I recently bought a '61 Fairlane 500 with the 292 Y Block so this was a great video for me. It's my first classic car and I'm learning as I go so this filled in some blanks about my engine. Thanks!
The Y block shares a lot of similarities with most of the first generation of American OHV V-8s. Two of which is the deep skirt block and massive weight. But it has its quirks. The stacked intake ports. Weird oiling system. The deep skirt really does not add that much weight and does allow for cross bolt mains. Heavy castings do. Given the Lincoln version shared the same bore center as the FE I have to wonder if Ford reused most of the tooling for the FE.
Thank you so much for sharing all that insight and information really appreciate it =) I was noticing that Ford went with the deep skirt design for their leader engines definitely going to cover Windsor/small block Ford and FE.. as well as other engine families
Had A 292 in a f100 4×4 highboy, 1964.⅔ with i think dealer dual exhaust side pipes , a cross over exhaust delete, " that goofy manifold crossover right in front" and a Carter 4barrel , 3/4 ton springs on dana 44s with 4" lift, long bed, forest green. Best truck ever. Traded it for a sailboat ⛵️ 😆. Bought it out of a barn for 700 bucks. Drove it for 15 years, its show truck in Houston now,
A small block chevy can technically be bored and stroked to 434 cid, possibly larger with a aftermarket block! Personally id stick to 383 or 400 , shame the 400 was never a performance engine. Imagine a 400 in a 70 Camaro with all the LT 1 goodness, or a 850 Holley, high-rise intake , LT1 heads a solid lifter duntov 3030 cam, about 12.9:1 compression long tube headers 2.5" dual exhaust,with hambered exhaust, a 4speed 4.10 gears . Awesome 👍😉✌️
56 T-Bird, 54 Customline. I grew up on Y Blocks and have driven or owned every one of your choices. Just like the modern Chrysler Hemi and some SBC's, all Y blocks needed to be serviced regularly and liked some oils better than others ... Note: All USA 292's had forged steel cranks and would spin to over 5K, which was pretty decent back then. The stacked ports limited breathing, but there were solutions. They could be ported to run well enough. Note the 56 Nascar versions. And they stood up to blowers pretty well. A blown 312 w G2 heads will set you back in your seat 😁
The first year for the 312 is in 1956. I had a 1956 Ford wagon with the "Thunderbird 312, Fordomatic trans, dual exhaust and LSD. It had a very unusual center float Holley 4 barrel carb.
From 54-57 all Mercury's came with 4bbl carburetors. In the 60s, a kid with no money for fancy parts could find a 10 year old Mercury for the same or less than a 2bbl Ford, Chevy or Plymouth and have the bragging rights of a 4bbl.
OK. The 312 Y-block came out in 1956. It was most common in Mercury's and T-bird's. And, yes, I know this to be true as I have rebuilt those engines in 1956 Ford's. It could also be ordered for the other '56 Ford cars and had "Thunderbird Special" on the valve covers just as in the previous year, the 292 in regular Ford's. In 1957, the T-birds DID have the 312 supercharged engine which are referred to as F-Birds. These were also equipped with 3-speed manuals with an overdrive unit. Then, also on the '57-Birds, there was a T-bird which had 2 4-barrel carbs, know as the E-Bird. There were 4 engines available in '57 T-Birds, the base 292 and 3-312's. Yup. I've seen the '57 F-birds with a 312 too in person person, one was at the now-defunct Imperial Palace Car Collection in Las Vegas. One of the things that I didn't like about the several Y-blocks I've worked on was their ignition distributors didn't have mechanical advances and relied solely on a vacuum advance, so under acceleration they had no advance. The only cars which would benefit from this would have been the supercharged F-birds to control pinging. The 292's in trucks were the darndest looking things. They only had single exhaust and instead of putting a "Y" pipe downstream, they put a crossover pipe across the front of the engine, right in the way of working on the engine. Hopefully it was cooled down, because it was a logical place to put a hand working under the hood!
Why back when we had a 1949 Dually wrecker. We pulled the flathead out and dropped a 292 in it. It pulled a non running Semi tractor up a 5% grade about 3 miles to a garage.
I love the exhaust note of 292 trucks! My father drove a 58 F350 with 292. Against dealer's advice they tried to upgrade it to 312 and it blew up and had to get another 292.
The Y-Block had oiling problems. The rocker arms could be oil-starved. There was an after-market kit that routed oil from the external oil pump directly to the rocker arms. The FE engines were excellent.
Totally agree Can’t wait to do the every engines going to try to cover as many engine families as we can this week I believe it’s going to be the poly had Chrysler engines to tie in with the dual ghia episode
It was easy to fix the Y block's oiling problem, but you will have to do some disassembly. First, if no oil is getting to the rockers, you will have to remove the camshaft. As this engine has "mushroom" lifters, you will have to block them up if the engine is in the car. After removing the cam, check the center cam bearing and make sure all three oil holes are properly indexed to the oil passages in the block and that it is not installed too deeply or not deeply enough. If the engine has never been opened up, and the bearing is not damaged or severely worn, they will be. Next, if your engine is a 54 or 55 engine, make sure the center bearing journal of the camshaft has a groove. The ones I have worked on from those years didn't, but I have been told by a know-it-all that many of them did. Machine a groove in that center bearing journal if it doesn't have one. If everything is OK, button it back up and plug that discharge tube from the rocker shafts that looks like it just empties out, so that the rocker shafts will be pressurized, and make sure the oil holes in the rocker shaft are clear. If you use detergent oil, and REGULARLY CHANGE IT AND THE OIL FILTER, you will have a rugged long-lasting smooth-running engine.
Awesome choices I really need to get into doing some foreign cars like some Canadian built cars it would be really cool to do some holdens There is a guy that has a hornet Ute that goes to Hershey I’m hoping that he goes because I would love to do his car
For WYR, I'm going to go with the '57 Thunderbird. It just happens to be my favorite for that first generation. Thank you for doing the Y-block. I've always been a Ford guy.
