55 Crown Victoria Engine question

[FordJW]

A customer has a 55 Crown Victoria with a V8 engine. Since I am not familiar with these V8 engines I am not sure which it is. Judging from the casting number on the intake manifold it may be a 60 onward engine from a full size Ford.

My question lies in the oil lines that are running from the side of the engine block to the valve covers (see pics below). Is this some kind of improvement on the oil system or a shade tree solutions to problems with in the engine. Btw, the engine runs good (now).

I hope that somebody here can shine a light on this. Thank you.

 

[JeffB2]

That line kit is a common find on Y-block Fords and there are two reasons you might be using one.Many older cars were using non-detergent oil that was paraffin base which has a tendency to promote sludge which plugs up smaller passages which in a Y-block cuts off flow to the rockers,the other reason is some Y-blocks had an issue where the cam bearings would turn and also cut off flow to the rockers.the oil line kit is a band-aid for that.If you ever rebuild it and install new bearings and run a good grade of modern oil you will be able to eliminate the oil line kit.

 

[raceron1120]

It's hard to tell the engines apart without checking the casting #s on the side of the crankcase. But yes on the intake, it's '60 or newer and those rocker covers with the raised FORD are also a later application, I think they were intro'd in '59 or '60.

 

[Y-Blockhead]

What Ron sez about the intake... COAE 9425-F intake manifold used from 1960-64.

 

[streetdreams]

2B28 = casting date of February 28, 1962

 

[Daves55Sedan]

And it is a 292 cu in Y-Block engine

 

[FordJW]

Thank you all or your input. This will most certainly help my customer.

Is there a fix to prevent the cam bearings to turn? Maybe improved bearings or machining the block?

 

[Noswal]

What kind of oil pressure? Cam bearings are probably ok. More likely the rocker shafts are clogged and no oil is geting through to the rockers. Take the plugs out of the ends of the shafts and clean them good and you will probably see a very large improvement. As Jeff says, old parafin based oil and no positive ventilation of the crankcase really clogged these things up. Adding a pcv valve really helps to keep the engine clean and unclogged. These are tough, sweet running old engines and if cared for properly can last a couple of lifetimes.

 

[darrell]

i have never in my life saw a spun y block cam bearing.theres no more chance of it than a 302 or any other engine if installed right.

 

[JeffB2]

The cam bearing thing is very rare,we raced Y-blocks on dirt track back in the 60's and did find it on a donor block that had the oil line kit on it some "oldtime" mechanics also mentioned it also.I also had a Y-block that lost oil pressure when it snapped a shaft upon teardown we found a piece of cork gasket in the oil pump gears,strange things do happen.