The Engine That Replaced the Flathead -- Ford Y-Block Build
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- Опубликовано: 21 июл 2024
- CORRECTION: The engine is bored 0.040 of an inch over, making the bore size 3.790 inches. I have no idea why I said the bore is 4.150 inches. Sorry for the misinformation. Thanks!
The Y-Block was Ford's first overhead valve V8 engine and the design the company felt was worthy to replace the world-famous Flathead. But the engine has some serious oiling problems that can affect longevity even when you aren't pushing tons of horsepower.
This is a rebuild Keith Dorton of Automotive Specialists (www.automotivespecialists.com) is doing for a 1955 Thunderbird show car. It is a mostly stock rebuild but Dorton has put some very cool touches to help improve the oiling system significantly. So check out our deep dive into the engine that replaced the Flathead.
Note: Keith Dorton and Automotive Specialists are now selling their custom valvetrain oiling kit. Contact Automotive Specialists here: www.automotivespecialists.com
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
0:58 - Stock Y-block short block with Silvolite 0.040 over pistons
2:10 - Y-block stock camshaft and lifter specs
2:58 - Keith Dorton's oiling system upgrades to improve engine longevity
6:02 - External oil pump and oil pan installation
7:09 - Stock Y-block cylinder heads and specs
8:57 - Double decker fuel pump
9:15 - Cast aluminum John Mummert Machine Y-block intake manifold
10:17 - Shaft-mounted rocker arm assembly and installation
13:13 - Y-block dyno runs 
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Having a legend like Keith Dorton build a basically stock engine is like asking a world famous chef to prepare a well-done, plain hamburger. At least he got to work some of his magic on the oiling system 👍🏼
Still, it was cool to see one of the vintage engines 🇺🇸
Have to completely disagree with you when you're talking about a restoration, not a hot rod. Not ever car needs all the vroom and go fast.....some people just want it restored and built to the best quality they can.
Yea because when I’m getting an engine done weather it is or isn’t stock I like to take it to a back yard engine builder and have them run a dingle ball honer down the cylinders and hammer the pistons in.
Chummins there is a huge separation between who you’re talking about and Keith Dorton. Lol 😂
@@jimmy_olds Given that the engine had already been jacked up once..... sounds like there's not a whole lot in the gap to fill it.
kyndal anne first of all, my initial comment was tongue in cheek. Second of all, any competent machinist could’ve properly rebuilt the engine to stock specs. Math is math, machining and assembling an engine properly is based around math. While obviously Keith Dorton is a competent machinist, not all competent machinists have the skill set & experience that Keith does at finding power - which is what he’s truly known for. I understand what you’re saying, and going back to my analogy, if you did order a plain hamburger from a world famous chef, it’s probably going to be one of the best plain hamburgers you’ve ever had...but you also didn’t really take full advantage of the chef’s skills.
First motor I built was a 292 Y-Block back in 1983 when Y-Bocks were NOT cool. I learned all my motor knowledge from a neighbor who built and raced late model stock cars. I tried to build the Y-Block like he built the stock car motors. I Used ECZ-G heads fully ported with 1.940 intake valves. A forged steel crank out of a Ford 600 truck. Deburred the entire block, polished the rods ARP bolts. Built my own 2 x 4 aluminum intake, oil pan and windage tray, stepped headers, Schneider Cam valvetrain, it sure was something. I never dynoed it but it ran up to 7500rpm and ran high 13's at 107mph in a 1957 Ford pickup using a Top Loader 4 speed and 4.56 gears.
That sounds really cool thanks for your story!
Where you a machinist back then or how did you get the access to the mills to manufacture the parts?
In the beginning of my career I did a 3.5 year apprenticeship as a precision mechanic and learned every manufacturing technology and had access to everything from standard and cnc milling, turning and grinding over honing and electronic discharge machining with dies and dries.
After I finished my apprenticeship and a few years of work I changed the company and became the leader for their manufacturing department where is also learned everything that had to do with CAD and CAM.
Those times where amazing because I could build everything I could ever imagine with that huge park of machines!
My boss told me I could use all the materials from the recycling containers for free and we often had huge plates of metal in their which where more than enough to manufacture my parts!
Nowadays I’m just sitting on my as an engineer and tell people what to do or make presentations for the top management how my projects are running.
I get much more money, but I really miss the opportunity to build whatever I want for myself at home and the fun of not only designing but also manufacturing a new part that you came up with!
Some day I will at least get a small cnc mill and a conventional lathe for my little workshop in my garage, but that’s still a few years away since I first need to rebuild the garages on my property to put the cars somewhere else do I have enough space for those huge machines.
7500 rpm on stock rods is insane, wanna make my 239 turn 7000 under a dash of boost lmao
😊
I love that he lets youtubers film him, and even explains what he's doing. Truly loves what he's doing.
The old Y blocks didnt have oiling problems unless you didnt keep up with oil changes which alot of people didnt back then.They had small feed holes in the block and heads and a little sludge is all it took to plug them.People used to pull the valve covers and run wire through those holes to open them back up.They were tough as hell and nearly impossible to break.Fords engineers did an outstanding job bringing in the 1st OHV for the company.
