California Emissions on my 56?

[My Old Blue]

Had my 56 Country Sedan in the family since 67'. Long story short I finally pulled out of storage after 30 years. Minor fixes and still fired up and purrs like an old 56' should. I decoded the VIN and found that the motor dad had replaced, was not a 312 but a 292...major bummer. At this point I'm not sure what is supposed to be there.

I'm looking to determine if the hose attached from oil cap connected to air cleaner was some factory item or added for California emissions? In addition, the hose attached to the road draft tube to the carb spacer tube; another CA emissions thing?

I scoured all over the web for photos to explain what I have here and is it really needed.

 

[Bleach]

Looks like an aftermarket retrofitted PCV system but PCV's weren't officially mandated on manufacturers until 1961 by California. I think California may have required owners to get their cars retrofitted with these things on 55 and newer cars that didn't have PCV's.
If that's a 292, it may be a truck engine.

 

[Sid]

Definitely a California thing. Calif. had some crazy emission devices going on in the 60's and 70's. I also remember the green gadget that was spliced into your upper radiator hose with vacuum lines going to the distributor. And we all remember the smog pumps in the mid 60's. my father had a 52 Ford p.u. with a flathead V-8 and had to install the hose to the air cleaner to the oil filler cap.

 

[My Old Blue]

Looks like an aftermarket retrofitted PCV system but PCV's weren't officially mandated on manufacturers until 1961 by California. I think California may have required owners to get their cars retrofitted with these things on 55 and newer cars that didn't have PCV's.
If that's a 292, it may be a truck engine.

Everyday I see something new that does not look right, the exhaust valve is not attached on crossover and is actually down on passenger side manifold where it would be for the 312. I'd really would have like to have known where the motor came from, but was too young to remember.

You assessment on a truck motor adds to the mystery. I wonder if the air cleaner would have come from the 312 motor that was in it or it came with the 292 shown? I still hold out hope it is a 312 in disguise. Have not pulled oil pan to find out for sure yet.

 

[My Old Blue]

I'm drawing my conclusion I have a 292 from the crossover exhaust in addition to looking at shop manuals and photos, have not seen a 312 with that crossover.

 

[Bleach]

Yeah, I've only seen seen crossovers on 292's only when they're in trucks. My 63 F100 with 292 had one. It also had a 2bbl carb.

 

[Sid]

An original 312 car would have a P prefix in the vin code. If you go under the car you can partially see the crankshaft flange. Rotate engine and you will see a flat spot. In that plat spot a true 312 will have a dot about the size of an aspirin . This area is 180 deg. from where you see a half crescent missing on the crank flange. Use a flashlight. Manifolds and external parts on a Ford y block mean little as manifolds are interchangeable.

 

[My Old Blue]

Yeah, I've only seen seen crossovers on 292's only when they're in trucks. My 63 F100 with 292 had one. It also had a 2bbl carb.

Good stuff, thank you for your insight. This had a 4bbl and I found a second 4bbl in a box of parts. Now do I put them both on when I find a 4x2 manifold or put one on shelf for rainy day...decisions decisions...

 

[My Old Blue]

An original 312 car would have a P prefix in the vin code. If you go under the car you can partially see the crankshaft flange. Rotate engine and you will see a flat spot. In that plat spot a true 312 will have a dot about the size of an aspirin . This area is 180 deg. from where you see a half crescent missing on the crank flange. Use a flashlight. Manifolds and external parts on a Ford y block mean little as manifolds are interchangeable.

Hi Sid. Yes, my vin has a P prefix. I was under impression I could not see the flange dot unless trans was off. I'm going to take your advise and go look as you described. Yes from all accounts and reading post here and abroad I don't know anything about this motor I can trust externally to identify it. Thank you.

 

[dmsfrr]

I was under impression I could not see the flange dot unless trans was off.

..... I don't know anything about this motor I can trust externally to identify it. Thank you.

The flex plate for an automatic usually covers up the back end of the crank but you might get lucky.

ID? True. As Sid already mentioned, nearly all the external parts will bolt on almost any block.

If you can find the '6015' casting number on the block you can check it at this link...
http://www.ford-y-block.com/Block%20identification.htm

Is it a 292 or a 312? It's very hard to tell from the outside...
http://www.ford-y-block.com/identify312.htm

http://www.ford-y-block.com/crankshaftid.htm

 

[Motorhead6]

This is but a guess; if the PVC had been factory installed or state mandated, the vent line from the oil fill cap would probably have been routed from a valve cover to the intake manifold, not as it is here. My guess is that typical of Y-blocks, this engine has some miles on it and blow-by when it heats up, This is a home remedy to alleviate the smoke that you will see in your headlights at a stop light. This was a very common fix back in the day to a very common problem. I suppose the road draft tube has been blocked off too 'tho not necessarily; if not, it is most definitely a home remedy and even if it has been blocked off it probably is as described above.

