Worst Engines of All Time: Ford Y Block V8

Learn more about the Ford Y block engine used from 1954-64 and what issues it had. Unfortunately, it had a tough task to fill the flathead's shoes as its replacement, and despite having more power, it wasn't quite up to the task.

[@m.j.mateyka7350]

My dad was a mechanic in the 30's to the 60's. He had his own shop, so when I was 10 or so I started going over and helping him. (Child labor.) Just about every engine that came in had oil problems, because of the lack of oil changes, non-detergent oils, and lack of oil filters. My dad tried to convince people to change their oil more often, but few listened to him. (Remember the Fram ads that had "Pay me now or pay me later."?) One of my jobs was disassembling rocker arm assemblies, cleaning them and laying them out for my dad to put back together and put back on the car. Some times the entire rocker arm cover would be full of sludge. I would have to use a putty knives to get most of it off just to get to the bolts. He worked on a lot of Chevys (because there were a lot of Chevys), and they were as bad as the Fords. By the way, I change my oil and filters at 3,000 mile, because I was so traumatized by the image of those rocker arms.

[@muffs55mercury61]

Great memories.

[@m.j.mateyka7350]

@@muffs55mercury61 My dad's friend had a '55 Merc Montclair with a white top and the "Sun Glaze" bottom. We called it the Creamsicle. There were also Biltmore Blue and Springdale Green ones in town at the time. The pastels era for cars.

[@otm646]

I slapped heads on a sludgy (but not putty knife sludgy) mid '70s small block Chevy that'd sat since the early '80s. Owner switched to a modern synthetic oil. Car came back to me 6 months and maybe 4,000 miles later for a defective rocker arm. I'm telling you those rocker covers were spotless. That modern oil cleaned up that motor like a hot tank.

[@cammontreuil7509]

Best comment on here. That old grade of oils was not that good.

[@MarkBlackburnWPG]

@@cammontreuil7509 Agreed -- "best comment" on here. Really, is there anything better than people who know what they're talking about? Rhetorical question. Thanks to Donald Johnson, and M.J. Mateyka for eliciting the great, anecdotal comments here.

[@133dave133]

We have two 1959 F-600 wheat trucks with 292's. We still haul wheat every year with them. We've owned these trucks for about thirty years now. I'm not a big fan of Y blocks, but they have been durable engines for us. Excellent maintenance, and not over revving, this is why I think that we have had such good luck. These 292's love being lugged around the farm hauling wheat, but once you get on the highway, everything is out the window. Ford, was asking a lot by putting these small engines in these trucks, but they do surprisingly well paired with super low axle gearing. Life was slower and happier back then, even the trucks.

[@jimmy_olds]

Not a farmer but used to sell grain body trucks, so I truly appreciate your comment:) your last sentence is spot on, I have a 67 C10 with 3 on the tree (w/un synchronized 1st gear), 250 inline 6, and at least a 4 something rear gear. Her happy speed is 45mph, like you said, life was slower and happier back then.

[@paisleyprince5280]

@@jimmy_olds We still have a c20 with a 292, 4 speed, and almost asinine deep gears. It likes 50 mph lol

[@1SqueakyWheel]

It really was happier, I think! When I was little, my dad had a 64 or 65 (I can't remember which) C60 dump truck. A big hulking truck with a little 292 straight six in it, a 4 speed and a gigantic split differential. It would pull anything, but it wouldn't do it fast. It was slow in the highway, but hey.. it was a dump truck. It suited him just fine, and I loved riding shotgun with him in it. Great memories! He let that old Chevy sit unused for many years, eventually selling it to somebody else who only wanted the dual linear ram dumper off of it. I sure wish we still had that dumper to put on our LWB 7.3 F550... It would dump a lot more weight than the scissor dump we currently have on its 16 ft bed.

[@133dave133]

@@1SqueakyWheel Both our trucks have the telescoping dual ram setup. It's amazing how strong those hydraulics are. We just have to make sure that we are not on a side hill is all. Three pumps on the vacuum assisted brakes, and they will stop on a dime loaded.