Beautiful said I change my oil lots more in my old 292 took it to 3 cars shows Ran strong love it in my 57 rancho 3 on the tree
And the oil is better today too.
@G.S.W.SewmesomeMusic yes it is!and that's really all they need to live without any maintenance.
The Y-Block engine was the first engine I ever built. I used a Isky cam and an Offy Intake with multiple Stromberg carbs. Learned a great deal and had a ball. It was in a 63 F100 shortbed. For the effort it would have been a bunch better to have installed a 289 or 302 but i was a Jr in High School. You have to start somewhere.
I built several ford Y block engines back in the late fifties early sixties, they seem to blow head gaskets constantly. My very best build was a 312 CU IN 1957 Mercury engine that was a match for any built 283 Chevy back then, sad to say it ate a valve on a missed power shift and died. I never found another Y block engine that could never come anywhere near that one! I remember those days, they turned me into the successful Engineer I later became. I certainly enjoyed your video! Thanks
Iam a proud owner of an 1960 F100 4x4 292 with the Y block, I seen it up in front of the collapsed Barn, I asked the lady if she wanted to sell it? she said hell no! you can have it for free.... I gave it away 12 years ago to a guy.. but it had four flat tires,.he never showed back up. Called up my buddy Joey I said Joey bring me a battery and your car trailer.and a six pack of beer.. Joey showed up, I put the old girl down in first gear granny Low, slap the battery in it, pulled out the spark plugs then turned it over,, and womp womp womp womp right up into the car carrier.... The lady said where in the hell you from? I said right here in Oregon, she goes I've never seen that done before with 4 flat tires. Yeah that old Ford sweetie walked right up that ramp like it was nothing... Then we sat down and drank that cold six pack of Rainier beer with the lady. Now She starts like she did 62 years ago.
That's a good tale, Dale
To fix the blown head gaskets. I would use the steel shim head gaskets. Get a strand of copper wire from a battery cable and glue it in that embossed circle around the cyl. That worked sort of a poor mans O ring. They blew because not enough bolts holding the heads on.
@@williamglendye1692 348's where not fast.
@@thecollectoronthecorner7061, Yes but they sure could burn rubber with all the torque.
In '62 I rebuild my 312 Y-block T-Bird '57 Ford engine. Had good cam, cleaning ports, and 3 Strombergs. Gosh, I wish I'd never sold that car. It has some much "just right" horsepower and I loved it.
What exhaust did you have on the engine ?
Just rebuilt a 292 for my 1963 F100! Love the sound of it breathing through Patriot Headers!
I'll be posting a video of it running this week!
Cool, will look for it.
Spent many hours tinkering with the 312 cu.in. Y in my dads '56 Mercury back in the early 60's. This brings back many good mems. Enjoyed this vid. very much.
I've seen people drill out and enlarge oil feeds through casings to increase oil flow but that internal plumbing is another level,
Back 45 years ago when I was taking auto shop at Peoria Central High school we still had a 292 Y block Ford as one of the shop engines that the students used as a project engine to teardown & overhaul. I asked the teacher about the valve covers that obviously had been bent up and then beat back in shape with a couple of large washers welded on where the studs to hold the covers on were. He explained while pointing to the two impressions in the shop ceiling twenty feet above a previous student had put the engine back together and when he tried to start it up it would fire so he used starting fluid while cranking the engine. What he didn't know was the carb was flooding the whole time and gas was gathering in the oil pan and when the engine finally caught it blew the valve covers off bouncing into the ceiling and at also blew the oil pan off but they were able to repair it enough for more years of students to practice wrenching on.
So it WAS getting spark.....
Y Blocks were rather tough engines compared to at least the small bolt main SB Chevy V8's, through 1967
I went to Spalding; 74; small world !!!
Saw a 390 ford throw the valve covers once what a bang!
You should learn how to spell and punctuate.
I love watching these old Engine Masters work if you ever get the chance to to watch or assist, don't pass it up these old guys are amazing you will learn stuff you ddefinitely didn't learn in school. Thanks for sharing nice build.
Thanks a lot!
like how to please a lady? it can't be done.
On the 272 Y, the 292 Y, , and 312 Y blocks-as with most every engine pre 1974/75 the only tools needed to work on and do everything you had to do to your engine, was a standard set of wrenches & sockets. Add a few screwdrivers, channel locks, pliers, needle nose, a couple of crescent wrenches a vacuum guage, timing light. I stopped doing my own repairs sometime around 1979, I got a Toyota Supra, inline 6, fuel injected and I'm glad I never had to do any work on that car. Kept it and drove it for 25 years, may have changed out the headlight bulbs, A/C condenser. & rear wheel bearings. 😏
@@kbtube8125 Hahaha.
They say if it has tires or tits, its trouble 😊
No doubt about it!!
I had a 54 ford with the overhead valves and I thought that was their first Y block , I loved that old two door post ford I put a hopped up 292 that I bought from a stock car racer ,it had very good heads that were ported and polished, l think they started out as 312 heads and he had them built up at Dougs racing stables back in the days, wish l still had that little ford.