Ford envisioned these engines as being driven gently, with full power being used for occasional short bursts while passing. The valvetrain oiling was barely up to that but no more, and it wasn't long before excessive rocker wear and seizure happened when driven hard. Kits could be bought to fix this, with copper tubing routed through a hole you drilled into the top of the valve covers or you could DIY that. Most of the early engines were modified like this. You had to use detergent motor oil and change it frequently as the old oils had a high wax content and would clog up the oil returns. Without due care you could start having problems in as little as 20K miles which is abysmal as far as engine designs go. Some installations had the exhaust cross-over in front of the engine up front which caused more than a few people to get burned working on these engines. It couldn't match the SB Chevy in any regard, especially when hot-rodded, even with the rare and expensive Paxton supercharger, but it was good enough for the average driver who likely had a 6-cylinbder instead anyway. Later versions fixed these problems and the 292 was a very torquey engine that was popular in trucks, especially overseas where I'm told it was used into 1971. WYR I'm a sucker for the older 'Birds styling :)
As the owner of a 57' Bird, It remains my pick. It has a great sound when running.🙂 And a comment on the 312 Y-Block. Ours has been rebuilt 5 times now ( 😡) and it's always the same problem: Front cam lobes worn off from poor oil flow. The engine needs to rev, as the only oil getting to the cam is from spray off the crank. Seriously considering a mod I've seen on another you-tube channel, where an oil distribution pipe is drilled into the valley just above the cam. Too bad Ford didn't solve this way back when.
57 Tbird 54 Customline I've always liked the looks and styling of that 54. One of my high school rides was a 59 Ford. It had the Y block 292 it was a good strong engine but not without its issues. Namely oil return issues. While not a speed demon. It had plenty of power and lots of torque. None of the Y blocks have the sweetheart love that the Chevy small block gets. But the Y block was a decent engine. Mine ran like a top I never had not one issue with it except for keeping the oil returns cleaned out that was it.
They are a good sounding engine, The 265 when it first came out Chevy had problems as well and then they went for flow oil filter and then they didn’t have as many issues as Ford had Ford had a bunch of different engine families whereas Chevy just had a small block Chevy.. they did different big block designs but they did not have as many V-8 engine families as Ford Great choices i’m right there with your 54 is a really nice body style for Ford they are optical allusions.
@@What.its.like. I think we might have actually chatted about the 54 body style before at one time when you look at it it looks like it's a small car but once you get up by it and you sit inside of it is really a nice designed automobile. Honestly not small at all.
There is more space inside a 54 then there is an any of the later 50s fords which is crazy because those are huge but they didn’t Utilize space that great
@@carlmontney7916 That 54 is actually pretty much the same car as the 55, with the addition of the wrap-around windshield, and lowered taillights to allow for those little "cat's ears" above them.
This is quite possibly the best lesson I have ever had ..I have been working on all five shapes in E minor ...So now G major...Right!...Sixth note is relative minor... Sometimes someone needs to walk you through the MAZE of lessons out there and just show you... Thank you, thank you, thank you ..
Thank you so much for digging this episode =) I know what you mean there was so many engines introduced in the 50s Chrysler engines are really hard to navigate because they release different engine families during the same time as other engine families in the same displacement super confusing I know this was the Ford Y block engine family but Ford released a bunch of different engines in the 50s as well y block, FE, super duty
I had a Y block in my first car. 57 ford country squire wagon. I think those hp ratings are a little low. But they did have top engine oiling problems. As far as which car, I would have to settle for the merc. I tried to drive a 56 t- bird once. I’m 6’1” and couldn’t fit under the steering wheel.
Awesome choices sweet first car too by the way I should’ve made wagons part of the equation I’m a huge wagon fan Awesome choices sweet first car too by the way I should’ve made wagons part of the equation I’m a huge wagon fan I’m 6 foot two I fit in the car it’s just it’s not it’s weird in the 56 there’s a whole lot more space in the 57.. The floor isn’t tubbed enough and the seat is pretty much on the floor
A great family of engines, but everybody talks about and covets the Chevy V-8, the go to engine for hot rodders, a testimony to Ed Cole, for designing that engine.
The Y block was NEVER a match for a Chev. Sounded nice with dual exhausts though and the 55-57 Fords did drive quite nice. Here in Oz we never got V8 Chevs until around 1960. The 6 was all we got, they went ok but not quite the same.
All of these 54 - 57 Fords and Mercurys were great-looking cars. The 58 Fairlane 500 was spoiled by its side trim. From certain angles, it made the car look like it had been in a wreck and improperly fixed. The Custom 300's side trim was much better, as it mimicked the pressed-in details of the 58 - 60 Thunderbird, and didn't conflict with the body lines.
A great video and one that really hits home for me as I know quite a bit about those Ford and Mercury engines having had a '55 Mercury Monterey Coupe for many years. I was always amazed by the fact that a big 292 Merc engine could fit inside a small sized Thunderbird which had a wheel base of only 102 inches. But somehow it did! As for WYR. In the first choice I would happily take all three, but if I had to choose only one I suppose that the '56 T-Bird was the best of the three years and especially with its optional replaceable roof with the porthole. In the second choice, that is really a tough one as I really like the '55 Montclair in Artic White over Gulf Stream Blue, so if I were allowed to select my own colors I think that I would pick that model, but if not then I would go with the '57 Thunderbird. The '54 Ford Customline is a nice one too but I would have to pass on it given the opportunity to choose a small bird. 😊
Look at any Corvette (before the C8) and you can see the hood height difference - and wonder how an engine can fit in there and NOT drag the ground!! (and not have to "compromise" the suspension and the oil drain fiasco associated with most fords...
Thank you as always! WYR: 1957 Thunderbird (F code supercharged) for both. Even without the supercharger, the 57 with the longer trunk seems better proportioned and is more usable. ~ Chuck
Totally agree =) I wanted to see if there was any more supercharge cars in the late 50s compared them up like 57 Ford Thunderbird or 57 golden hawk.. I always thought there was a third one but I couldn’t figure out what that was the Corvette I don’t know if they put a supercharger on it but I don’t think that they made them in any big numbers
I have never read or heard the reason for the stacked intake ports. It's like they wanted to incorporate one of the flaws of the flathead into the new engine. Also, a fellow employee at the Texaco station I worked at in 1965 bought a nice 1956 Ford Custom 2 door sedan, 272, three on the tree. We added dual exhaust with a Walker kit. The cross over was removed & a block off plate was installed on the right manifold. The left pipe mounted to the front of the left manifold & curved over it & down behind. A pair of Walker Continental glass packs were added. Dual tail pipes over the axle & past the bumper with chrome tips finished it off. Sounded a lot faster than it was!
