I'm looking at a '54 Vicky with a Y block. Don't know a thing about them, so help is needed on what to look for and what to expect. Thanks
The Y block was the first overhead valve engine used in the 1954 Fords,,good engine and there are a lot of parts available for them. HRP
I would stay away from the 239 CI 1954 engine and go with a 272,292 or 312 variety.. The first year was not a particularly good motor...
y blocks look cool, sound awesome and are good reliable engines. You wont be able to buy parts for it at McDonalds like a small chevy and don't expect a stock yblock to perform like one. 272 and 292 are the most common,239s are a little rarer and have many parts specific to that motor.312s are more powerful but are know to have crack issues. They all sometimes have top end oiling issues. There is plenty of info here on determining which motor it is. Good luck
John mummerts website fordyblock.com has a technical info section that is a good resource, and yblocksforever.com is full of good info as well. I'm not sure on specific areas to look for on a running driving engine but I know even thigh the 312 Is the most likely to crack around main web areas, all years of y block were susceptible to the cracking. The first year engines (239) had problems with overheating so I would look carefully for signs of previous overheating and blown head gaskets. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Nothing sounds as nasty as a Y-block. I got mine in 2010 , it was never opened, I rebuilt it so it will be good for another 55 years it will outlive me! Mine is a 272 with the crossover exhaust into a single cherry bomb people can't believe it is such a small motor with a single exhaust when they hear it! Lots of fun.
Tim McMaster has the solution to that with his positive pressure rocker shaft modification. Best advice ever, and why I have a Y block built by Tim.
My Dad had a 57 292/auto bought it new. He had warranty work done on the top end (oiling) three times. The 3rd time the service mgr inquired if he considered trading it in, which he didn't and they fixed it again one more time. Finally traded it in on a 63 while I was in the Army.
The car I'm thinking about buying has the 239 in it. I don't know if anything has been done to the engine. So what should I look for when I go see the car? I have very bad hearing so I won't be able to listen and hear for something.
I believe all Y blocks are solid lifter motors and a little more noisy than hydraulic lifter motors...
At overhaul time, there are a few minor changes that can be made and with modern motor oil they will outlive their owners. Listen to Tman above, he knows the good guys. I have some pictures on the Fordbarn and the Y Block page at the top of this column telling about the changes. Stay tuned, more to come.
X3 They know their stuff! There's nothing wrong with the early motors if your building a cruiser. If your wanting a power motor, the later truck motors are plentiful and a good start on builds. Oh, and by the way, yblocks were use all the way to 64 in trucks and there is a lot of interchange with other fords, so even your average corner autoparts place has the basics. Good motors, I love mine with duals and Porter steelpack's!-dd Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Does this make me the 4th one to agree with this statement? BTW, I am biased as I am the proud owner of a YBlockguy engine www.yblockguy.com
The Y stands for the shape of the block. It has a deep lower block skirting designed for strength. Of all the supposed problems the Y block had, block strength can not be said to be one of them.-dd Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Early y-blocks are known for their problems eating up cams and lifters. Most of those got picked through over time. All things considered, it takes about three hours to swap out a 239 for a later 272/292/312. Really easy to swap out a bad one. People were swapping out blown up 239s when they were relatively new. First year motors always will have their issues. Also, the load-o-matic distributors are j-u-n-k. All that being said, mine took me around Indy for a couple of years until I swapped in a EDB-E 292. The big thing with '54 fords is the air deflectors, inner fenders and fenders eyebrows rotting out, as well as the body mounts/hatch channels and the front cross member. If you need any advice or anything you can shoot me a PM or get in touch with dad or something. Take it easy Gary.
Good......Cool non belly button engine. Good......Talented people are making a lot of go fast goodies for the Y Good......You may just hear two drunk idiots argue over it being a Chevy or not Bad........Go fast goodies cost a lot of money
There is an easy and cheap way to fix the oil to top end problem. The cam has a hole drilled that passes oil to the heads. Take the cam to a machine shop have a small grove cut full circle full time oil to heads.
ha har , the skirting at the bottom of the block adds more in wieght than it does in strength, cause.......... the skirting doesn't contact or support the mains caps, but it would not be hard to fabricate some support into it if you felt the need to.
Built a 312 in a 56 t-bird... The only thing I noticed about it that was odd was how a mouse got so much shit in the cylinders... Also make sure to put all the rod bearings in, they dont run to good without them... (the engine had been rebuilt 3 years prior but had only been ran a few miles)... O and theres a bolt that holds on acc on the front that drains the water out of the block... And Im pretty sure people have problems getting head gaskets on right...
Thanks a bunch Wes, I'm looking at a couple different deals so ---- Tell your dad hi for me, maybe see you next weekend.