Hey guy, man thanks for the trip down memory lane. I really appreciate your documentation on the 292 Y block. I truly believe in the durability and strength of the 312 y block. I purchased a pretty beat up '56 thunderbird in 1989 &I had mine rebuilt by NAPA in 1990, bored .o40 Rebuilt the Holly 4 bbl ,Also had the air cooled ford-0-matic rebuilt.
I did the bodywork for about 3 years, but had it painted. New Stainless dual exhaust pipes,with golden turbo mufflers, & eventually added the suspension upgrades rear stabilizer, and new front end bushings., also eventually went to electronix points, and the oil filter upgrade. Went to my first car show sometime in '93,(no trophy) and it still looked as good and ran perfectly when I did my last car show in 2014 (2nd place). That machine was my 25 year love affair, and I drove my baby hard, long and fast, and she was always begging for more⚘😏
Back in the day I had a 56 ford sedan with the 292 T Bird engine. The rockers were worn out and rattled so loud that you couldn't hear the exhaust . Maybe a slight exaggeration but not by much. I also had a 54 Two 55 s and the 56 ,all had oiling issues. Back then all we knew to do was to run a line from the oil pressure sending unit to the rockers, not a satisfactory solution thankfully.things have improved in the last 60 years. Great video, I In Joyed hearing the old Y block once again. Thanks Jim
My dad had a 292 HD Ford engine powering his water well drilling rig for around twenty years or more,it was one tough as nails engine that had a lot of power. The rig weighed around 70,000 pounds and this engine handled it well for many years as well as being the powerplant for the drilling platform of the machine. These truly are some tough,durable engines. I can personally attest to that fact.And this engine and another he had in a 1963 F100 made me a Ford man for life. Never a tougher engine was ever made. A small block Chevy may outrun the Y block,but it sure won't outlast the Y block.
The Dodge/Plymouth Poly 318 was a better engine then either and didn't have the valve train woes these things had.
@@4thstooge75 318 dumb ass was a newer engine !!!!
@@wilburfinnigan2142 yeah the 318 (which was based off the desoto hemi btw) was a 60's motor. I tend to compare it to the 292 hemi which Don Garlits (who's considered the father of drag racing) used back in the 50's to dominate the sling shot ranks.
@@wilburfinnigan2142 The basic Plymouth poly motor came out in 56 as a 277 (303 in Fury). The 318 version (looks just like a 277; and is basically a bored and stroked 277) came out the very next year. (If you're thinking of the 318 wedge, then yes, that is a "newer engine" that wasn't introduced until 67, although even that was just a bored out version of the 273 wedge introduced in the 64 model year.)
@@davidmiller9485 I know "Uncle Tony" claims a DeSoto origin for the 318 poly, but other than the timing chain and distributor, there is almost nothing in common between the two motors. Bore spacing (bore center to center distance) isn't even the same. There is more similarity between the 318 poly and the Gen III Hemi - they at least share a common bore spacing.
I dig early V8’s of any make, awesome to see them running after 60+ years. 👍🏻
My father who was a Ford mechanic in the '50's and '60's once told me that the bypass hole on the rocker shaft was to prevent to much oil onto the valve train. After about 30 thousand miles the rockers would get to much oil and the valves would start sucking it in through the seals. I understand that it was a common problem.
Great engine❤❤
History...your preserving and telling automobile history. These engines are long gone but live on thanks to Engine builders like you
Thanks for this. When I was younger I helped my Uncle rebuild a 292 that was in his dad's 54 Ford pickup truck. Thanks again.
Thanks for watching!
My first engine overhaul was a 1954 Ford Y block. My dad helped my twin brother and me. The engine ran great for years.
Same here. I was 16 years old and a VO-tech student in high school.
Thanks for this video. I had a 1962 Ford short bed pickup back in the early 1970's. It was my first vehicle when I turned 16. The truck was special ordered when new with a 292 y-block engine and a granny geared (very low first gear) transmission with a positive track Dana 60 rear end. I had the engine rebuilt but could not find new rocker shafts so they turned them over and used the new surfaces on the shafts. We used a kit that teed off of the oil pressure sender and went through copper lines to the rocker cover bolts and oiled the top end that way. I was able to find an right side exhaust manifold to eliminate the exhaust crossover pipe and make it dual exhaust. I had glass pack mufflers. Was able to find the later style oil filter adapter to replace cartridge filters with modern style filter. This video brings back a whole lot of memories. Thank You
That sounds like a fun truck. Thanks for watching!
I ran many of these in the 60's and 70's. 292" 4BBL in a 57 Ford wagon, a 312" 3-2BBL in a '55 Bird, 312" 4BBL in a runabout boat. Good mills. Biggest problem I had was leaky rear main seal on the T-Bird. Ended up repowering that Bird with a 302" and it was a vast improvement.
Also had another 55 Bird all stock show car with a stock 292" 4BBL.
Love these classic and original engines; the way they ran when new; that's the spirit of classic cars; and maintaining history too !