Thank you so much for sharing that story what great memories I’ve had cars like that as well that sounded a whole lot faster than they are.. but realistically the speed limits like 80 unless you want to get a speeding ticket. You could have the fastest car in the world the older I get the more I like the driving experience. I also love cars that the general population things are slow but they’re actually fast and find the drive
the reasoning behind it was more torque and more even runners, assumed stacking them (making them longer) would make them torquier, and its true. thats how a little 292 makes 300 foot lb
Hi Jay. You covered the Y block pretty well. There was another contributor to oiling problems in that the cam bearing in question would sometimes turn. The only other thing to complain about on these motors was that single exhaust cars joined the exhausts with a crossover pipe over the top and front of the motor, which definitely is not good for engine bay heat. I wonder whether the deep skirt design was a factor in not having room to join the exhausts underneath? Cheers.
A deep skirt on the block does necessarily make the depth of the oil pan greater. The deep skirt can be thought of as taking up part of the length the oil pan. But a really short oil pan might contribute to oil leaks around the pan gasket.
Just so you know, the 312 was introduced in 1956. All Mercury’s that year came with a 312. Also it was optional in the t-birds. 1960 was the last production year for the 312.
Great video. The mention for the 292 production in south america is for my country. Argentina here that engine equiped the ford fairlane and the f 100 pick up. Also Ford argentina in the seventies had made improvements in the engine. Mostly in the redisign of the heads and a local engine was born. The name was ford 292 fase 2. So here we have ford 292 fase 1 y ford 292 fase 2.
To be 100% honest I actually did this episode twice this was supposed to come out when the flathead V-8 engine episode came out this was going to be the very first engine episode but I couldn’t figure out how I wanted to present the information because Ford offered different horse power ratings for every single year between all of the different Y blocks on offer.. I scraped it I also did Lincoln y block and scraped it.. I think next week if I can find enough information we’re going to do the Hudson twin H Hopefully I found a site when researching different topics that had a lot of information I’m hoping I can find out again
@@What.its.like.You forgot to mention the exhaust pipe that was on all models. It made it into a single exhaust that was supposed to be more fuel efficient, really all it did was rob it of power and give it a very unique sound.
😂 My granny had a Crest line with a 312 my father and uncle put in it ☺️❤️. I had 57 thunder chicken hub caps on a 1969 Falcon 😜 what a beater 😂 Enjoy your day 👋👋✌️
Y block with that dumb crossover pipe on the exhaust. Supposedly to clear the steering box. But r/h drive cars had it as well,, with the steering box enveloped! The intake was a 'what were they thinking moment' and evidently top end oiling was an issue as well. I owned one once, someone gave it to me, it ended up going to scrap.
It makes sense they could’ve left the Y block at 212 for the 292 because the 352 made more power than that and it was a better engine if we’re honest =)
Ford started caring about fuel economy courtesy of one Robert S. McNamara. He didn't believe in performance, and was dead-set against Tri-power or dual quads, and even the 4 barrel carb. He thought forward motion was good enough.
Ford had a long run with Y block style engines. The FE series was also a Y block style engine. I don't remember the last year for the FE . . . . 1976 maybe? When I was a kid we had 1960 Ford car with a 223, a 1961 Ford car with a 390, and a 1962 ford car with a 292. Anyway, these were all good running reliable engines. My father worked at the Ford garage in 1970 -74They were giving these cars away, just to get them off the lot,. . . . or so I was told. and yap, yap, yap! 😂
These were good heavy car movers as long as detergent oil was used or overhead oiler conversions fixed the dirty ones. It was short lived and overshadowed by the fe series which i think was fords most universal series engine ever made .
Awesome I screwed up on the 312 it actually came out in 1956.. =) That’s awesome does the rest of the truck look hot rotted or is it stock with a y block engine
@What.its.like. itll be stock body dimensions with original fenders just dropped 4 inchs front to back. Stock body with new fabricated box frame with y block 4 speed toploader and early round back 9 inch. So its like an early style hotrod
Hi Jay! A COOL Ford engine episode! It blows my mind they made the Y block in South America until 1980!! These were very interesting engines, but the FE was much better, and the Windsor, while not as super powerful were always very reliable, at least in my experience. WYR#1 Ya killed me with non super charged for the 1957! Guess I would rather have the 1955 T-Bird. #2 Still going to pick the 1957 T-Bird supercharged or not. I like they did away with the continental kit and the fins are pretty cool! Plus it was the last year for the 2 seat Bird for MANY years!
Great choices =) Im with you its crazy they offered this engine for as long as they did with they oiling problems they had unless they fixed them in different markets
It is also worth noting that calling this series of engines exclusively "Y-block" is historically *incorrect.* The FE- and MEL-series of engines were just as much Y-blocks as these engines, and disregarding them when that engine lexicon is used is not acceptable. It's also true that other automakers outside of FoMoCo built their own Y-blocks, yes; but they can be left out as this covers only Ford engines...and the FE/MEL engines are also Ford engines, as well as also being Y-blocks (did I happen to mention that?).
@@What.its.like. Oh, I don't dispute that, not in the least. My dispute is with the "convention" of labeling those engines as the *only* Y-blocks Ford ever made, which is what the labeling implies.
'57 T-Bird... no contest. It's one of very few Ford cars that was actually good looking instead of god awful ugly. LOL Once again, I never would have guessed that song. I don't care for Boston... way too soft.
Aca en argentina algunos spmos fanaticos del y-block , fue el v8 de.produccion nacional , y tiene dos versiones ...el similar al americano y la reforma argentina ( fase2 ) con tapas similares a la del 302 .....saludos desde buenos aires
As I count Lincoln as a Ford it was first yblock in 1953. I and a lot of my friends still run yblocks, durable and tough with good torque curve. Factory power claims are engineering calcs only.