[@1SqueakyWheel]

@@133dave133 Yeah that's just common dumptruck policy. The real dumptrucks, capable of dumping 18 or more tons, are very careful when it comes to lateral listing across an incline.... bad juju for sure! The problem with the cantilever dumper on our 01 16' f550 is that it's a conversion for a truck of that class, but only an 8 to 10 foot bed at max. We bought it already converted, as it was one of the three biggest selling points. Tips great when fully loaded with wood or scrap metal, but it can't handle the density of a 6-8 ton load of crushed rock that the truck is otherwise fully capable of hauling. Gotta shovel half the load out by hand before letting the tipper do the rest. Really makes us miss that slow old Chevy, or at least her dumper. And you're right, our chevy had a 2-stage duo also. We weren't capable of overloading that old truck! Both the c60 and f550 have/had wooden stakebed sides, btw, as I'm assuming yours do too.

[@FlaWebmaster]

I have been a Ford guy for over 60 years. Calling the Y-Block the worst engine of all time is an exaggeration. They had their problems, but they weren't that bad. As far as bad oil is concerned, that wasn't a Y-Block only issue. Sure the rear seals leaked and the rocker shafts wore out. I disassembled many a Chevy small block that had 3 inches of sludge in the lifter valley. Some early Chevy V8s didn't even have oil filters. My first hot rod experience was with Y-Block engines. In the mid sixties, they were cheap and plentiful. A Y-Block engine with a manual transmission would fry the tires to the ground. Back then, you could buy a decent car for $200. In the today's times, the Y-block seems prehistoric. Back then they were pretty cool.

[@stout7668]

It’s all on opinion. The Chevy engines were even worse

[@walterhammond290]

Check out the Dearborn Marine interceptor V8 from the 50s and 60s. Other than the bad transmission installed on the first generation of Marine engines, they were excellent. Very powerful and reliable. The y-block Ford had its problems but overall was an excellent engine.

[@misterhipster9509]

Y-blocks held up well due to the fact they didn't make a lot power.

[@bobmeyer7009]

Interesting. Back in the day I had a 312 Y-block, bored .060" over with high compression pistons, an Isky cam, flamethrower ignition, 4 barrel carb and headers - it propelled my '57 stick shift Ford quite nicely, and with no oiling problems at all. Careful assembly and the proper oil is all it took.

[@TKing-ph7bq]

I have had several 312's and like you I believe they are tough and dependable. I think the bad rap was because of people never changing oil or doing any kind of maintenance. If they were so bad why were they prized finds for engine swaps back in the day?

[@timothybyrom5560]

In with the crowd on this one. Good oil was the secret. A Y block with a PCV valve would thrive in today's world. They weren't a powerhouse, but they were comfortable torquey little fellas that if you did your part would last a very long time.

[@jamesfrench7299]

Good towing engine?

[@timothybyrom5560]

@@jamesfrench7299 Yeah, little slow by today's standards.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@timothybyrom5560 Actually, the 56 - 57 Y-block was pretty potent. Then in succeeding years, they kept detuning it, until in 1962 cars, the 292 only made 170 horsepower, (the 57 292 made 212 horsepower).

[@timothybyrom5560]

@@michaelbenardo5695 Thanks for the info. I'm not really an expert. I just know the experience I've had with some of the old trucks. When I was a kid a friend of my dad had an old one ton that he hauled logs,and firewood with. She wasn't the fastest thing around, but it would get it done reliably every time.

[@dougpersell8776]

@@jamesfrench7299 I loaded my f600 with scrap iron and pulled a trailer hauling my skid steer behind it. It did a great job i was very impressed i should have rebuilt it but replacing it at the time got me going agin. A older guy i know has a 50s f800 semi with a 292. For what it is size wise and time line it is a good towing engine. I am not a ford guy but when ford went from the flat head to the Y block they did great job a big step forward .

[@wyo1446]

I grew up around Y-Blocks, these motors were bullet proof, and much stouter than Chevrolet's small block at the time. Just change the oil like you're supposed to. The 57 Ford 312 was one of the fastest cars on the road, dominating NASCAR that year. I have a 56 F100 with a built 292, with all the modern upgrades, it rolls along with today's traffic with no problem.

[@antoniohosino145]

THE OIL GALLYS ARE ONLY SO BIG , SLUDGE BUILD UP RESTRICTS OIL FLOW & LUBRICATION EVENTUALLY CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE , TOP END TICKING , KNOCKING LOWER END , CLEAN OIL & FILTERS A MUST !!!

