When the Ford and Mercury Y-Block (FYB) engines were introduced in 1953 for the 1954 model year, the oil pumps being used on those first models incorporated the same pump that was already being used on the Lincoln Y-Block (LYB) engines. The Lincoln engines using that oil pump were introduced in 1951 for the 1952 model year offerings. That pump incorporated a cast iron housing with a pair of side-by-side gears and is known as a spur gear design oil pump.
Continue reading “Ford Y-Block Oil Pumps”Tag: 272
Y-Block Top End Oiling Woes
A commonly asked question on the different internet forums has to do with the top end oiling problems that the Ford Y has been noted for over the years. Some of the answers are the result of years of misinformation and urban myths and have nothing to do with the actual reasons. And still other answers have to do with the disdain of this family of Ford engines and what the responder feels is the apparent need to swap the Ford Y out of the vehicle and replaced with anything else. But regardless, that top end oiling problem did and still does exist on some Ford Y engines. The occasional core engine does still show up here with those overhead oiling lines on it so that’s always a reminder that top end oiling issues are not only something that cropped up back in the day but is still with us today on the Ford Y family of engines. And I do still get the random call from someone with a freshly rebuilt or low mileage Ford Y that is not oiling at one or both of the rocker arms.
Here is the short list of probable causes for top end oiling issues.
- Rocker shaft orientation
- Improper cam bearing install
- Shallow camshaft journal groove
- Soft cam bearing babbitt
- Stopped up oil galley(s)
- Low oil pressure
- Cam journal groove is not aligned with oil feed hole
Rollmaster Timing Chain Failures
The Rollmaster true roller timing sets have been available for a number of years now for the Ford Y-Block family of engines. These have been a big plus for those engine builders that go to the extra effort of degreeing in the camshafts as the lower crankshaft gear is keyed for nine different camshaft positions. Before these Rollmaster timing sets came to market, degreeing in the camshafts on the Y involved offset keys or broaching new keyway slots in the crankshaft or camshaft timing gears. The offset keys were always questionable strength wise regardless if the valve spring pressures were increased or not. The practice of broaching new keyway slots in the gears is not an exact science when it comes to getting the new keyway in the exact ‘right’ location. The Rollmaster timing sets eliminates those prior difficulties.
New Life for a 1955 ‘P’ Code 292 Police Engine
When David Church acquired a 1955 Ford Customline two door sedan, it was found that it was originally ordered as a law enforcement car with the P code 292 and a three speed standard transmission. A little back tracking finds that the car was purchased new in North Carolina and when found by David, still had the 1967 North Carolina license plates on it but was now sitting in a South Carolina field. It had been well over 40 years since the car had been last registered and state inspected. Although that car had been sitting in a field for a number of years, a bit of fuel poured into the ‘Teapot’ 4V carburetor and a battery boost gets it started. It drives itself up and onto a trailer for the trip back to Mississippi. The odometer is showing 60K miles but when looking at suspension, pedal wear, and general oil and grease build up at various parts of the car, the assumption is the car has 160K miles instead. More time elapses and now the car is undergoing a complete restoration including an engine rebuild. The engine rebuild is where I come into the picture.
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Degreeing in the camshaft – Part I – Finding TDC
Part of the blueprinting process during any engine buildup will include degreeing in the camshaft. This operation is performed to insure the camshaft is phased or installed at the desired position in relation to the piston sitting at TDC. While degreeing in the camshaft during its installation may seem to be an activity reserved just for the race engines, the fact remains that it’s just as important on the daily driver applications as it is for high performance engines.
Continue reading “Degreeing in the camshaft – Part I – Finding TDC”
Hopping Up The 272
Although there were a multitude of Ford 272 Y-Block engines used in both cars and trucks, they are pretty much disregarded as the basis for a high performance build and for that matter, as a replacement engine when a 292 or 312 is available instead. While building a high performance 272 Y has been on the ‘like to do’ list for awhile, it has been a hard sell when the larger Y engines simply make those higher power numbers much easier to come by. That all changed recently when a customer wanted to use the original 272 block from their 1956 Ford pickup as the basis for a new engine in that same truck. In this instance, they wanted modern performance upgrades applied to it including a pair of Mummert aluminum heads.
Y-Block Ford – 3X2 Intake Testing
What started out as a simple dyno test to evaluate the performance differences between the small and large port Edelbrock three deuce intake manifolds ended up turning into a full blown test where seven different 3X2 intakes were compared on an engine in a back to back dyno test. The other intake manifolds being added to this test included three different intakes wearing the Edmunds brand, a Weiand intake and an Offenhauser intake.
Continue reading “Y-Block Ford – 3X2 Intake Testing”Cylinder Head Milling for a 1cc Reduction
In the course of milling cylinder heads for a specific decrease in combustion chamber volume, it becomes necessary to know exactly how much a cylinder head must be milled for a 1cc (cubic centimeter) reduction. Continue reading “Cylinder Head Milling for a 1cc Reduction”
Milling Heads for a Horsepower Gain
Over the years I have heard a variety of numbers from 2% to 10% for what a point in compression ratio is worth in regards to horsepower output. The ten percent value obviously sounded a bit exaggerated while the two percent value sounded a bit on the small side. Continue reading “Milling Heads for a Horsepower Gain”
Rear Camshaft Plug Installation
Rear cam plug installation on the Ford Y-Block engines dictates that it not be installed so deeply that it actually interferes or contacts the rear of the camshaft. Besides the obvious wear issue that can occur at the face of the cam plug, detrimental wear at the rear side of the cam thrust plate can become evident or in a worst case situation, the thrust plate itself can break. Continue reading “Rear Camshaft Plug Installation”