We are definitely going to cover the Lincoln Y block in a different episode I’m actually here sitting trying to figure out what engine episode we’re doing next week cause I have to do it before I leave for Hershey.. I kind of want to do the Hudson twin H I just don’t know if I can find enough information on that engine probably do the jet as well in the same episode
Totally agree and it’s the most usable =) The big bird that comes after it is the whole reason we share the crotch because that car the steering wheel comes out of the dashboard unless you wear a size 29 pants it’s going to be in your crotch it’s weird definitely going to Do that car again
I liked the 292 and 312.They sounded so good. Like music.With todays standards they were terrible engines. I always owned 283's because they were fun to work on.
The Ford Y block had a unique sound just like a flathead very unique sounding engines.. Chevy did what Ford couldn’t do they got it right pretty much out of the gate Ford had a lot of different engine families.
Never had a 1955 Thunderbird. I had 3 1956 T-Birds and 3 1957 T-Birds. If I were to ever have one again, it would be a 1957. Scenario 2. Again, the 1957 T-Bird. Also I prefer the 3 speed manual with electric O/D transmission.
I’m totally with you being 6 foot two getting in the 55 and 56 is a bit tricky it’s like getting a Corvette from that era.. have to go in headfirst The 57 definitely has more space Great choices
@@What.its.like. That's why all the early Corvettes were convertibles. Just don't bother ever putting the top up! (yeah, they're still tight between the wheel and the seat though)
The 57 is bigger I worked at a classic car dealership last year and I did a comparison it’s easier to get a 57 and it is to get in a 55 or 56.. I will have to do that comparison again I didn’t record it I did record it but it never got posted.. Also the 57 seat is higher off the ground and 56 I measured it’s like an inch or two difference which doesn’t seem like a lot but it definitely makes a big difference
@@What.its.like. the 57 is longer due to the rear deck. The cockpits are all the same. The cabin floorboards are the same. The tops are the same. The height of the 57 is slightly lower due to 14" vs 15" wheels on 55 and 56. The seat frames are the same. The seat upholstery differs. Power seats vs manual seats DO make a difference. Your working at a classic car dealership vs my having owned and restored 6 1956-57 T-Birds. Do not ignore that they ALL had telescoping steering wheels. How they are set makes a huge difference. The 57 also had a memory seat option that made the seat lower and go back to the max when key is shut off.
There is always tomorrow I try to premiere these at 4:20 every day lol sometimes I don’t make that deadline I’m not sure what tomorrow’s episode is going to be I think it’s going to be the 68 javelin.. or Rickenbacker/ but I’m not 100% sure
In 1958 the 352 was a y block and was used in many Ford vehicles in my application it is in a 4 ton dump truck. So go ahead and spray your internet knowledge down
@@What.its.like. - Ole Chari here is probably talking about the 332 Lincoln Y-block that was used in many Ford trucks. And like their Ford counterparts, they too were crap …
A man I'll never be/BOSTON
Yeah buddy =) congratulations you got it
👏👏👏 Well Done 🤠✌️
Awesome !
I hate you! 😭😭
That is a great deep track though. RIP, Brad Delp!
It’s such a great song =)
I had 2 292 until recently , lot’s of torque at very low RPM . Nice engines
Sweet what was your daily driver =)
I recently bought a '61 Fairlane 500 with the 292 Y Block so this was a great video for me. It's my first classic car and I'm learning as I go so this filled in some blanks about my engine. Thanks!
That’s awesome how do you like it =)
@@What.its.like. So far so good. Perfect for cruising. 😊
My father had a 57 Fairlane 500 with the christmas tree carb. That car would easily peg the speedo.
@@kensakamoto258 Uh huh. And it only took a few minutes to do it.
The Y block shares a lot of similarities with most of the first generation of American OHV V-8s. Two of which is the deep skirt block and massive weight. But it has its quirks. The stacked intake ports. Weird oiling system. The deep skirt really does not add that much weight and does allow for cross bolt mains. Heavy castings do. Given the Lincoln version shared the same bore center as the FE I have to wonder if Ford reused most of the tooling for the FE.
Thank you so much for sharing all that insight and information really appreciate it =)
I was noticing that Ford went with the deep skirt design for their leader engines definitely going to cover Windsor/small block Ford and FE.. as well as other engine families
Had A 292 in a f100 4×4 highboy, 1964.⅔ with i think dealer dual exhaust side pipes , a cross over exhaust delete, " that goofy manifold crossover right in front" and a Carter 4barrel , 3/4 ton springs on dana 44s with 4" lift, long bed, forest green. Best truck ever. Traded it for a sailboat ⛵️ 😆. Bought it out of a barn for 700 bucks. Drove it for 15 years, its show truck in Houston now,
A small block chevy can technically be bored and stroked to 434 cid, possibly larger with a aftermarket block! Personally id stick to 383 or 400 , shame the 400 was never a performance engine. Imagine a 400 in a 70 Camaro with all the LT 1 goodness, or a 850 Holley, high-rise intake , LT1 heads a solid lifter duntov 3030 cam, about 12.9:1 compression long tube headers 2.5" dual exhaust,with hambered exhaust, a 4speed 4.10 gears . Awesome 👍😉✌️
56 T-Bird, 54 Customline. I grew up on Y Blocks and have driven or owned every one of your choices.
Just like the modern Chrysler Hemi and some SBC's, all Y blocks needed to be serviced regularly and liked some oils better than others ...
Note: All USA 292's had forged steel cranks and would spin to over 5K, which was pretty decent back then. The stacked ports limited breathing, but there were solutions. They could be ported to run well enough. Note the 56 Nascar versions. And they stood up to blowers pretty well. A blown 312 w G2 heads will set you back in your seat 😁
my vote is for the 292 - almost 300 lb.ft. of torque for 1955!
Error - The 312 was introduced in 1956, not 57, Plenty of 56 fords had a 312.
Thank you for that correction
I have a 56 with the 312.. matching numbers car. Runs crazy well..
The first year for the 312 is in 1956.
I had a 1956 Ford wagon with the "Thunderbird 312, Fordomatic trans, dual exhaust and LSD.
It had a very unusual center float Holley 4 barrel carb.
From 54-57 all Mercury's came with 4bbl carburetors. In the 60s, a kid with no money for fancy parts could find a 10 year old Mercury for the same or less than a 2bbl Ford, Chevy or Plymouth and have the bragging rights of a 4bbl.