[@antoniohosino145]

FROM A ENGINE STANDARD FORD COULD HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG THE 10 - YEAR RUN , ANY LOGICAL MACHINE SHOP WORK TO IMPROVE LUBRICATION AND PERFORMANCE IS WORLDS APART FROM A PRODUCTION LINE ENGINE ASSEMBLY !!!! AT EXTRA COST OF COURSE !!!!

[@michaelnault5905]

Those Y blocks IMO get an undeserved bad rep. A very long time ago I drove small commercial trucks that were 30 years old at that time. They were powered by 292cid Y blocks. Those trucks gave daily commercial service for decades with enough miles on them to roll the odometers into infinity. They delivered adaquate power reliably for a very long time. They were serviced by a knowledgeable old school mechanic, but their longevity, and endurance were IMO remarkable.

[@mark_osborne]

Very interesting Michael

[@flight2k5]

I mean they rolled at 99999 so I’m sure it didn’t have that many miles

[@1965l88]

@@flight2k5 That's no gauge of how many miles they might have had on them. As far as you or I know, the odometer could have rolled completely over several times. With that said, I've had pretty much the same sort of experience with the 292 Y blocks as Michael. They're among the sturdiest, most reliable workhorse engines I've been around. And, they could actually be made to perform pretty well if one knew what he was doing.

[@flight2k5]

@@1965l88 naw it’s an American made engine from the 60s. It didn’t do it multiple times 🤣

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@flight2k5 lol stop it! They had just developed a slew of new engines with 1950s technology. They got better over time.

[@timfoxmail]

I rebuilt a 312, in 1966. I had heard about the problems with top side oiling and made sure that the machine shop that did some of the assembly also knew the secrets of the y block. I had no problem with top side oiling and the engine lasted a long time. Thanks for the memories.

[@MostlyBuicks]

My step father had a 1949 Ford 1 ton dually wrecker. He replaced the flathead with a 292. That engine was a towing monster. I also rode in a school bus every day which had a 292.

[@muffs55mercury61]

I bet that was fun to watch. Our school buses were equipped with Chevy 235 6 cylinders.

[@kevinmccune9324]

Those things didn't seem to have good starting torque, when you got them going they would chug to nothing and if oil changes were kept up they would run forever, they did have a problem with rocking arm oiling( theres was kit available to correct that) Also the firing order was strange, that gave them that funny sound.

[@MostlyBuicks]

@@kevinmccune9324 My two favorite sounding engines through dual exhaust and turbo mufflers are the Ford 312 and the Buick 401.

[@kevinmccune9324]

@@MostlyBuicks The old Buick was pretty popular with rodders back in the day, I had a "Mitchell" Dual exhaust system for My Brothers old 60 model Ford pickup,I do believe it helped it some doing away with the front crossover pipe, we may have even done away with the heat riser, not sure.

[@midnightgambler3718]

According to my dad, these motors weren't *that* bad. They needed maintenance and fresh oil on time, but they were never designed for racing without modifications. He had 3 1957 Fords that he enjoyed and used for years

[@67marlins]

Midnight- Your Dad was right. The Y block was kind of on-the-edge of "treat it right, and you'll be fine".

[@mchl8]

That's why it was no good

[@larryhutchens7593]

I was working on cars back then. Saw a lot of those Y blocks with the add on rocker shaft oiler systems installed. They had a good basic engine design, Y block & forged crank but failed with the little stuff. The over/ under intake ports were a bad idea.

[@wallbanger3]

I worked on those , the big problem was the intake seal it was a long seal The sealing tech wasn’t good with cork gaskets Right Stuff fixes them it’s a new sealing agent

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@mchl8 If you groove the center camshaft journal, or replace it with a later one that was made with a groove, it was fine. Easy fix.

[@andrewlevine8816]

The y-block is one of the most underrated engines ever. The shortest conrods are more than 6.2 inches long. They high swirl combustion chambers. The deep skirt design added strength. Everyone a side oiler. All had air gap inlet manifold. Had shafts mounted rocker arms Supercharged ones gave up to 360hp. They are great motors. Arguably one of the best small cube v8s Ford made.

[@76629online]

Agreed.