Not really a Ford fan, other than a flattie, but I liked this. Always pleased to see someone restore rather than replace. Two thumbs up.
love the ford FE we put a fe 390 in 80s thunderbird drag racing
Have a 1963 vintage 292 Block in a 1963 F-100. Has lasted over 100,000 miles with oil changes every 1,500 miles. No modifications except spin on oil filter adapter. Would probably make more power with overhaul, but since its never been apart since Ford built it is hard to fix something that ain't broke. Has had valve covers off for lash adjustment and new valve cover gaskets. The cork ones were pretty leaky.
That’s pretty awesome
it needs the kind of overhaul known as an LS swap (!!!!!!!!)
50 years ago when I was a kid, we had a 62 Galaxy 500 with a 292 that had rocker arm oiling issues. My stepdad used an overhead oiling system teeing off the oil sending unit, worked great.
Saw many like that.
Wow James I had a 62 Ford galaxly Xl it was a 390. With a 3on a tree weird car. Not much power thx
W used to attach rocker drains together as other reduced pressure caus bearing failure.
@@robbierussell9536 390 is a fe not y block
@@tomschweikert9537 Seems like Robbie wanted to join the y-block club even if he didn't have one.
I once had a 54 Mercury that hat a 312 police engine in it. Kind of miss the old girl...
Great build. Fatigued by all the high horsepower build vids, This was refreshing.
I built a couple of these in my younger days and always enjoyed the small things that made them different from the "belly button" SBC's. Dorton knows his stuff and I always learn something when I watch the things he does. There's just so much that is different on these things. I built them as 312's and used Isky cam, good flat tops, and 3 Strombergs (hated those carbs). The engines ran pretty fair but those damn Chevys could wind to the moon. I really like the Mummert intake on this engine......mine was an Offy with 3 ducks.....pretty enough but I never felt that it flowed like it could/should of.
Very nice to see the oil mod. it would have saved a few of them from being blown up in the day. I ran one in my 56 victoria on the roundy round dirt tracks in the day. With the correct parts they sure would run with the best of them. Thank you for the build
Oil mod is not necessary. Keith just tapped into the same place Ford used for the oil to the rockers and used hoses. The only modification needed is to the same cam bearing housing or the cam bearing itself with an added groove. Radius the normal passages in the block and heads for better flow and leaving the overflows on the rocker arm assemblies. Fords problems were accentuated by the use of non detergent oil, short drives without enough engine heat, and servicing. If the owners back then would have used a multi- viscosity detergent oil like a 10-30 the engines would have easily made 100k miles before an overhaul.
We all know the cylinder heads were a weak racing point but not a weak service point for the street/daily use. The engine gets a bad rap.
@@jamestone265yup, if you maintained them they were a serviceable street engine. We had a stock 1960 Fairlane 292 bone stock. We moved from Tulsa to Calgary Canada in 1963. The first year we didn't have a block heater and it started every morning except the morning that was -40f. Dad used Havoline and was changing oil every 2000 miles. Never did have oiling problems the body rotted of it but the motor ran and didn't smoke in 1968, he bought mom a new Torino.
Sir I worked for Ford Dealership for 17 years I truly love it. I owned a 56 Crown Vic. with a 292 with a cross over pipe. Man she was awesome
That ol boy got some tricks up his sleeve. Love to watch a pro at work
The 239, 272, and 312 Y block was preceded by another Y block that was introduced in 1952 with a 279, 317 and 368 CID displacement of which the 368 was called the Turnpike Cruiser. It featured side by side and not stacked siamesed intake and exhaust ports, hydraulic lifters and was rumored to be the engine that Ed Cole copied off of to start the design the small block Chevy. .
Lincoln Y- block. 279, 302, 317, 332, 341, 368 cu.in.
Love it! I've been a Ford kid since the late 80s at Street Machine Nationals with my Uncle, about 1994 he bought a 66 Mustang, and I was involved ever since.
Holly Smoke ..... Keith Dorton is in the House . I am getting ready to rebuild a 292 in a ancient wood chipper . I will for sure use his oiling tricks .
That plumbing for the oil lines is pretty clever. I remember my dad saying that Y blocks had oiling problems.
That plumbing is not even necessary. Simply ensuring that the cam groove depth and width is good is enough but it can be taken farther with a camshaft bearing that is grooved along the outside perimeter or cutting a groove into the block, which requires restrictors to prevent too much oil from going to the rockers.
@@charliemccraney 🤣🤣
Clever indeed, and out of sight. Back in the day, the fix was aftermarket "oilers" that consisted of copper or aluminum lines running along the tops of each valve cover, and T-ed into the covers with brass fittings at several places, so as to squirt oil all along the rocker assemblies. Not very pretty and with so many fittings involved, leaks were inevitable, but they were effective, nonetheless. There may have been other configured fixes but those are the only ones I saw. My first car, a '57 Fairlane 500, had the 292 in it, but I never went the aftermarket oiler route. It also had the bulletproof 2-speed auto trans -- the toughest ever built by Ford, in my opinion.
One improvement you can make to the rocker oiling is to use a later camshaft with a grooved center bearing journal, or have a groove machined in the one you have. That way, the oil feed to the rockers is constant instead of intermittent. The other fix is to block off that tube that comes off of one of the rocker shaft stands. That way, ALL the oil goes to the rockers, not just part of it.
