period correct, just having the most bang for my buck. Reliability is my main concern.

I have researched this before, but it's been a long time. A few threads I am researching.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/y-block-pros-and-cons.399434/
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/just-picked-up-my-y-block.560963/
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/respect-for-the-y-block.1035968/
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-all-inclusive-almighty-y-block-thread.1221157/



Thanks,

Root

 

I've used up a good number of them,in my hotrod starting in 1959,an then a few+ in some stockcars @ Hialeah Speedway{they had a class were the Y-block was the trick engine to run}.
I still run a 292 Y-block in my old hotrod/right now trying to do yet another rebuild on it.
I have a lot of 292 Y-block extra used parts close to free,if any one needs, an can get too Miami Fl.
I think,it's hard to beat the cool factor of a OHV Ford Y-block,and in a lite{ 1800 lbs.} hotrod,it's bad ass fast anyway ! Parts rebuild cost is about 2x that a SBC,but both last about the same miles.
No ,don't have 312 parts left at all,used up all those racing oval years back. I do have two FE v8s,if anyone is in need.

 

I gotta think a SBF would be a better choice for your purposes. More HP stock, cheaper to build, parts readily available.

Its doesn’t have the romance of a vintage engine but for a daily driver…

 

I have a '56 292 which I've had a cleanup bore done to it at .020. it will be for cruising but the machine work was done about 20 years ago! The way I'm moving it will be cruising along in the hearse with me! LOL

 

I have a 312 w/toploader 4spd in my Model A PU. And a 292 w/FMX in my 57 wagon. Both have been decent engines. The A really scoots but the wagon has no guts. I think for a light weight rod they are ok. But not a full size. If I was doing the 57 again I would use a later engine. Plus Y- blocks are limited in trans options unless you use an adapter.

 

Your relatively close to Ted Eaton near Waco Texas in Leona. Give him a call @ Eaton balancing for his advice. He is one of the premier Y-Block builders in the country and never steered me wrong. A 292 is the best to build. With a .050” over bore with a 312 crank mains turned to 292 dimensions it’s a 312. The cast rebuilder pistons are lighter than any custom forged the only positive for me is choosing a different ring package.
A later engine is nice because you can get an upgraded transmission and there is plenty of room plus parts are more prevalent when on the road. Remember that a mid 80’s substitution is 35 years old now. For me I’ll keep my Y.

 

I’ve got a 292 block, bored, offset ground 312 crank, 320ci. Higher compression motor, Mummert’s aluminum heads. A 312 with offset ground crank, 340 cid, with a VS57 blower. An F code clone, with the Rebob brackets. I had my reasons (the 55 bird being one of them) but I could easily have made twice the power for half the money.

If it just needs a simple cleanup (like Squirrel did on the Edsel) that might be ok. But if you get into new pistons, modern rings, the prices go way up.

You have the were with all to do a simple swap, I’d be looking at a 351 or the like for a truck. Or even an FE if you could find one in decent shape. How many miles is it going to go a year, and how often with a load?

 

Got a 292 in my 56F00 and love it. Because it is a Y block it gets lots of attention at cruise in’s

 

I own 4 y-blocks but haven’t rebuilt one yet. Check back with me later since I need to rebuild the 312 for my 56. I would honestly suggest the 302 or 351 for what you are doing.

 

The 302 or 351 is more practical, but there is no other engine that sounds like a good running Y block with duals and Smitty's glass pacs.

 

I think you answered your own question.... What we always deal with in using bygone mills is if you have trouble on the road away from home it is hard to find repair parts and the way things are today you sure can't leave your hotrod parked along side the road till you can fix it....

 

Y not, in my 62 swb uni, 272 bored to 292, stitched crack in block, turned crank 20 under rods and mains, resurfaced rockers and lifters, new pistons, rings, pump and cam. Did all the dis-assembly and prep work and assembly myself, came to approximately 4500 cdn so it can be done fairly cheaply. While it’s no power house it sounds great and it’s different

 

Put an FE in it. A 302 looks minuscule in that engine compartment. The Y block will get pricy. A small block ford Needs more help than people think to make it breathe. A stock to mild 390 will do everything you need for not much more money than a hopped up small ford and less than a y block. Plus the Fe will pull just fine, look old, and not be a small block ford.

 

Well, looking at the 'best bang' factor and anticipated truck/towing use as the main parameters, my choices would be (and in order of desirability) a 351W, then the FE, and a food for thought choice the 300 six, then the Y-block and lastly the 302.

The 351W gets top billing mostly due to cost and being a V8. Still findable without breaking the bank, these produce enough torque for truck use. After all, Ford used these up until '96 in trucks and while rebuild/hop-up costs are more than a 302, they're not much more. Good trans choices, although you can't use anything older than '65 without expensive adaptors. If you want an automatic, the only viable choice IMO is the AOD. The C4 is too light-duty and the C6 will kill fuel economy (there's good reasons why Ford ONLY used the C6 in trucks once it came out). If you want a manual OD trans, hunt down a 351W/5-speed out of a late 3/4T truck as those are a better trans.