[@alkemy56]

Pertronics will fix that, had a unit in my 292 for 11 years and no problems at all. @denniswilson8013

[@mumbles552]

I had countless numbers of 292 and 312 motors in my '57 Ford hardtops and only threw a rod in one, a 312. It was the manual transmissions which wouldn't hold up to weekend drag racing. Low gear on the cluster would always break but installing a heavier trans with wider gears from a '56 Merc solved that problem. Also installing a 9" 4:11 geared rear end with leaf springs from a six cylinder '57 wagon with manual overdrive helped with the motors potential. Quite a few motors I bought already had the overhead oiler kit on them and lots were also full of thick sludge from using non detergent oil and running too cold from an owner removing the thermostat. They made the most beautiful exhaust rap by running straight pipe with 18" Thrush straight thru resonators up front instead of mufflers. Man, I miss those Y-blocks!

[@TheFordf100]

👏

[@garychiuminatto917]

I owned a 56 Ford Customline with a 272 and a 3 speed manual on the column. Bought it used in 1965 from an elderly couple with 25000 miles. My dad’s personal mechanic had it parked at his place with a fire sale sign in the windshield. The mechanic told us he had taken care of it since new and it was an excellent car. I bought it, changed the oil and filter every 3000 miles and never had a problem one with it. Once in a while being a teenager I would take on a Mustang 289 2bbl and never lost. I cared a lot about the car and didn't race it very often. I knew it wasn't a hot rod but it could hold it's own with comparable cars including the 283 Chevys. I always used Valvoline oil and wish I still had it. It was in great condition, idled as quite as a sewing machine and ran perfectly when I sold it. I have a great respect for the Y block. I also worked for a company that had a 25 foot bobtail and a dump with 292s in them and never in the shop either.

[@BD-xz6te]

I have personal experience with the ford Y block. They were decent engines as long as you changed the oil regularly. I still have one in an old F350. It was never fast but for a truck of that era it always punched well above it's weight and it withstood years of abuse at the hands of a teenage driver who grew up on a steady diet of Smokey and the Bandit and Dukes of Hazard reruns. That's a tall order for any engine of that era.

[@fadedjate7230]

What oil do you recommend?

[@BD-xz6te]

@@fadedjate7230 Pretty much any good quality oil works, but you really should run some additive with zinc in it for older, non roller cam engines. I believe Rotella still has zinc in oils they advertise as being for diesels. Also I'm a big fan of Marvels Mystery oil for Y-blocks. I couldn't tell you why but it made the valve train on mine a lot quieter. I could pour some in with the engine running after an oil change, and the valvetrain would quiet down considerably. It would stay quiet until the next oil change. I still run some in my 63 Ford SD series 534.

[@fadedjate7230]

@@BD-xz6te Probably gonna need lead additive as well.

[@67marlins]

I ran a 292 in a '58 Ranchero, and I'll admit it leaked from the rear main, and burned its share of oil too, but was probably abused before I bought it. Honestly, it ran strong and didn't get bad gas mileage. Like a man said below, I wouldn't call it amongst the 'worst'.

[@user-cs1ne8gx9u]

Agreed.

[@KeithOtisEdwards]

I think that was an even worse problem than the cam-oiler galleys: the rear main oil seal, which leaked on all Ford engines for years. I remember coming home from work and noticing an oil spot on my driveway, and I knew at once a Ford had been there. (It was the lawn service truck.)

[@cammontreuil7509]

Rope seal and burning some oil was normal. I never trusted an engine unless it burned a slight bit of oil.

[@user-cs1ne8gx9u]

@@cammontreuil7509 agreed

[@MostlyBuicks]

Some people will NEVER learn the lesson of oil change intervals and using the RIGHT oil. Most people treat cars as appliances and do not do the maintenance needed.

[@michaelf.2449]

Till this day I'd say a majority of the cars that are scrapped for mechanical problems are from missed oil changes.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

FACTS.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@michaelf.2449 FACTS.

[@Thomas63r2]

Adam, I'm surprised that you seem to be unaware that the Y-block remained in production until ~ 1990 for the South American market. It was chosen for its durability.

[@hendo337]

I thought it was till like 1976 in cars and 1977 in trucks...

[@fastinradfordable]

Yea but one year before Chevy small block. Was used in North America til like 2000s

[@jeffrykopis5468]

Just not terribly relevant to this channel, which is for American market cars. After all, the Cleveland was used in Australia into the 80s, and some French trucks had flatheads into the 90s.

[@Thomas63r2]

@@jeffrykopis5468 The French military flathead Ford V8's were the most evolved - fixing many of the design issues of the Flathead V8 last used in the U.S. in 1953. The French flattie is not legal to use in setting Bonneville land speed records.