OK. The 312 Y-block came out in 1956. It was most common in Mercury's and T-bird's. And, yes, I know this to be true as I have rebuilt those engines in 1956 Ford's. It could also be ordered for the other '56 Ford cars and had "Thunderbird Special" on the valve covers just as in the previous year, the 292 in regular Ford's. In 1957, the T-birds DID have the 312 supercharged engine which are referred to as F-Birds. These were also equipped with 3-speed manuals with an overdrive unit. Then, also on the '57-Birds, there was a T-bird which had 2 4-barrel carbs, know as the E-Bird. There were 4 engines available in '57 T-Birds, the base 292 and 3-312's.
Yup. I've seen the '57 F-birds with a 312 too in person person, one was at the now-defunct Imperial Palace Car Collection in Las Vegas.
One of the things that I didn't like about the several Y-blocks I've worked on was their ignition distributors didn't have mechanical advances and relied solely on a vacuum advance, so under acceleration they had no advance. The only cars which would benefit from this would have been the supercharged F-birds to control pinging.
The 292's in trucks were the darndest looking things. They only had single exhaust and instead of putting a "Y" pipe downstream, they put a crossover pipe across the front of the engine, right in the way of working on the engine. Hopefully it was cooled down, because it was a logical place to put a hand working under the hood!
Thank you so much for that correction as well as all of the added information and insight I really appreciate it =)
In 57, Ford came out with a centrifugal advance distributor to fix that shortcoming.
Why back when we had a 1949 Dually wrecker. We pulled the flathead out and dropped a 292 in it. It pulled a non running Semi tractor up a 5% grade about 3 miles to a garage.
Awesome story thank you so much for sharing those memories with us =)
Owned two of these engines. One in a 1954 Ford, an a 1956. Extremely reliable engine.
As long as you regularly changed the oil and filter, and used detergent oil, they were fine.
I love the exhaust note of 292 trucks! My father drove a 58 F350 with 292. Against dealer's advice they tried to upgrade it to 312 and it blew up and had to get another 292.
Totally agree different sounding exhaust note
The Y-Block had oiling problems. The rocker arms could be oil-starved. There was an after-market kit that routed oil from the external oil pump directly to the rocker arms.
The FE engines were excellent.
Totally agree
Can’t wait to do the every engines going to try to cover as many engine families as we can this week I believe it’s going to be the poly had Chrysler engines to tie in with the dual ghia episode
It was easy to fix the Y block's oiling problem, but you will have to do some disassembly. First, if no oil is getting to the rockers, you will have to remove the camshaft. As this engine has "mushroom" lifters, you will have to block them up if the engine is in the car. After removing the cam, check the center cam bearing and make sure all three oil holes are properly indexed to the oil passages in the block and that it is not installed too deeply or not deeply enough. If the engine has never been opened up, and the bearing is not damaged or severely worn, they will be. Next, if your engine is a 54 or 55 engine, make sure the center bearing journal of the camshaft has a groove. The ones I have worked on from those years didn't, but I have been told by a know-it-all that many of them did. Machine a groove in that center bearing journal if it doesn't have one. If everything is OK, button it back up and plug that discharge tube from the rocker shafts that looks like it just empties out, so that the rocker shafts will be pressurized, and make sure the oil holes in the rocker shaft are clear. If you use detergent oil, and REGULARLY CHANGE IT AND THE OIL FILTER, you will have a rugged long-lasting smooth-running engine.
1957 Thunderbird…. My grandfather had one, sold before they became valuable.
I’ll add 1955 Canadian Ford Meteor
Awesome choices I really need to get into doing some foreign cars like some Canadian built cars it would be really cool to do some holdens
There is a guy that has a hornet Ute that goes to Hershey I’m hoping that he goes because I would love to do his car
57 T Bird, for sure. Nice job explaining this material!
Great choice
Glad you dig this episode=)
A nother good one thank ya 👍👍👍👍👍
Glad you dig this episode =)
Montclair. But like them all.
That montClair is a pretty awesome car =) Sweet choice
For WYR, I'm going to go with the '57 Thunderbird. It just happens to be my favorite for that first generation.
Thank you for doing the Y-block. I've always been a Ford guy.
They are cool engines with a distinctive sound glad you dig this episode
Cool choices =)
i have a '57 ford fairlane 500, 292 3 speed car. that little v8 is a runner...
Ford envisioned these engines as being driven gently, with full power being used for occasional short bursts while passing. The valvetrain oiling was barely up to that but no more, and it wasn't long before excessive rocker wear and seizure happened when driven hard. Kits could be bought to fix this, with copper tubing routed through a hole you drilled into the top of the valve covers or you could DIY that. Most of the early engines were modified like this. You had to use detergent motor oil and change it frequently as the old oils had a high wax content and would clog up the oil returns. Without due care you could start having problems in as little as 20K miles which is abysmal as far as engine designs go. Some installations had the exhaust cross-over in front of the engine up front which caused more than a few people to get burned working on these engines. It couldn't match the SB Chevy in any regard, especially when hot-rodded, even with the rare and expensive Paxton supercharger, but it was good enough for the average driver who likely had a 6-cylinbder instead anyway. Later versions fixed these problems and the 292 was a very torquey engine that was popular in trucks, especially overseas where I'm told it was used into 1971.
WYR I'm a sucker for the older 'Birds styling :)
Thank you so much for sharing all that information and insight really appreciate it =)
As the owner of a 57' Bird, It remains my pick. It has a great sound when running.🙂
And a comment on the 312 Y-Block. Ours has been rebuilt 5 times now ( 😡) and it's always the same problem: Front cam lobes worn off from poor oil flow.
The engine needs to rev, as the only oil getting to the cam is from spray off the crank. Seriously considering a mod I've seen on another you-tube channel, where an oil distribution pipe is drilled into the valley just above the cam.
Too bad Ford didn't solve this way back when.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with this car with us.. I got to drive a 56 Thunderbird with the 312 V-8 in it nice rumble to it
57 Tbird
54 Customline
I've always liked the looks and styling of that 54.
One of my high school rides was a 59 Ford. It had the Y block 292 it was a good strong engine but not without its issues. Namely oil return issues. While not a speed demon. It had plenty of power and lots of torque.
None of the Y blocks have the sweetheart love that the Chevy small block gets. But the Y block was a decent engine. Mine ran like a top I never had not one issue with it except for keeping the oil returns cleaned out that was it.