Built a few here in Australia
Great old motors. Don’t see many these days
Had 59 f350 dump. Replaced 6cylinder with 292 yblock mated to t98 trans. One tough truck. Loved the sound of the y block. Was very dependable.
Threading and placing a bolt into the rocker block is exactly what I did on the 272 that I overhauled when I was about 22 years old.
Reading the disclaimer made for more enjoyment as I ran those engines hard. I knew about the cam bearing problem and took that particular bearing to the lathe where I cut a groove around the bearing shell so that if the bearing did happen to spin and block the oil from coming to the top then I had it covered. I also staked the bearing through the oil hole to help keep it from spinning. I seen lots of them with oil lines on the outside and run through the cover and it made a mess. I would take a long drill and go down though the head and drill through the bearing to see if I could get it back and did on most. I liked that lifter in block design and thought hard on could I replicate it in another block but to no avail. They were very undervalued engines and I constantly won lots of races with them, very good piece of history
Too many people want to make this engine out to be mechanically problemed on the design aspect. People tend to think the oil issues was all mechanical outside of the cam bearing which there were two different styles used based off when the engine was built majority of the oiling problem was caused by bad quality oil that allowed the passage to the rocker arms get blocked off.
My 292 in my '56 has never been out and never been apart still pumps oil like it was designed to because it was a well taken care of engine that had oil changes done with quality oil at the 2,000 mile change interval. Only problem I am encountering is the load o matic distributor issues I am trying to straighten out as I truly don't want to spend the outrageous price for a reman unit and have to wait.
@@Milner62 For which I used to know so well and loved the engine as it was my first real race one which took every thing I poured at it. I did race but I didn't try to blow it up, I just got all she was worth. I couldn't ask for more and it did make me more than I spent and it was well taken care of
@@morgansword, Of course, its why my fordor 56 will retain the original 292. I could do like everyone else and upgrade but the 292 is over 60 years old without a rebuild, sat for nearly half of that time, engine was seized up but a little MMO and 10w30 oil mix in each cylinder got the engine freed up and here I am a good 5 or 6 years later with the engine running just slowly working the bugs out of it as when the car was parked it was at a time when OE correct parts were not common place and lots of rigging. Took me nearly a year to find a NOS dual reservoir vacuum advance for my Holley Load O Matic distributor which I think I need to pull and have rebuilt anyways. But all of that doesn't stop the engine from running and going down the road. Just isn't running exactly how it should run.
I don't buy that. You might drill through the head and drill through the block, but not at the same time. Look at the video. At 7:15-7:24, you will see a slot in the head. One part of the slot lines up with the center of the block, that's where the oil galley to the center cam bearing is, the other end of the slot is the oil galley to the rocker arm shaft. That "groove" in the head is the biggest oiling problem. I don't know just how many of those I scraped hard burnt oil, almost carbon, out of. If nothing is done to the "groove", you don't accomplish anything.
@@ronaldharris2439 If the solid back on the cam bearing is covering the hole to the block where the oil travels to the rocker assembly, it can not get oil. The back of the cam bearing doesn't have the groove for the oil to circulate around and get to that oil passageway. Before I put the cam in the engine, I would spike the bearing so it could not spin and hence not get oil to the top. The one only head I ever tried, allowed me to go to the cam bearing and drill a hole down to the cam without tearing it down. I don't know personally if any other block was the same way... I grew up running those engines to the limits of their capacity to spin, including doing a turbo on several and also using a blower off of a detroit diesel engine myself. Working for Bendix Corporation had its benefits. If I am so wrong then why did it work everytime I spiked those bearings so they couldn't turn in the block?
Although primitive by today's standards these were a pretty high tech compared to the flathead. One thing that's kinda cool is my 5.0 coyote is also a Y-block with it's deep skirts that help tie in all the main caps. So, in some small way, it kinda like the old Y block lives on.
The video was well done with great videography, explanation and fast forward at appropriate times. Good job.
Thank you very much!
Great to see an old engine brought back to life by an expert. Modern ideas carefully integrated for durability is excellent.
using cocking and a cheap pistonring Tool is what you call an Expert ?
@@10zoll Well...as far as I can gather ...he's forgotten more about V8 engines then you'll ever know.
In 1982 I bought a 57 F-100 that had a Y-block in it. I was never sure if I was a 272 or a 292, but it was a torky engine, it was just as easy to take off in second as it was in first gear. I remember the two barrel carb was roughly the size of a 16 ounce beer can.
My dad bought a 57 Mercury M100 truck with a 292 in 92, truck sounded and looked so damn good, fast as hell too!
The '57 Ford truck was available with supercharged 312"
57 series 292, had torque up the wazoo. 292 w 272 heads raised comp and could lug to nothing and walk right out of it. Perfect for hauling hay!
