How can you tell the difference between the 292 and a 312? I looking at my buddy's 57 F-1 and trying to figure out which engine it is. Was the 312 even available in the truck? Thanks.
I'm not a Ford expert, but I don't believe 312s were ever available in a pickup (not to say that someone couldn't have dropped one in sometime during the past 49 years; I've found more than one Merc flathead in a truck). In fact, if it's the original engine, chances are it's a 272.
There were some strange sizes in the full size trucks. They had sodium filled valves and different exhaust headers. Other than pulling a head off and measuring, I can't remember anything to make this easy.
I just spoke to a Y block man, and he tells me that if the engine's still in the vehicle, the only sure way is to pull a head to measure the bore, or pull the pan to check the main bearings (312 had larger diameter main journals than the other Y blocks).
The 272 was available in the 57 F100 as well as the 292. There were some 312's factory installed in 63-64 for fleet use in mountain states. Unless it was changed the 57 272 has a 3 bolt carb and the 292 has a 4 bolt 2bbl. Distributors are different also; 57 was a transition year. The first step is to get the casting # and go here: http://www.ford-y-block.com/Block identification.htm Note that a fair amount of data is missing, particularly larger trucks and post 57 Mercs. The only way to positively tell a 292 from a 312 is the same way to tell a real blond. The 312 has ECZ mains caps, all the others are EBU.
There are three ways to tell if its a 312. The first two were mentioned - pull the head and measure the bore or stroke, pull the pan and check the number on the main caps (s/b ECZ). The other way is looking at the end of the crank at the flywheel mount. The 312 crank had about a 3/8 dot on it.
Not very easy to look at the crank end with the engine/tranny in the truck. Plus that is not a foolproof method anyway. Factory replacement cranks did not use that code on either size crank at least in the 56 and up years. Ive had several over the years and even sent a photo to Mummert for all the good that did. The casting code is not a sure ID by far as the 292 & 312 shared the same block that were machined as needed.
Its also quite possible that its a 272 and not a 292 or 312 in that truck. Block casting numbers will definitely tell the difference between a 272 and a 292/312. Most 272 motors were Dearborn castings. Again, check out the y-block site listed by others to see what the block is. Hopefully its still a '57 motor. They had the best heads, best rockers and hottest cam of all the N/A Y-block motors. -Bigchief.
You can get a rough idea from the casting numbers and check out the y block web site. Only good way is to pull the head or engine and check the bore and stroke or the crank casting. Check the VIN number of the truck. It will tell you the engine code. Either the 2, 3 or 4th number I think. Off the top of my head, I can't remember '57 engine VIN codes, but their are plenty of websites with VIN decoders in them or post it here and someone will check.
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