[@jeffrykopis5468]

@@Thomas63r2 Yes, I know, they don't want you to have a reliable engine that can make 300 hp without blowing up 😆

[@3rdpig]

When I was a kid we had several cars with Y blocks, none of them were bad motors, they all ran well and had long lives...or at least as long as other engines of the era and were superseded by the newer small block, the 260 and 289, not because the Y block was horrible, but because Ford learned a lot and had incorporated those lessons into the new motor.

[@scottadams9226]

I had a 62 Galaxy that had a 292 that ran better than any engine that I ever had. It was the quietest engine I ever heard and I could pretty much start it anytime just by turning the key. I used to have the window down and reach in and turn the key and many people around said they never seen an engine run so good that didn’t have fuel injection.

[@dionrau5580]

The sound of the 57 Ford With straight pipes is glorious.

[@JakeSanMartin]

A 292 with straight pipes is the equivalent of angels singing.

[@Sundancer268]

My dad had a 1961 Ford with the 292, three Speed Overdrive and 3.89 rear end and we never had any problems with it. Dad paid $2250 for it and we picked it up April 20th 1961 and traded in his 1955 Plymouth Plaza 2 door sedan. Dad religiously changed the Oil and I got the car in 1968 for graduation. I sold the car in 1969 with 100,000 miles on it when I went into the Navy. Sometimes I still wish I had it, although I really miss my 1964 Galaxie 500 XL Convertible with the 390.

[@hendo337]

Was it a Galaxie? I always thought the 1961 Starliner was the most beautiful of the 1960s fullsize Fords followed by the 1969 XL GT. 😋

[@Sundancer268]

@@hendo337 Nobody said I could Spell.

[@pattyeverett2826]

My father bought a used 1959 Ford with the 292. He drove it several years with no engine issues. He sold it and got a used 1964 Ford(with the 289 I think) when it started having automatic transmission issues. We lived in a rural area, so there was no stop and go traffic. My mother was mad as she liked the 59. One the other hand, my grandfather had a 53 ford with the flathead. It was quiet as described. The low power did not matter as his top speed was 45 mph. It went 170,000 miles before a ring busted. He just got a re-built flathead which lasted till he passed away. (He was the same with his televisions, he replaced the picture tube 3 times in his early 1950s TV instead of buying a new one)

[@sking2173]

I would have liked your granddad ...

[@pattyeverett2826]

@@sking2173 He lived in a rural area, so 45 was ok. Now there are lot of oil field trucks running around, so it would be dangerous.

[@racekar80]

There is a competition for old engines that are hot rodded, they dyno them and there is a Y block builder that either wins or is near the top every year. The engine has a lot of potential.

[@hendo337]

Yes, the Y block has done well in Engine Master's competition.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

I've got an old Hastings rings basic engine rebuild guideline manual and it lists how to perform all the oiling system fixes for these.

[@Lousybarber]

My dad owned a '53 Ford pickup with the last flathead V8. Had drove that truck for almost 20 years. He once told me he was glad to have a '53. The '54 model was noisy since it was an overhead valve design. I was not aware that it had oiling problems on the top end.

[@waynelovejr.1005]

In 1976, I bought a '56 Ford pickup, with a 292, for $100 from a junk yard. I changed oil and filter, adjusted the valves, installed new valve cover gaskets, tuned it up, and rebuilt the carb. I then drove the truck to work ( 40 miles a day), for over 2 years, ( It never used oil, or let me down). I then sold it to my brother, who used it for another couple more years, then he sold it to a guy that hauled junk. That guy drove it another year before it finally gave up. It had developed an oil leak, and he ran it out of oil. Originally, the guy at the junk yard thought it had a rod out of it, but the solid lifters just needed adjusted. So, I think the "Y" block was fine for it's intended purpose.

[@Sedan57Chevy]

Ford always had excellent styling, fantastic interiors, and excellent market planning (who doesn't love the first gen thunderbird), but sometimes they dropped the ball with the mechanical parts and it's a shame. Still, I'd take living with a Y-Block over most modern engine designs that you can't work on.

[@strongereveryday2302]

Its because they have never innovated anything. They copy and make derivatives. Anything they did originally is terrible. Including everything modern. The new Explorer is categorically the least reliable vehicle on the planet.