 

[dmsfrr]

The PCV system wasn't factory installed in '56, maybe required later by whichever govt jurisdiction the car was in.
DIY? that's very possible too.
If the work wasn't done well or parts have gone bad, poor ventilation thru the block can encourage moisture / sludge buildup in the oil.

.

 

[Motorhead6]

The PCV system wasn't factory installed in '56, maybe required later by whichever govt jurisdiction the car was in.
DIY? that's very possible too.
If the work wasn't done well or parts have gone bad, poor ventilation thru the block can encourage moisture / sludge buildup in the oil.

.

"PCV" of course, duh. Thanks for the correction.

I've never seen a Ford installed PCV on a '56 either, but he doesn't know what year this Y-block is or where it came from. In any case, I don't believe that one is Ford installed, either at the factory or retrofitted, and apparently dmsfrr doesn't either.

You're probably looking at an engine rebuild down the road a bit. Of course those Y-blocks will run very well for many years even after they start showing signs of age.

 

[My Old Blue]

"PCV" of course, duh. Thanks for the correction.

I've never seen a Ford installed PCV on a '56 either, but he doesn't know what year this Y-block is or where it came from. In any case, I don't believe that one is Ford installed, either at the factory or retrofitted, and apparently dmsfrr doesn't either.

You're probably looking at an engine rebuild down the road a bit. Of course those Y-blocks will run very well for many years even after they start showing signs of age.

This old y-block has been up /down and sideways through the Ca. Sierras pulling a lil 15' runabout back in the 70's. Almost feel guilty converting to a 312 if in fact is a 292; I'll find out for sure with all the advise given on what to look for.

From all accounts here, it is clear an aftermarket PCV setup. Would it be best served to remove the PVC system and plug that air cleaner PCV adapter and remove the hose from road draft tube to the carb spacer port, then remove the carb spacer and bolt the Holley 4000 straight to the manifold?

 

[KULTULZ]

From all accounts here, it is clear an aftermarket PCV setup. Would it be best served to remove the PVC system and plug that air cleaner PCV adapter and remove the hose from road draft tube to the carb spacer port, then remove the carb spacer and bolt the Holley 4000 straight to the manifold?

Are you going for a dedicated restoration or just a nice driver?

 

[dmsfrr]

the exhaust valve is not attached on crossover and is actually down on passenger side manifold where it would be for the 312.

Would it be best served to remove the PVC system and plug that air cleaner PCV adapter and remove the hose from road draft tube to the carb spacer port, then remove the carb spacer and bolt the Holley 4000 straight to the manifold?

If the exhaust heat riser valve is at the outlet of the pass side exh manifold, you are correct, that's not where it belongs. When cold it will try to block off the only exhaust pipe.

There's nothing 'wrong' with a PCV system unless it's not working right or you really want to put the engine back to how it was equipped in '56.
Replacing the single exhaust with duals would be a good change too. The crossover style is a pita.

If there is a spacer between the carb and intake manifold it can cut down on excess heat transfer to the carb, which can boil out the fuel, especially in the summer. Plug or cap off the vacuum inlet tube on that spacer if you remove the PCV hoses. You'd also need to re-install oem style road-draft hardware in the driver's side of the block down by the fuel pump.

 

[My Old Blue]

Hi dmsfrr, good info to work with. The road draft tube is still in place with the PCV attached to it then up to carb spacer. The exhaust valve picture helps alot as from the position of flapper in photo, means mine is frozen closed as I have been trying to free up with some PB Blaster and would partially explain poor performance when I run up and down the block to see how the ol wagon runs.

 

[My Old Blue]

I took y'alls advise and got under wagon and took the flex plate off and with a flashlight watched the flange as I tapped motor over. You are right, tight space but I could see the flange and to my overwhelming joy, the crank is a 312!!!

 

[scicala]

The heat riser is supposed to be at the front of the passengers side exhaust manifold. That's where they came originally, and need to be there to force the exhaust through the exhaust crossover in the intake manifold. Dual exhaust cars had the heat riser at the exhaust side outlet.

Sal

 

[My Old Blue]

Are you going for a dedicated restoration or just a nice driver?

Going for a nice weekend driver with as much OEM VIN correctness I can put back into it. Don't see a full restoration in future but will add some nice wheels to add some flare, not too over the top.