Thank you for sharing this build with us buddy! I've been trying to watch it since you posted it, but something always interrupted me when I'd click on it. When you think about it, 220 HP/290 lb ft isn't terrible considering the low compression ratio, deep combustion chambers, small valve faces, and flat top pistons. Imagine if he wouldve shaved the heads, extreme port and polish the intake and exhaust ports, larger valves, put some high compression forged rods and pistons in it, gone for an extreme performance cam, dual valve springs, 5 angle valve job, and brought the static compression ratio up to around 12 or 13:1. That old Y block could be capable of 400-450 HP without any power adders. The crank looked stout enough to support some power, but if not I'm sure a forged crank could be arranged. Imagine a 292 cubic inch V8 capable of 450 HP just naturally aspirated...I'd really like to see this builder's performance Y block buildup and see it ran on the engine dyno. Thanks again for sharing this oddball build with us!
Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for watching. Dorton has a Y-block build coming up over the winter that is supposed to be a significantly higher-horsepower upgrade versus stock, and I hope I'm able to document that build too. That's the main reason I shot this build, so we could see the differences. Thanks again!
@@TheHorsepowerMonster I sure hope that you get the chance to document that build because I'll definitely be watching. Actually, I'll be watching regardless, but I'll pay extra close attention for that episode! Lol
I’m looking to do a shoestring budget rebuild on a 272 that’s for a 55 Fairlane my grandma gave me. I’m hoping to bring an old heirloom back to life and maybe even give it a little more get up and go if I can. Got any more tips that could help?
Y Blocks have already been built, up to about 700hp naturally aspirated and 1000hp boosted. They have participated in engine masters for the past 10 years or so, producing as much as 603hp at that competition, many times over 500hp and at the most recent one, a pump gas, iron headed 303ci produced 430hp. At the Y Block Nationals, there are participants at all levels, from stock to purpose built dragsters, many of which exceed 500hp. This is a great event to go to if you want to see them in action and talk to people who have been building and racing them for decades.
At this point in time, 400-450hp is not a challenge at all.
The stacked intake ports on the heads is funky. Cool build
1961; building engines in an auto supply machine shop, it seemed that nearly every Y-block that came through the shop had a flat cam. But when they were running right, I was always fascinated at how slowly and smoothly they idled; reminded me of a fine watch. Was hoping to get a glimpse of that in this video, knowing a stock cam was being used, but oh, well...☹
Thank you for this video. I'm in the process of rebuilding the Y block in my '55 fairlane.
Me too mines a family heirloom.
@@CreatorCade wish you great success on your build. I THINK you'll truly love working with the Y blocks. I did one way back in the last millennium.'1990/'91. Mine was a 312 hooked up to the air cooled ford-o-matic slush box. It was still running good when I finally sold my car in 2014. There's a lot of meat in the 312 y block. Could easily be bored out to .o60 from what Ive been told. Mine was bored out .o40 over.
I always trusted Larrys Thunderbird Parts and accessories for my needs. There's a couple of other reliable parts dealers for the ford y blocks. Just search the web and you'll find almost everything you'll need. Some parts stores will have items like oil filters, bulbs, fuel pumps, radiator caps spark plugs etc;. Good Luck!
Awesome video as usual , you never let down , Great work ... thank you for your time and passion
Thanks for the kind words!
IMO it's our duty as humans to preserve these huge amounts of knowledge and experience people like Keith Dorton has. It has to be passed on to subsequent generations. Guys (and gals) like this really know their stuff and I'm impressed everytime I have the opportunity to watch them work, just wow. And the mindset you have to have when you significantly customize an american engine is so different to the thinking behind european or asian engine technics. Diversity is king!
An oddity of the Y blocks was the 12 timing pins on the timing chain between timing marks on the oil filter side of the engine. That has threw many a person for a loop. Lots of Y blocks had external overhead oilers added back in the day. I have taken a few loose where they hooked up to the rocker arms and no oil would come out; drop the copper tubing down below the crankshaft and oil would trickle out. Every time the main on the crank would be worn real bad. I remember one that turned down on .030. I still quite a bit of Y block stuff.
I had a 1956 Ford in 1965. It had the 292 and a Ford-a-matic transmission. Paid $300 for it. Sold it and bought a 1957 Ford with a 292. It had a three speed manual transmission. Paid $300 for it too. Those were reliable engines. You could rely on having to stop for gas very often. They got terrible mileage. But those cars did have large back seats. Lots of fun at the drive-in.
the girls I dated wouldn't caught dead in the back seat of a Ford -let alone with pants off.
@@timmullens9479 I believe you.
2 57 Rancheros, 58 business coupe, and 59 wagon, all with Y blocks, 312 in one Ranchero , 292's in the others - open up the valve clearance get a little more top end, close it up grab a slight bit more torque. always fun playing with them once you cleaned out the sludge build up :)
Dave, you’re the man I wish I had a mechanic like you trying to help somebody out but he’s just not quite get at all there super job
Magnífico trabajo, felicidades. Es gratificante ver cómo funciona un motor de casi 70 años, reconstruido lo más original posible.
Brought back memories, the '55 Bird was my first car. (1965)
I know several people that were around when these engines were on the road.They loved the Y block and the power they had.