[@Primus54]

Sedan57Chevy, I agree with most of your comment with one HUGE exception. Can you say “Edsel”? 😉

[@davesgarage78]

Agreed, I've had several Fords and every one of them were styled well, Comfortable, good quality fit and finish and had average if not underwhelming powertrains both in fuel mileage and reliability

[@sorshiaemms5959]

@@Primus54 EDSEL S DIDN T HAVE Y BLOCKS

[@mauser2134]

@@strongereveryday2302 lol they never innovated anything? what a stupid thing to say. the problem people have with ford is they always change. gm kept the same shit for years and because of that the aftermarket supports it well. gm engines are for simpletons.

[@dave1956]

Anyone remember the Frantz Oil Cleaner? I had a car that had one installed. You would change a roll of toilet paper that filtered the oil. You still had to do oil and filter changes, but at longer intervals.

[@keithstudly6071]

That's called a Frantz oil filter. You can still buy them.

[@thecollectoronthecorner7061]

Ive used them have one in use now. Replace with John Wayne toilet paper. Its not a oil filter . Its a Frantz oil cleaner. I am convinced that it does what the manufacturer claimed.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

I remember those. Neighbor had a 62 Buick with one.

[@ajwilson605]

Had one on a '60 Ford Falcon 170 CID I-6. I set up the return line to feed oil to the rocker shaft as the rockers ran dry because of sludge and cam bearing issues.

[@whathappened2230]

My family had a camper bus made from an old school bus. 312 ford Y block. At over 100k it would still do over 70 mph with us and all of our boats and gear. Take care of it and it will run a long,long time!

[@KenanTurkiye]

The amount of messages beginning with ''My dad had a....'' is amazing, ahh the nostalgia. : )

[@dmandman9]

My dad loved the 292. He stated that their main problem was a lack of lubrication to the rocker arms. But their was a popular workaround that involved running another oil line from the oil sending unit through the valve cover to the rocker arm.

[@Romanesquire]

Yes! They had a poor oil distribution problem. This extra oil mod is crucial for these engines. Thanks for this comment. I was going to write something about this.

[@johncoops6897]

@@Romanesquire - Yet those things were already covered in the video.

[@TheCatOfAges]

@@Romanesquire incorrect information. The external oilers often kill your engine because they steal oil-pressure from the crank and often make them throw rod bearings. The best cure for oiling? Clean your oiling passages, and run compressed air at the oil pressure sender. These engines oiled perfectly fine stock, with good oil.

[@toronadogofast7868]

We got around the cooking and sludge issues by draining the oil, reinstall the plug and fill it back up with number two diesel and let it idle for ten minutes. Drain it change the filter and add oil. We would also add about half a quart of ATF in the engine oil the other half went into the fuel tank. Kept everything clean and lubricated.

[@marzsit9833]

@@TheCatOfAges not incorrect information: the y-block had a design issue where the rockers received oil through passages that ran to one of the cam bearings, the cam bearings were oiled through a hollow camshaft. however, that cam bearing had a reputation for rotating in it's bore, cutting off the oil supply to the rockers. the solution was to add the overhead oiling kit, but lots of the kits were installed incorrectly. there were special fittings with drilled orifices to limit the oil flow but 'smart' installers didn't use them, thinking they knew more than the engineers. the problem still exists with y-blocks, rebuilders never did find a way to prevent that bearing from rotating.

[@scootergeorge7089]

I owned a 1957 Ford Ranchero with the 292 "Thunderbird" V8 engine. Heard stories about lack of oil to the top end so I started it with the valve covers removed. What a mess. OIL EVERYWHERE! A great running engine. With overdrive and the factory 3.89 diff, 20+ MPG at 60 MPH. A friend had a 1954 3/4 ton pickup with the original 239. That was a very reliable engine. The Navy used a mobile generator powered by the Y Block, called the NC-5. No engine problems that I was aware of but they had a bad habit of jumping into gear and racing across the flightline.

[@tomnekuda3818]

I had both a 292 and a 312 that I cammed and ran headers and 3 deuces on. It was very torquey and could be driven 80+mph all day. I set the valves at regular intervals and made sure that the oiling holes in the rockers aligned with the head. I loved the engines....not a lot of hp but plenty of torque. I always used good oil in them and changed at specified intervals. I always had wanted one with a Paxton on it but they were rare as chicken lips. Both were in 1957 Fords. One went nearly 300,000 miles and the other had a good 200,000+ on it. They used a bit of oil but not enough to have to add between oil changes. I would not classify these engines as "worst' engines at all.