They are a good sounding engine, The 265 when it first came out Chevy had problems as well and then they went for flow oil filter and then they didn’t have as many issues as Ford had Ford had a bunch of different engine families whereas Chevy just had a small block Chevy.. they did different big block designs but they did not have as many V-8 engine families as Ford
Great choices i’m right there with your 54 is a really nice body style for Ford they are optical allusions.
@@What.its.like. I think we might have actually chatted about the 54 body style before at one time when you look at it it looks like it's a small car but once you get up by it and you sit inside of it is really a nice designed automobile. Honestly not small at all.
There is more space inside a 54 then there is an any of the later 50s fords which is crazy because those are huge but they didn’t Utilize space that great
@@carlmontney7916 That 54 is actually pretty much the same car as the 55, with the addition of the wrap-around windshield, and lowered taillights to allow for those little "cat's ears" above them.
The 312 was available in 56, in the Montclair mercury. I have an original one that my pap bought in 1971
Thank you for that correction
This is quite possibly the best lesson I have ever had ..I have been working on all five shapes in E minor ...So now G major...Right!...Sixth note is relative minor... Sometimes someone needs to walk you through the MAZE of lessons out there and just show you...
Thank you, thank you, thank you ..
Thank you so much for digging this episode =)
I know what you mean there was so many engines introduced in the 50s Chrysler engines are really hard to navigate because they release different engine families during the same time as other engine families in the same displacement super confusing I know this was the Ford Y block engine family but Ford released a bunch of different engines in the 50s as well y block, FE, super duty
I had a Y block in my first car. 57 ford country squire wagon. I think those hp ratings are a little low. But they did have top engine oiling problems. As far as which car, I would have to settle for the merc. I tried to drive a 56 t- bird once. I’m 6’1” and couldn’t fit under the steering wheel.
Awesome choices sweet first car too by the way I should’ve made wagons part of the equation I’m a huge wagon fan
Awesome choices sweet first car too by the way I should’ve made wagons part of the equation I’m a huge wagon fan
I’m 6 foot two I fit in the car it’s just it’s not it’s weird in the 56 there’s a whole lot more space in the 57.. The floor isn’t tubbed enough and the seat is pretty much on the floor
Too bad you didn't live near me. I could have fixed the top-end oiling problem for you.
@@jamesbosworth4191 that was in the 70s I’m pretty sure that car is long since scrapped
@@Frank-sf1wh I meant at the time you had that car.
Edsel got the 292 for the 1959 Ranger only. And 1960 In both Ranger and Villager
A great family of engines, but everybody talks about and covets the Chevy V-8, the go to engine for hot rodders, a testimony to Ed Cole, for designing that engine.
Definitely going to do small block Chevy on here one day
The Y block was NEVER a match for a Chev. Sounded nice with dual exhausts though and the 55-57 Fords did drive quite nice.
Here in Oz we never got V8 Chevs until around 1960. The 6 was all we got, they went ok but not quite the same.
All of these 54 - 57 Fords and Mercurys were great-looking cars. The 58 Fairlane 500 was spoiled by its side trim. From certain angles, it made the car look like it had been in a wreck and improperly fixed. The Custom 300's side trim was much better, as it mimicked the pressed-in details of the 58 - 60 Thunderbird, and didn't conflict with the body lines.
1957 Thunderbird for sure, the best looking sport at ever!
The 57 has the most space of the three of them I’ve been in all three the 55/56 arent comfortable if your tall 57 is Tolerable
A great video and one that really hits home for me as I know quite a bit about those Ford and Mercury engines having had a '55 Mercury Monterey Coupe for many years. I was always amazed by the fact that a big 292 Merc engine could fit inside a small sized Thunderbird which had a wheel base of only 102 inches. But somehow it did! As for WYR. In the first choice I would happily take all three, but if I had to choose only one I suppose that the '56 T-Bird was the best of the three years and especially with its optional replaceable roof with the porthole. In the second choice, that is really a tough one as I really like the '55 Montclair in Artic White over Gulf Stream Blue, so if I were allowed to select my own colors I think that I would pick that model, but if not then I would go with the '57 Thunderbird. The '54 Ford Customline is a nice one too but I would have to pass on it given the opportunity to choose a small bird. 😊
It was a small-block engine, even though nobody used that term yet.
They are relatively compact they are cool engines =)
Cool choices
Look at any Corvette (before the C8) and you can see the hood height difference - and wonder how an engine can fit in there and NOT drag the ground!! (and not have to "compromise" the suspension and the oil drain fiasco associated with most fords...
Awesome video thank you for doing the Y block
Thank you so much for watching I’m glad you did this episode =)
Thank you as always! WYR: 1957 Thunderbird (F code supercharged) for both. Even without the supercharger, the 57 with the longer trunk seems better proportioned and is more usable. ~ Chuck
Totally agree =)
I wanted to see if there was any more supercharge cars in the late 50s compared them up like 57 Ford Thunderbird or 57 golden hawk.. I always thought there was a third one but I couldn’t figure out what that was the Corvette I don’t know if they put a supercharger on it but I don’t think that they made them in any big numbers
I have never read or heard the reason for the stacked intake ports. It's like they wanted to incorporate one of the flaws of the flathead into the new engine. Also, a fellow employee at the Texaco station I worked at in 1965 bought a nice 1956 Ford Custom 2 door sedan, 272, three on the tree. We added dual exhaust with a Walker kit. The cross over was removed & a block off plate was installed on the right manifold. The left pipe mounted to the front of the left manifold & curved over it & down behind. A pair of Walker Continental glass packs were added. Dual tail pipes over the axle & past the bumper with chrome tips finished it off. Sounded a lot faster than it was!
Thank you so much for sharing that story what great memories I’ve had cars like that as well that sounded a whole lot faster than they are.. but realistically the speed limits like 80 unless you want to get a speeding ticket. You could have the fastest car in the world the older I get the more I like the driving experience.
I also love cars that the general population things are slow but they’re actually fast and find the drive
Ford was striving for equal-length manifold runners.
the reasoning behind it was more torque and more even runners, assumed stacking them (making them longer) would make them torquier, and its true. thats how a little 292 makes 300 foot lb
Hi Jay. You covered the Y block pretty well. There was another contributor to oiling problems in that the cam bearing in question would sometimes turn. The only other thing to complain about on these motors was that single exhaust cars joined the exhausts with a crossover pipe over the top and front of the motor, which definitely is not good for engine bay heat. I wonder whether the deep skirt design was a factor in not having room to join the exhausts underneath? Cheers.
