Hey all, yanking my 239 y block out of my 54 ford. Car ran fine just doing a mild custom build with the 54 and wanted to pull the engine and give it a fresh coat of paint and new gaskets. Putting a t-5 behind it as well. Never torn down a y block before. Anything to look out for or any tips ? I heard the end head bolts are 3 threads longer and to keep those in mind. Any suggestions on good quality fuel and oil pump? Also plan on doing all new tune up and i have the full fel pro gasket kit. I have a manual on the way " how to modify and rebuild the ford y-block". If anything were wrong with the 239 im planning on getting a 292 to take its place. Any tips or tricks you may have are appreciated. Thanks - Shane
bear in mind that the lifters only come out thru the bottom of the engine. use close pins toehold them or have the engine upside down.
First, while you'll get good advise here, go check at yblocksforever. http://forums.y-blocksforever.com Unless you're doing a restoration, the 239 is a dead end. Different cam bearings, dizzy gear, water pump, the list goes on. Pull it, clean it, pan and v/c gaskets, don't spend any real money. Very few performance parts, small ports, that list goes on too. Save your money for a 272/292. I know they get little respect here and elsewhere, but they do make really nice street motors. Not to mention Ted Eaton at the EMC vintage class. Lots of info and test at http://eatonbalancing.com/. Also at Tim McMasters, who's on here, http://yblockguy.com/. I've running y blocks at 320cid and 340cid, the 340 is an F code. Much cheaper to put a sbf, a 351, or god forbid, a sbc in. But the 272/292's are nice street motors with a mild rebuild. For the T-5 adaptor John Mummert. http://www.ford-y-block.com/ And Lou is right about the mushroom lifters. Get the cam choice right the first time.
I wasnt even going to pull the cam, just yank the heads off to see how the pistons/walls were looking and slap some new head gaskets on. If it needs any type of machine shop work im going right to a 292. Only real parts i was planning on getting was fuel,oil and water pump. Just a basic re gasket untill i can go 292. Aside from the head bolts are there any oddities to the top end ? I have a modern driveline adapter in place already with the T-5 bolted up. Only part i havent ordered yet is the clutch. Mines a 10" and i beleive the 292's are 11" so im holding off on ordering a clutch untill i know for sure what engines going back in
somewhere around here is a thread where I overhauled a 292 last May. The only parts I replaced were the gaskets, rings, timing chain, and...the cam bearings! which were worn out, causing the rockers to not get oil, and start to gall. So I would definitely be looking at the cam bearings.
Pay attention when installing the head gaskets. If you get them on backwards it will partially cover up a water jacket creating an overheating problem. I would go straight to the 292. Oldmics
Also pay attention when you replace the timing chain, it is not like most engines. Something about 12 links between the dots.
I think you would be much happier with the 292. Find a good core with all accessories from '57 or later, that way you have a dizzy with a mechanical advance. 292 will double your hp potential. Good luck and enjoy. Done right the Y-Block will make you much happier than any update/swap will, just plane cool.
I know id be happier with the power of the 292 but for now the 239 is running great and has been for years. Car was my daily driver before winter. I have a great running engine and would like to use it untill it is time to upgrade to the 292. I pulled the engine outta the car tonight. Pulled valve covers and valley pan, everything looked clean, oil looked great. Only thing i have a question about is the oiling tubes on the rocker assemblies. Both seem to be rubbing the valve spring just slightly. One didnt have a retaining clip like the other did. Aside from that all looked clean. Can i bend the one tube to clear the valve spring and just get a new retainer clip for the other. When it comes to pulling the heads, can i just yank the rocker assemblies off as a whole and then pull the heads ? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Heres a few pics of the tubes. You can see the one has no perch or guide to rest on. Heres a few other pics as well
I'm not clear on what you're asking. The factory tubes at the end of the rockers, or does your motor have external rocker oiling lines? They typically were drilled thru the ends of the valve covers because the original oil passages were blocked. Edit. Sorry, the pictures didn't come up before I replied. Those are factory, you can bend as needed. On my later motors, I seem to remember them coming off the ends. Either way, common practice is to pinch them down to provide more pressure to the rockers, or to plug them and drill a small relief hole in the plug.
Those tubes are drains or overflows when the feeds from the center cam bearing and internal passages are working correctly oil will come out when the engine is running. Guys sometime pinch them off for more flow to the rockers. You can run a Y with the covers off and see it. Not much or any oil will fly about. They are not like SBC's. Tim M the Y-block guy may chime in here, he is very knowledgeable on them.... Good luck.
Sweet video man i greatly appreciate it. I dont think im going to do much besides a re gasket on the 239 but when i do pick up the 292 this tech will be very useful. Is it normal for the one overflow tube to not have a perch to rest in? It moves freely back and forth. Ill pull the heads soon and move forward with the re gasket and rock the old 239 untill it starts to give me issues. Then slap in a 292 Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I agree. Looking at the pics you posted I would run it till it gives you problems too. For a yblock it looks pristine compared to the sludge buckets I've run across. If you were closer I'd donate a mostly complete 292 to play with.
Yea 57custom thats what i was thinking. The engines been rock solid. I really dont wanna put the money or time into a minor overhaul considering its just a 239 and it looks and has proven to be in solid shape. Ill save the pennies for a rebuild and mods on a 292 Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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