i think i figured out why it wasnt starting... this isnt good

My Y block ate 3 push rods at the same valve before it quit sticking. Now it runs like a top. Just take off the intake, which is by NO MEANS the end of the world, fish out the old ones, get some more push rods, and keep at it. I worked the offending valve with a hammer handle and some oil for little while, got used to moving again, end of story. The push rods can be a little tricky to get in the lifter, at least it was for me. Who knows why they jumped out. Get em adjusted and you should be fine.

 

Buy a can of marvel mystery oil, and soak your valve stems and seals. Let it sit for a full day. Soak 'em several times while your waiting, then lay a piece of flat-iron over the top of the valvestem [to protect it] and tap 'em with a hammer to make sure their not froze up. If one is froze, keep soaking it with MMO and keep tapping it till it comes loose.

 

Silly question, but do you have a repair manual for this car or at least for y-block engines?

 

Jason: Glad to hear that you dodged a bullet. Take the advice and use the Marvel mystery oil on ALL the intake valve stems and seals. Get it put back together and do the timing checks that I had sent you.

(I really don't think the 3 stuck valves would've kept the engine from trying to start).

Keep your chin up and good things will happen soon.

 

If the video you posted was of this engine trying to start as some point in time you spoke of the plug wires being mixed up and the firing order was wrong. If you had the plug wires mixed up and juiced it with starting fluid the force in the cylinders was enough to bend the push rods do to the cylinders firing at the wrong time and the added explosion of the starting fluid. This type of explosion is enough to bend push rods for sure>>>>.

 

well we pretty much got the thing down. its just the starter is preventing us from starting it. everytime it catches and its about to turn over and fire up, the starter makes that horrible grinding sound, so i thought i'd post this new video and hope for some help... not critisim :-/
please lol

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Wait for the starter to stop spinning before trying to crank it again.

 

we did that. we let it rest for about 45 minutes to let it cool off just in case that was the problem, and we went back outside, i turned it over with the key, did the exact same thing.

 

No... let the starter stop completely before retrying to start... if you cant hear it winding down just count to ten before retrying. You are grinding the teeth off the flywheel by turning the key too soon after it kicks out.
Sounds like the timing is a little late. And I think the starter drive is going bad.... thats why it kicks out just before it starts.

 

If this motor gives you more problems, i got a running 292 in my garage i will part with. Comes with a tranny too. PM me if your interested.

 

You've had the worst luck with that engine. If you think it's expensive now, just wait until you start modifying it. Good news is that once you get it dialed in, they run forever. Like was previously mentioned, they're tough motors.

 

Did you ever get the Y running?

 

Posting the solutions to your problems would help others out a bunch.

 

The 292 had solid lifters, and its not strange that the push rods came of. If the engine had not been run for a while, when you turned it over, the valves could have stuck open and the push rod had nothing to hold it where its supossed to be. A magnet could retreve the push rods and just reset them in the lifter pocket. I done it several times in the past. Ice man

 

Are you sure your initial ignition timing is correct? The timing can be set before engine start up. Set the points gap. Hand turn the crank until the motor is at tdc on the compression stroke. Turn the crank until the crank pully mark is aligned with the correct initial timing mark.( probably around 6 degrees advanced ) loosen the distributor bolt. Hook a continuity test light to the negitive side of the points and ground the light. With the ignition switch on turn the distributor slowly until the test light comes on. The correct timing is the exact moment the light comes on. Tighten the distributor bolt and waaalaaa...timing is set. You are now within a couple of degrees of being correct and if you turn everything in the correct directions to eliminate any mechanical slop your timing will be spot on.

Good luck..........ditz-