New to the Y Block!

Rock. Im already seeing a few things i would consider changing for high performance or other. every engine is different i guess. Moving forward and will post my specifics with what i have done or not done later.

Picked up two books. http://hotrodenginetech.com/ford-y-block/ , a great book for engine work. And a 57+ truck mech. manual coming next week.
 
About thermostats and such, I run a 190 degree thermostat in the Y block powered vehicles I drive. Of course, I also have 4 row radiators. If you go with original 2 row and depending on your climate or what kind of weather you drive it in, you can always go with a 2 row radiator and 180 degree tstat.

For my engine run stand, I have an electric fan now that I use with a switch mounted on my panel. Very easy to operate. Once the coolant gets to 195 or so, I hit the fan for a few minutes. 2 row radiator on the engine stand. 180 thermostat.

The parts stores may not have knowledgeable folks when it comes to cross-referencing, etc. I usually ask for a Chrysler thermostat. The 60s thermostats from Chrylser had the larger opening like the original Y block thermostats. You may want to do something like that and compare the holes. I would not suggest running without a thermostat. Your coolant/water needs to slow down at some point so that the radiator can do its job and bring the temp down as the coolant falls down the rows.

As far as "burping" in concerned, things should be straightforward unless your radiator cap is mounted BELOW your intake manifold. If that is case, you might have some issues with burping, but I think that was only with the early 60s Galaxies that had Y blocks. After filling full with a cold engine/cold thermostat, I always leave the radiator cap until warmup of the engine opens the thermostat. You can visibly see the coolant level recede as it fills all the nooks and crannies. Of course, you can also close everything off, check your upper radiator hose temperature by hand, run things until it gets pretty hot, shut it down and wait for it to cool, open the radiator cap and basically the level will have already gone down.

Nice to see you able to move along.
 
Y-Blockhead said:
Be forewarned there are a few mistakes in the book you have. One that comes to mind is the picture of the timing chain, which tells you install it backwards.

Also, a new book coming out, due in September. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1613250614/?tag=atomicindus08-20 I pre-ordered mine.
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Well, most of the pictures in the reprint are barely recognizable. So maybe that's a good thing then. :rolleyes:

I verify most everything I have been doing by at least a couple sources. Hey that's why I ask a lot of questions here.




Hot Rod Reverend said:
About thermostats and such, I run a 190 degree thermostat in the Y block powered vehicles I drive. Of course, I also have 4 row radiators. If you go with original 2 row and depending on your climate or what kind of weather you drive it in, you can always go with a 2 row radiator and 180 degree tstat.

For my engine run stand, I have an electric fan now that I use with a switch mounted on my panel. Very easy to operate. Once the coolant gets to 195 or so, I hit the fan for a few minutes. 2 row radiator on the engine stand. 180 thermostat.

The parts stores may not have knowledgeable folks when it comes to cross-referencing, etc. I usually ask for a Chrysler thermostat. The 60s thermostats from Chrylser had the larger opening like the original Y block thermostats. You may want to do something like that and compare the holes. I would not suggest running without a thermostat. Your coolant/water needs to slow down at some point so that the radiator can do its job and bring the temp down as the coolant falls down the rows.

As far as "burping" in concerned, things should be straightforward unless your radiator cap is mounted BELOW your intake manifold. If that is case, you might have some issues with burping, but I think that was only with the early 60s Galaxies that had Y blocks. After filling full with a cold engine/cold thermostat, I always leave the radiator cap until warmup of the engine opens the thermostat. You can visibly see the coolant level recede as it fills all the nooks and crannies. Of course, you can also close everything off, check your upper radiator hose temperature by hand, run things until it gets pretty hot, shut it down and wait for it to cool, open the radiator cap and basically the level will have already gone down.

Nice to see you able to move along.
Click to expand...



I've been using a infrared thermal-gun to check temps on everything.

I'm not getting any flow from the stat I have in now. The guy with the 56 that I talked to at the parts store, doesn't run any stats on his car and it always runs cool. Maybe too cool. I may just put a restrictor in or go with a better stat. Not totally sure yet. Fairly easy thing to change out.

With the stat in, the engine had air in it on the top end. Removed the intake manifold water plug. Water did start to come rushing out after a second... so I quickly put it back in. It did take a second or two before it leveled out though. If I would have drilled a hole or to in the stat it would have filled better, i believe.
 
