Y-Block – Eaton Balancing

More Power for the Ford Y-Block. Part 1 of 5

In the course of dyno testing various Ford Y-Block engine combinations, there have been a number of items tested that by themselves did not necessarily account for big horsepower gains but when added together do add up for a significant increase. Included in this list would be exhaust systems in general, upgrading to higher ratio rocker arms, harmonic damper design, crankcase ventilation and/or air evacuation, electric water pumps, oil pan modifications, cylinder head modifications or upgrades, intake manifolds, carburetion, and carburetor spacers to name just a few. I’ll add that in many instances where the power is being increased, the efficiency of the engine is also being improved; be sure to look at some of these modifications being suitable also for fuel economy increases.

More Power for the Ford Y-Block. Part 2 of 5

This is a continuation of a series of articles that goes into the different areas of the engine that can be worked on to increase the power and efficiency of the Ford Y. Keep in mind that many of these also apply to almost all other makes of engines and not just the Ford Y. These topics are in no particular order in regards to their benefits. Some are more beneficial when added or combined with others.

HARMONIC DAMPERS

More Power for the Ford Y-Block. Part 3 of 5

INTAKE MANIFOLDS

More Power for the Ford Y-Block. Part 4 of 5

SPARK PLUG GAPS

More Power for the Ford Y-Block. Part 5 of 5

BLUEPRINTING

More Power for a 1954 239

It boggles the mind as to how many 1954 Ford and Mercury cars and pickups are still out there running with their original 239 and 256 engines. But with it now being over seventy years since those engines were introduced, the need for parts and/or the rebuilding of those engines does become necessary even for those that are not driven much each year. While some of those 1954 Ford vehicles have been upgraded to a later model Y engine, there’s still a significant number of them out there still running the original engines. I normally shy away from rebuilding the 1954 Y engines due to the scarcity of some of the 1954 only parts that are on those engines. Some of those parts includes the camshaft, camshaft bearings, oil pumps, water pumps, and fuel pumps.

Roller 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 timing 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.

Flywheel Bolt Lengths

Add the flywheel bolt lengths to that list of items that must be watched out for when working on the Ford Y or for that matter, most engines in general.

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

The Importance of Dynamic Compression Ratio

The Dynamic Compression Ratio (DCR) is not to be confused with the Static Compression Ratio (SCR). The SCR is the compression ratio number that’s most often referred to when talking compression ratios but it is not the final say in determining if a particular engine is going to be pump gas friendly or not. While the SCR value may get you in the ball park, it is not accurate enough on those engine combinations that are built on the ragged edge for pump gasoline use versus needing a blend of higher octane fuel and/or racing fuel. The SCR value is simply the calculation that is the result of the difference in values of the piston being at bottom dead center versus the piston being at top dead center. Camshaft events and piston connecting rod lengths do not play a part in the SCR calculation which is where the DCR comes into play.