I had to work on them leak oil valves calking
We have one of those 64 ford wrong bed trucks in our collection. A guy named Hastings English bought it new. 3/4 ton. Set up high. I remember when we met him going down the highway. There was a plume of blow by coming out from the crankcase breather. Got to look under the hood. That truck came with a factory PCV. However it produced more puff back than it could handle. So they had installed one of those earlier cannister road draft on the side of the block. Many decades later. I bought that truck. Upon inspection. It was clear that there wasnt a hole in the block for that early road draft. They had drilled the cast and broke a opening.
This was good to see these old pro master mechanics rebuild that 65 year old engine, thanks.
Thanks! And thanks for watching!
Great video and education. I learned a lot about some upgrades for the Y -Block. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks! And thanks for watching
That sounds really good! It sounds way burlier than 200hp, I actually like the clickety clack of the solid lifters too
All of these huge old engines makes like 200hp but sound like 2000hp
They sounded best w glasspack stacks coming up right behind the cab. Made Thunderbirds sound tame. Loved that sound! Not too load either, just pure and smooth.
218 HP is a huge jump up from the flathead V8's that struggled to make 100 HP...
200 HP 70 years ago.
@@alexisg311 Can you believe we are still using gasoline for 100+ years now? The technology of engines has remained almost exactly the same. The only thing that has changed since the 1940's is the metallurgy, the invention of new nitride coatings, teflon coatings, better quality oil, better aluminum alloys, and not much else. The thing is, modern cars do not get better gas mileage. Somehow they have managed to put alien technology and modern computer chips into new cars, and they still only get 28 mpg.
My first car was a f250 with the 292 in it, loved that thing, still wish I had it. You did a great Job on this Video and I enjoyed watching some history.
Thanks a lot!
Ran a lot of these in the "old days". 272s. 292s. 312s. Last one was a 312 in my first '55 Bird with 3 deuces, Mallory ignition, headers, and a T-10 4 speed. Ran good, but prone to oil leaks. But I replaced it eventually with a stock 302 2BBL engine with an FMX Ford O Matic and it vastly improved the car. Faster, quieter, better mileage and leaked nothing. In my next '55 Bird, I had a shop rebuild the orig 292 -all stock. It was a nice running mill, smooth and quiet. 3 speed stick. Fun times.
We always called it the DSIP 312. That stands for "double stacked intake ports"!
Nice build. The oil reroute techniques are innovative.
I left mine just about all stock because I know if I push it it won't take it for long and the expense that goes into one of these engines just isn't worth the headache unless you have a ton of money to throw away. I changed the heads for a little more compression and had the block lined bored to accept the inserts instead of Babbitt, and believe me I was really struggling to even put that much money into it but I wont be drag racing my car since it's pretty much all stock except for the overdrive I installed for better gas mileage and hopefully less engine wear due to overrevving. The 35 had 4:11to 1 rear gears so I opted for a 36 % overdrive for open road flat driving and the lower gears for parades The little coupe isn't heavy so it should be ok for power but if it were a sedan and I were to have it full of passengers then maybe the 36% over would be way to much of a strain on the engine and defeat my purpose for mileage and power . Personally I would have gone with a small block Chevy but I didn't want to stray too far from it's originality . I grew up riding in a 35 Ford 5 window sine it was our second car for my Mom to drive . The Ford actually belonged to a very good friend of my Dads and he drove it on the weekends when he came to stay with us .
That is a timing chain! Good God!, what an awesome build.
I love these build videos of old engines
I like when they take the neglected V-8s of the first generation of OHV designs and see what they can do. The nailhead and caddy got all the attention.
Personally I loved that engine and for me it was a connection to sounding cool an for what ever reason, mine were exceptionally fast. I outrun all the power pack 265 and most 283 chevy engines without breaking a sweat. Mated with a T85 three speed I could get a solid 90 mph out of it and third was not impressive as that transmission was direct in third but second gear was long legged.... Skagit Speedway had my name on the winner wall many times back in the early sixties. After Nam I moved on up to the FE block and never looked back
Thanks for those videos in all the years I have been watching any videos none of them made me feel so good and happy oh man super best videos i ever watch as a kid I used Audels American books wish these videos were around Bless these Engineers
Very enjoyable video. I grew up with Chevy small blocks, never really understood much about the Ford 272/292 engines.
Thanks!
The Y-block was my first love. a 312 T-Bird in a 55 coupe. Nothing sounds like the "Coffeepot" carb and pulled as hard as that dual vacuum advance distributor Y Block.
i’m guessing you’re talking about the Holley 4000 4 barrel? it was called the teapot carb.
Great engines, I ran 4 myself. Crankshafts were weak I snapped two of them pulling medium loads.
Your timing had to be off had several, worked the living piss out of em. Never broke a crank. And only blew one head gasket. Lost a fan blade through the hood once though!
Thank you for posting this YBlock video.
You bet! Thanks for watching!
Yes,I ran a 292 truck engine in a '54 Ford.Noisy valves,all of the time.Never had enough oil on top.Drag raced it a LOT.Got 18 tickets in 2 years. I was just a kid.
I love this thank you. How amazing the knowledge and expertise of these guys.
thanks a lot!