Timing chain: This is one from a 61 manual I got off the interweb. Must of read about 10 articles and assorted discussions on doing it.

Basically came down to having the crank gear set at the 3 o'clock position, 12 pins between the cam and crank gears, then index the dizzy to tdc 1.

121763
 

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Good job!! Sounds better with exhaust manifolds... :eek::eek:

I noticed in your video, left hand head by temperature sending unit there is a bolt hole. Need to put a SHORT bolt in there and the one on the right head in the corresponding hole. These holes need to be plugged, they are open to your internals and WILL blow oil out. Not too long of a bolt, >1/2", or it will hit a push rod and bend it.
 
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Thanks Yblockhead! I'll do that.

Had a little time to go out and put a timing light on it. I have faint markings on the damper and the tdc1 matched up when I had the heads off. It was running at 30 degrees initial advance! Oh no... backed it off to 15 degrees initial now. Hooked the vac up to the dizzy and rev'ed it up. Looks around 35 degrees advanced.

On a stock damper what degree is each tic/line?

I measured the circumference of the damper divided it by 360 then multiplied it by 10, for 10 degrees then marked the damper. 10 20 30
 
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IIRC, each tic/line on a stock dampener is worth 2 degrees. I think most stock dampeners go from TDC out to 10 degrees. Over the years, the marks get hard to see if there has been any kind of corrosion.

Y blocks like a lot of initial advance! Looks like you found that out, lol.

About the coolant and running with no thermostat. You may be able to get away with that for an engine that just idles most of the time, but if the engine is running at speed a lot, the water pump will push coolant through the engine TOO QUICKLY and will not carry enough of the heat off the engine itself.

Y Blockhead is right on with those bolt holes. Those are vented to the valley pan area and need to be plugged up. Like he says, nothing too long or it will interfere with a push rod.

Speaking of timing chain and gears, I finally sprung for one of these for my 312 build (over on Y-blocksforever.com)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/330847388194?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
 
HRR, looked for the 312 build but didn't find it. The engine was getting hot quickly before, after taking the initial advance down 20 degrees it runs much cooler. I would guess it'd have less power underload with that much advance too.

Thanks again for all the help. I'll have to double check the tics with my marks to see how close I am.
 
I'm looking for the conversion from road draft tube to a PCV on a 1964 292 Y block
Any suggestion on where i can find
 
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Not much ford stuff going on lastweek. Spent the weekend feeding gators in the everglades.

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Had some time last night to remove the front clip on the 57. Loosed everything up till I could recruit someone to help pull it off and set it aside. 6er ready to pull sometime tonight.

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Believe it or not... Marshmallows. :D I might be a little crazy, but not full-blown nuts, that's not my hand in that picture. However I am right there within a foot of that little 6' gator. We had a couple gators stalking us while shore fishing too, they'd submerge 10' out and then creep right to the edge of the shore.



Engine and trans out.

123475
 

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Hope everyone had a very happy Easter!

Saturday was degrease the chassis day, and then brush on some POR15 on the frame (rattlecan'ed the suspension). Had some shocks leftover from when I lowered my 53 customline, came in a kit but the ones I had were still in great shape. Knew I kept them for some reason :]'

Before degreasing...
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POR15
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Firewall next...
 

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Yep just going to do an engine swap, that is it. Just the engine :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Gas tank out. Looks a lot better inside then I thought it would be. But it will need to be cleaned out.

124741


The fuel sender float was completely eating away.... anyone seen this before? I'm almost 99% sure that the gauge was working only 2-3 yrs ago. The truck was not used a lot though and it always had gas in it.

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Things are starting to arrive. Clutch disc, plate, and bearings.

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Gas tank and radiator, back from the shop. Tank was cleaned and then Red-Kote was applied.

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Now it's time to clean the shop and start/practice on some sheet metal work. Lord help me now...
 

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Tinker said:
The fuel sender float was completely eating away.... anyone seen this before? I'm almost 99% sure that the gauge was working only 2-3 yrs ago. The truck was not used a lot though and it always had gas in it.

124742
Click to expand...

WOW!!:eek::eek: What were you putting in your tank, Battery Acid?:eek:
 
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