[@Bill-cv1xu]

🤣

[@MrTheHillfolk]

I've heard a few of em over the years. I got a customer with a 57 Fairlane ,jet black and a set of cherry bombs and a little bit wider tires under it to fill it out nicely. Has a nice raspy poppin exhaust note to it.

[@67marlins]

Little red....you know this isn't a forum for 8 year olds.

[@user-cs1ne8gx9u]

Ya I think the worst is a bit hard on the old y

[@michaelf.2449]

@@user-cs1ne8gx9u I'd say all in all the worst Ford engines ever made probably came from the 2000's to 2010 all the engines before seem to be underpowered or complicated but nothing absolutely horribly wrong

[@christopherkraft1327]

These engines are from a simpler time with no smog devices & catalytic converters!!! They were easy to work on too!! Thanks for sharing another interesting porch chat!!! 👍👍

[@ryancampbell1252]

The Y-block continued on in South America until at least the mid 80's. Sometime in the 70's Ford came out with what they called the phase 2 Y-block which changed the head, intake and exhaust configuration. I run the early version all the time and never have a problem with them.

[@mbarker_lng]

The oiling kit reminds me of a similar kit that was sold to remedy a problem in the early 80's Honda V4 powered motorcycles. It was found that the oil supply was insufficient in one of the heads (IIRC it was the rear one) when the motorcycle was idling. Although some thought the real problem might have been the cam material was too soft, the result was the same- worn cams. Whatever the case was, the oiling kit would fix it by adding a direct supply to the cam area. EDIT: One other thing, on the quietness of certain engines- there was a mindset in the early decades of automobiles that "quiet = quality" so much effort was spent to make cars, esp luxury cars, to run quietly (even though the concepts are not actually related)

[@toronadogofast7868]

Same with the most LA engines. 273, 318, 340,&360. We would add a copper line inside the on #2&#7.

[@elizabethcarlson1321]

i loved my 292Yblock. I am a solid Chevrolet man, but the sound of a Y block on glass packs just off idle.....Sweet! I agree that the oil requirements were the big challenge with them. If you kept good oil in them and not let them leak, they were great!

[@Paramount531]

To be fair, Ford came very close to ditching their V8 altogether, a last minute decision spared it. Imagine the disaster that would have ensued if they had been stupid enough to actually not have a V8 only to be completely slaughtered by Chevrolet in 1955. Maybe a bad V8 was better than no V8. Even as a child, I hated the sound of the Y-block and its whiny starter. I loved the FE block, when tuned it was a really sweet engine.

[@ladamyre1]

Especially that long stroke 428. MY brother-in-law had a 428 SCJ (medium riser heads) in a '67 Fairlane that the clutch safety switch had been by-passed on. It had a close ratio top-loader 4 speed in it with a 3.55 gear in the axle. One winter morning he asked sis to go crank it up to warm it up for him. He had left it in first gear and it was parked about 2 feet away from the block house wall. She had never driven it before and got in it, and turned the key without engaging the clutch!?! It fired up, ran into the wall, and sat there, still running, chirping the tires with the firing of every cylinder. lol! I once tried to outrun him on a Kawasaki 750 three cylinder 2 stroke, which was a "superbike" in those days. I ran off real fast, wrapped myself around the bike and buried the speedometer, 10 or 15 MPH past the 135 top scale and pegged to the stop inside the gauge. After about ten seconds he came around me about 10-15 mph faster in that Fairlane! That 428 was a real beast.

[@thecollectoronthecorner7061]

Yes they used that long snout starter that engaged from behind the flywheel until 64.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

I have heard that too. Would have been pretty stupid, as most Ford buyers did not want a 6. They wanted a V8.

[@74rockon]