Thank you so much for sharing that insight
Glad you dig this episode
There is one mistake the 312 came out in 56
A deep skirt on the block does necessarily make the depth of the oil pan greater. The deep skirt can be thought of as taking up part of the length the oil pan. But a really short oil pan might contribute to oil leaks around the pan gasket.
Just so you know, the 312 was introduced in 1956. All Mercury’s that year came with a 312. Also it was optional in the t-birds. 1960 was the last production year for the 312.
Thank you so much for that correction =)
Great video. The mention for the 292 production in south america is for my country. Argentina here that engine equiped the ford fairlane and the f 100 pick up. Also Ford argentina in the seventies had made improvements in the engine. Mostly in the redisign of the heads and a local engine was born. The name was ford 292 fase 2. So here we have ford 292 fase 1 y ford 292 fase 2.
I have a 292 in a 63 f600. It's not fast but has plenty of power and runs like new!
Sweet =)
I see you really did your homework on this one.
To be 100% honest I actually did this episode twice this was supposed to come out when the flathead V-8 engine episode came out this was going to be the very first engine episode but I couldn’t figure out how I wanted to present the information because Ford offered different horse power ratings for every single year between all of the different Y blocks on offer.. I scraped it I also did Lincoln y block and scraped it..
I think next week if I can find enough information we’re going to do the Hudson twin H Hopefully I found a site when researching different topics that had a lot of information I’m hoping I can find out again
@@What.its.like.You forgot to mention the exhaust pipe that was on all models. It made it into a single exhaust that was supposed to be more fuel efficient, really all it did was rob it of power and give it a very unique sound.
I love the 55 merc
Me too one of my favorites
😂 My granny had a Crest line with a 312 my father and uncle put in it ☺️❤️.
I had 57 thunder chicken hub caps on a 1969 Falcon 😜 what a beater 😂
Enjoy your day 👋👋✌️
=)
Y block with that dumb crossover pipe on the exhaust. Supposedly to clear the steering box. But r/h drive cars had it as well,, with the steering box enveloped!
The intake was a 'what were they thinking moment' and evidently top end oiling was an issue as well.
I owned one once, someone gave it to me, it ended up going to scrap.
Thank you so much for sharing that information
56 T-Bird and Merc Montclair - no clue on the song, great video for all of us in the Blue Oval Camp...
Great choices glad you dig this episode =)
Love all brands
Those Montclair’s 54-56 where rolling art
Very well done and informative. One of the more enjoyable you tube videos.
Glad you dig this video =)
Didn't mention the crossover exhaust used on the y-block.
Ford had to detune the 292 to justify customers would buy the 332, or 352.
It makes sense they could’ve left the Y block at 212 for the 292 because the 352 made more power than that and it was a better engine if we’re honest =)
Ford started caring about fuel economy courtesy of one Robert S. McNamara. He didn't believe in performance, and was dead-set against Tri-power or dual quads, and even the 4 barrel carb. He thought forward motion was good enough.
@@jamesbosworth4191. M
Ford had a long run with Y block style engines. The FE series was also a Y block style engine. I don't remember the last year for the FE . . . . 1976 maybe? When I was a kid we had 1960 Ford car with a 223, a 1961 Ford car with a 390, and a 1962 ford car with a 292. Anyway, these were all good running reliable engines.
My father worked at the Ford garage in 1970 -74They were giving these cars away, just to get them off the lot,. . . . or so I was told. and yap, yap, yap! 😂
Awesome information and insight we are going to cover the Ford FE one day =) as well as the Windsor/small block
54 Customline. Need the ground clearance where I live.
I have a 56 fairlane with the 292 and another 292 as a spare that came from a 64 pickup , it I will sell .
These were good heavy car movers as long as detergent oil was used or overhead oiler conversions fixed the dirty ones. It was short lived and overshadowed by the fe series which i think was fords most universal series engine ever made .
Totally agree
Ah yes. The heavy, long-stroke, stacked-port, rocker-squeaking, main-leaking, low RPM Ford Y block - Perfect for a boat ...
as an anchor.
Been wait for this video. Rebuilding a 1956 mercury 312 to go into my 1929 model a pickup
Awesome I screwed up on the 312 it actually came out in 1956.. =)
That’s awesome does the rest of the truck look hot rotted or is it stock with a y block engine
@What.its.like. itll be stock body dimensions with original fenders just dropped 4 inchs front to back. Stock body with new fabricated box frame with y block 4 speed toploader and early round back 9 inch. So its like an early style hotrod
Hi Jay! A COOL Ford engine episode! It blows my mind they made the Y block in South America until 1980!! These were very interesting engines, but the FE was much better, and the Windsor, while not as super powerful were always very reliable, at least in my experience. WYR#1 Ya killed me with non super charged for the 1957! Guess I would rather have the 1955 T-Bird. #2 Still going to pick the 1957 T-Bird supercharged or not. I like they did away with the continental kit and the fins are pretty cool! Plus it was the last year for the 2 seat Bird for MANY years!
Great choices =)
Im with you its crazy they offered this engine for as long as they did with they oiling problems they had unless they fixed them in different markets
@@What.its.like. Ford eventually fixed the problem.
It is also worth noting that calling this series of engines exclusively "Y-block" is historically *incorrect.* The FE- and MEL-series of engines were just as much Y-blocks as these engines, and disregarding them when that engine lexicon is used is not acceptable.
It's also true that other automakers outside of FoMoCo built their own Y-blocks, yes; but they can be left out as this covers only Ford engines...and the FE/MEL engines are also Ford engines, as well as also being Y-blocks (did I happen to mention that?).
But was the first Y-block engine family made by ford
@@What.its.like. Oh, I don't dispute that, not in the least. My dispute is with the "convention" of labeling those engines as the *only* Y-blocks Ford ever made, which is what the labeling implies.
Hey Jay are you planning on doing an episode on the Ford Cleveland?
Yes =)
En Argentina este motor se fabrico desde 1961, hasta 1987!!