I love this!! I find perfecting stock for a driver. very interesting.
Thanks!
Back in 1975 I owned a shop and the local city street department had a 64 ford pickup with a 292 in need of overhaul. This was a college town with an automotive depart so I hired a college student who said he could handle the overhaul. What he didn't realize was the cam bearings had to be indexed to the holes (he was used to small block chevys). At startup we had no oil to the rocker arms, so we had to pull the engine out and tear it down enough to replace the cam bearings again. Lesson learned!
I had a 56 Ford in 1974 thru 1977. Had a 292 Y block in it. Always ran strong. I miss the truck & that V8.
you say the exhaust port look like a small block chevy remember this engine came first
Gary Steffan i just thought the same
Yeah by 1 year, The Y-block was a turd compared to a small block Chevy. The Ford FE (352-390 - 428) was the first decent performing OHV engine Ford made .
Gary Steffan sbc heads will work on it 2 lol
@@4thstooge75 uhhhh, the 265 sbc was a literal turd.
I'd say Chevy copied the Y block on the exhaust port design.
Beautiful 😘. It's a shame that modern engines don't present that well
They mostly have a turtle!!
Fun to see. My original 292 in a 1963 F100 is still running. Yes, still on all eight.
My mid-year '56 Customline (no B-pillar) Coupe had a Y-block. The woman I purchased had always had the local service station change the spark plugs for her, however it never ran any better. When I got it I found that the rear plugs on each bank had never been changed. The answer was the single exhaust with forward crossover, you needed a contortionist to remove those plugs. It should have been serviced by our local dealer, (Geo.) Harrison Ford, which operated in this area until the early '70's. Narragansett Bay
Ouch! Reinforcing the sterotype of the slimy car shop that will cheat its customers by taking shortcuts. Thankfully, I think that is the exception and not the norm. Thanks for watching!
Great video, a true master at work.
Thanks. That's very interesting my dad had a new 1957 Ford wagon and it had a 272 V-8 hmmmm
Robbie Russell my 1955 Ford has a 272 aswell
@@2strokepower803 wow. They were ok motors!!
'57 Ford truck was available with supercharged 312"
I had an old 292 my dad got off a buddy of his we put in a 63 and a half Ford Galaxie but it had those oil line on the valve covers made out of copper went into the bolts it held a valve cover 2 oil the rockers it did run pretty good I'm glad you got rid of that old canister oil filter
Oh Man haven't seen one of these since high school in the early 70's.. Memories.
Thanks for the video, confirms I made the right choice selling off my stellar 56 Customline and large stash of Y parts years ago.
A high school friend of mine's dad would brag about having a '54 ford that would run a 12 second quarter mile. I think he was giving revisionist history. It was a hot engine in 1954, but a 460 hp Coyote powered mustang does a 12 second quarter mile.
charlesvan13 maybe it was 12 sec 1/8 mile time?
All et times depend on the gearing and the reaction time and skill of the driver. I've personally seen daily driver pickups that could do 12 second quarter mile times.
Lawnmowerman Reaction Time has NO AFFECT on Elapsed Time. The ET clock does not start until the tire moves out of the starting line beam.
@@cfisher11
I think it was some revisionist history.
There were genuine muscle cars in the 60's, such as a 390 Mustang, that would only do a 15 second quarter mile.
so does a 57 Chevy
Just got myself a 1957 Thunderbird this past November. 312cid engine and a 3-speed manual transmission.
Nice!
my dad bought a used Ford wagon for 600 in 1961 with a right rear fender that was 300 to repair. I learned to drive on this car and by 1966 I had beat this car a bit. It was a 292 4brl, dual exhaust auto. Always worked.
That John Mummert intake is awesome ... MMAD. He had a wide verity of neat stuff for these engines.... also, he and his son build fast yamaha YFZ quads.....
That's cool. I love his Y-block stuff (and knowledge), I didn't know about the Yamaha stuff. Thanks for watching!
on these test runs I would hope they break them in first and do a few oil changes. all the ring drag will overheat them and cause them to lose their temper . I always put a strong magnet on the drain plug to catch any shed metal and their is always some of ring and other material running thru this system not to mention any dirt that only hot oil will break free.
Traded for a 56 Ford pickup that had the 292 engine . I ran across a three two setup in a speed shop in Kansas city . Bought it dirt cheap and bolted it on for the heck of it . The old dog surprised everyone that rode in it . Sure wish I still had it .
I doesn't always have to be about big numbers. Nice work.
These Engines have been smacking the LS Chevies around in the Engine Masters Dyno challenge for a few years now. Sure do miss mine
joking right? LS engines have nearly double the hp
Mopar Direct Connection offered a mushroom tappet cam set-up for the 340 to run higher spring pressures without going to roller lifters, maybe class limitations. I think that's like having to turn your car upside down to change the wheels!
I love those old L heads.. they were fun to hot rod.. not many at all left around though.. I have not seen one in many many years.. Just did one of these 2 years ago.. it was my last engine.. Which seemed fitting to me..
Great engines, and with the improved oiling this one should be a real winner.