There's a lot of pluses for the FE. 'Period correct' if that matters, plenty of torque and if you don't get exotic rebuild costs aren't out of line, although even core motors are getting pricey around here. A 352 or 360 would be just as viable as a 390 and likely easier to find. Readily available swap mounts/exhaust. Trans choices are a mixed bag; if you want an automatic you're pretty much stuck with the mileage-killing C6 unless you go with adaptors, but a upside is you could likely reuse the OEM manual trans if so equipped by tracking down a '58-64 bellhousing (not as hard as you might think). A FE can get good mileage with a stick trans. If you want an automatic, I'd pass for a 351W/AOD.

I threw in the 300 six as an alternate. Good torque for a truck, Ford made a zillion of 'em and plenty of hop-up stuff. Basically the same trans choices as the 351W, but packaging it into the early truck may be harder. 'Dare to be different' LOL.

The Y-block offer decent torque, but rebuild costs are higher along with some needed 'upgrades' depending on the year of the motor. You need adaptors to use any '65-up trans choices. Not so easy to find rebuildable cores anymore. Pretty much the 'nostalgia' choice IMO and you'll pay for that in multiple ways.

The 302, while a great little motor, comes in last because it just doesn't have good torque numbers. Ford didn't even offer it in trucks until '69 and it didn't sell well even then until EFI arrived. The majority of truck buyers bought the 300 six instead which is why it made the list.

I've glossed over some details, it'll pay to do your homework before deciding.

 

I have my dads ‘69 LTD 390 with its original C6 so I know the C6s were not only used in trucks....

 

Dollar for dollar an ls is probably your best choice...but if you want a traditional hot rod, y block is all of that and can do a lot better than 220 built right

 

No, what I meant is that once the C6 came out, that was the only available automatic in trucks. No C4s or FMXs, just C6s no matter which size motor was installed. It remained that way until the mid-'80s when Ford started phasing in the automatic ODs, starting with the lighter-duty models first.

 

LOL! I have a couple sets of spare chrome valve covers so you can open your hood at car shows if needed.

 

5500 lbs towing will make an older engine work. Since it’s going to be a daily as well, I’d opt for larger displacement and taller gears, heck you won’t be pulling 5500lbs everyday, but when you do the larger engine won’t be hurt by the taller gears.
Just my thoughts.

 

Like I said, this will be my daily, so chrome will be minimal, if at all. It will be a closed hood truck. I have a vintage travel trailer, it weighs 2000# and I occasionally pull a car trailer with a project loaded.

I would say the majority of the time I pulling loads under 3000# including trailer weight. I just always need my trailer for something. It is a tandem axle with trailer brakes.

 

As much as I like period correctness, i have to agree with Crazy Steve. I think a 351W would be the best choice since it will be a daily driver. If it was occasional driving then the Y with some taller gears might have been in order. Just the shear number of parts out there for a 351W, better MPG and better torque make it a better candidate. I stuck with a Y Block since my wagon is just going to be a cruiser and occasional vacation car. For daily driving I will have something newer.

Mike

 

I’m with Crazy Steve, 351W would be best choice. Later models got the roller cams, that solves a lot of worries right there. I had a 351W in a 4x4 F150, had a C6 with 3.55 rears, it would pull a freight train and got decent mileage for a 4x4 if you drove it right. It had Ford Holley 4bbl, about 600 cfm IIRC. Probably would have done even better with an aftermarket aluminum intake and a real Holley or Ebrock.

 

I am looking into the 94-97 blocks. They have the 4FTE castings. Factory roller cam provisions. Anything from that era is gonna need to be overhauled anyway.

Im not a Ford engine guy, so I am out of my depth here….lots of research.

 

I'd vote for the Y block even though the other engines might make more sense.

I've got a 57 T-Bird I've had for 26 years. I did a full rebuild on the 312 about 18 years ago. I pulled the engine down due to low oil pressure at idle. It was running good at that time. I was surprised to find that almost everything in the engine was slap worn out. I think the culprit for the low oil pressure was the cam bearings and/or journals. You could see the wear on the cam journals. It was pricey to rebuild, but I'm really happy with the results. It runs very well and has plenty of power. Note that while the little Birds are small, they aren't lightweights and the old Y block does a good job of moving it around.

 

I love the yblock in my wagon but it is a sunny day cruiser. My only complaint is the fordomatic kind of sucks and I’d need a $1000 adapter to use an AOD.

for perspective, this is my buddy’s truck with a tired 292 2bbl and stock manual transmission and brakes. He did change the rearend to get better gears. He regularly tows his car trailer and racecar to the track and it works pretty great on backroads.

 

It’s only 18 miles round trip to work and back. I won’t rack up a ton of miles per year. My OT 2002 has 140k on the clock pulling the Fly, the travel trailer and several projects home over the last 20 years.

 

I do own a 390 Cadillac......hmmmm

 

I love my my blocks, but I’d have that caddy and a tape measure next to the truck without even asking about it. Kind of like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, using the Yblock to haul the rebuild parts for the caddy.

 

Mine had the Ford-O and since our family owned them in the 50’s and I drove them as a teen I knew I wanted better. I installed a medium case Cruise-O from a 62 to have a true 3 speed auto added an 8.8 rear with 2.74 gears and now its perfect. Didn’t need an adapter but had some revisions on the tale shaft housing. I even adjusted the column shifter for an extra spot.