The 54 Ford and the 55 Mercury.
Sweet choices =)
Both of those are stellar pics
'57 T-Bird... no contest. It's one of very few Ford cars that was actually good looking instead of god awful ugly. LOL
Once again, I never would have guessed that song. I don't care for Boston... way too soft.
Aca en argentina algunos spmos fanaticos del y-block , fue el v8 de.produccion nacional , y tiene dos versiones ...el similar al americano y la reforma argentina ( fase2 ) con tapas similares a la del 302 .....saludos desde buenos aires
I'd pick the T-Birds, '55 and '57😎 video
I would love to see a video on Chevy's big block engines i.e., the 396-454 c.i.
That is Chevy's SECOND Big Block. The first was the 348/409, the one with those scalloped valve covers.
Definitely going the cover that one here is a play list of the ones done so far
th-cam.com/play/PLhccQskrvCMlgntaUQqQEotrwZMNjtYb2.html&feature=shared
As I count Lincoln as a Ford it was first yblock in 1953. I and a lot of my friends still run yblocks, durable and tough with good torque curve. Factory power claims are engineering calcs only.
We are definitely going to cover the Lincoln Y block in a different episode
I’m actually here sitting trying to figure out what engine episode we’re doing next week cause I have to do it before I leave for Hershey.. I kind of want to do the Hudson twin H I just don’t know if I can find enough information on that engine probably do the jet as well in the same episode
Lincoln Overhead came out in 52.
I am corrected, just remembered my 2nd car 53 capri with 318 4 speed hydra@@jamesbosworth4191
'57 T'Bird all the way! Best looking of all little birds
Totally agree and it’s the most usable =)
The big bird that comes after it is the whole reason we share the crotch because that car the steering wheel comes out of the dashboard unless you wear a size 29 pants it’s going to be in your crotch it’s weird definitely going to Do that car again
I have a 1956 Ford Fairlane with a 312 motor
Thank you for that correction
In both cases, the '57 Thunderbird!
I liked the 292 and 312.They sounded so good. Like music.With todays standards they were terrible engines. I always owned 283's because they were fun to work on.
The Ford Y block had a unique sound just like a flathead very unique sounding engines.. Chevy did what Ford couldn’t do they got it right pretty much out of the gate Ford had a lot of different engine families.
As long as you regularly changed the oil and filter, and used detergent oil, they were very good engines. Bullet-proof bottom end.
I like all three t birds but I'd have to choose the 57
Sweet choices
Never had a 1955 Thunderbird. I had 3 1956 T-Birds and 3 1957 T-Birds. If I were to ever have one again, it would be a 1957. Scenario 2. Again, the 1957 T-Bird. Also I prefer the 3 speed manual with electric O/D transmission.
I’m totally with you being 6 foot two getting in the 55 and 56 is a bit tricky it’s like getting a Corvette from that era.. have to go in headfirst
The 57 definitely has more space
Great choices
@@What.its.like. Exactly the same space.
@@What.its.like. That's why all the early Corvettes were convertibles. Just don't bother ever putting the top up! (yeah, they're still tight between the wheel and the seat though)
The 57 is bigger I worked at a classic car dealership last year and I did a comparison it’s easier to get a 57 and it is to get in a 55 or 56.. I will have to do that comparison again I didn’t record it I did record it but it never got posted.. Also the 57 seat is higher off the ground and 56 I measured it’s like an inch or two difference which doesn’t seem like a lot but it definitely makes a big difference
@@What.its.like. the 57 is longer due to the rear deck. The cockpits are all the same. The cabin floorboards are the same. The tops are the same. The height of the 57 is slightly lower due to 14" vs 15" wheels on 55 and 56. The seat frames are the same. The seat upholstery differs. Power seats vs manual seats DO make a difference. Your working at a classic car dealership vs my having owned and restored 6 1956-57 T-Birds. Do not ignore that they ALL had telescoping steering wheels. How they are set makes a huge difference. The 57 also had a memory seat option that made the seat lower and go back to the max when key is shut off.
For WYR: 55 thunderbird and the 54 Ford
Awesome choices =)
WYR. I am a TBird guy and owned many. So you know my answer
=) sweet choice
Aw man I missed everything . Oh well better late than never .
There is always tomorrow I try to premiere these at 4:20 every day lol sometimes I don’t make that deadline I’m not sure what tomorrow’s episode is going to be I think it’s going to be the 68 javelin.. or Rickenbacker/ but I’m not 100% sure
have a 1957 THUNDERBIRD 292 3 SPEED STICK SHIFT wouldn t trade it for any thing
Sweet =)
1955 Thunderbird 1955 Meteor Montcalm (Yes, I know it's not on your list. But, it should be.)
Great choices and write in
The '57 and then the T-Bird.
Awesome choices =)
312 was introduced in 1956
Thank you so much for that correction Miss Spok I even drove a 56 Thunderbird with a 312 in it lol
You’re welcome. I have a 56 Sunliner with a 312. Love that year for ford.
312 was around since 1956
Thanks for the correction
Firing order
I have a 1959 running 272 for sale.
Sweet
56 with 292 be my choice
Easy
56 tbird is in my garage
Sweet how do you like your thunderbird
"...not counting..." Wow, what a contradictory statement 1:10-1:20
836 Rebeca Brook
14642 Summer Vista
All Mercurys of 1956 had 312’s. Our family had one. This guy doesn’t do his homework.
Miss spoke clearly it was a mistake..
Watsica Meadows
Schaefer Rapid
What about the 352.
That’s a FE engine different engine family
@@What.its.like. the 352 must have been the only fe to have the distributor in the rear.
@@charileross1986 -😂😂😂
In 1958 the 352 was a y block and was used in many Ford vehicles in my application it is in a 4 ton dump truck. So go ahead and spray your internet knowledge down
@@What.its.like. - Ole Chari here is probably talking about the 332 Lincoln Y-block that was used in many Ford trucks.
And like their Ford counterparts, they too were crap …
346 Andres Club
55 T'bird and Mercury
Groovy choices =)
Marty Rue
Enos Street
Celine Pike
Walker Corner
Larson Court
Funk Corners
Gerlach Crossing
Evie Crescent
56 bird and 57 bird
Sweet choices =)
Rohan Prairie