Hello Adam I’ve been watching your videos for a while now and you have a fantastic collection of super clean nice original low mileage cars and I particularly like your ford and mercury collection as I’m an avid ford fan well done sir! I have been exposed to the y block at a very young age as my father had bought a tu tone green 55 crown Vic in 1978 in butte Montana with a replacement 292 out of a 59 or 60 ford and all the years he drove it he never once had an issue and it always ran superb. He wanted to rebuild the whole car in 2000 and always wanted a 312 engine and that’s what he’s going to install into it and nothing wrong with the 292 at all. I own a few 59 fords and in the one it came with a 292 it was an oil burner but always started Right up and ran without issues and about 8 years ago I replaced it with a rebuilt 272 a friend was selling out of his 57 ford and all I did was add a holley 600 4 barrel pertronix ignition and I faithfully change oil in it and I’ve never had an issue. No I don’t drive it everyday and only drive it in summer but it performs flawlessly and gives me almost 19 mpg and is an automatic.the 3 major strikes against the y block was the misaligned cam bearings starving the upper portion of the engine for oil the tiny wee oil hole in the cylinder heads that once they clogged up starved the upper portion for Oil the rear main oil seals Would leak on the earlier ones and lastly lack of oil changes coupled with poor oil of the times along with if you drove on lots of gravel roads really shortened the life of them as that oil hole in the head would plug up even quicker. Other than that they are a good engine that gives decent performance and will last quite a long time if looked after properly. Yes it was quite the transition from the flathead and guys were likely shocked at this new fang dangled v8 but ford needed to put some power into there cars and get with the times as overhead valve v 8s were beginning to be the norm. Thanks for your video and I too would not consider a y block a worst engine as they for the most part got largely misunderstood.

[@dennisdaly907]

Yes!- Finally! - a mention of the cam bearings turning in their bores and blocking off oil to rocker arms.. That was the biggest issue with the old Y blocks I ran across in the mid-sixties...Pull the cam and stake the bearings or install an oiler (ugh) kit. I gotta say, though, You could neglect/ abuse and run 'em rough, and when those mains started thumpin' (the main reason for the rear main oil seals going out)- and rods began to knock, those beasts would still start right up in the dead of a North Country Winter.

[@dougpersell8776]

I have a 1963 f600 . I used it about a year with the 292 i was very impressed with it . It has a dump bed i hauled alot of 6/8 ton loads of gravel with it . It was very impressive for a small engine once it got rolling it wanted to go turning more rpms than i wanted . It had a rear main oil leak when i pulled the main it needed bearings so i found a wrecked 64 with a rebuilt 330. I was told i would be disapointed in the 330 after using the 292. It has about the same power but it dosent want to go like the Yblock did the 292 in a truck needed a governor. I never thought much about the ford Y blocks i always had chevy trucks. I have never heard any thing bad about the Y block from anyone that had and used one. Yes they are very dated today and not much of a build able hotrod engine but in a truck or daily driver there ok. In my mined after running one over 5000 miles hauling heavy loads the Y block will always be one of the best things i ever owned that came form Ford.

[@hendo337]

The Y-block has won Engine Master's competition in the Vintage category a number years.

[@frankpeletz1818]

I worked for a school district. EVERY one of the 350 Chevy/GMC 66 passenger busses would break a crank at 20,000 miles..The 361 Fords weren't too bad. But yes, a 330 was about as useful as a 300 6 cylinder.

[@johnkrag6]

They are a bullet proof engine. The original "side oiler". The problem with engines back then was sorry oil. When a y-block comes into my machine shop I make sure the #3 cam journal oil groove is deep enough. Back in the day as the camshaft wore into the babbitt bearing material it closed off the shallow oil groove. Plus I block off the oil drain tubes on the rocker shafts to pressurize the rocker arms. Keep quality high zinc oil in these engines and they'll for ever. Two other guru's of these great engines is Tim McMaster owner of Hanford Machine Shop in CA and Ted Eaton of Eaton Balancing in TX. They race these engines........

[@michaelbenardo5695]

FACTS.

[@leonarddean8800]

I had two 292s in trucks and really liked the engine. They were durable for us. We rebuilt both engines when we first got the trucks and never had any problems. They were a little tricky to get the cam gears timed correctly when you're putting them together. We would find a exhaust manifold for the left side that dumped out the back and did away with the front crossover pipe.

[@toronadogofast7868]

Would do the same, but run straight stacks with the metal flappers.

[@christownsend7602]

Where I grew up it seemed like most of the farm trucks had Y block engines in them and a common modification was to take advantage of the cross over exhaust and run the exhaust pipes out through the hood for use in the wheat fields during harvest time to help to not catch the field on fire while working with the threashers.

[@adamgallahan6747]

my dad has a 1964 ford fl00 that an uncle bought brand new and its still in the family. It’s mostly dent free but doesn’t look the best visually but it’s all the same original red color but it has a four-speed manual and the 292 y block and man it runs amazingly! has great sounding exhaust, headers and I’m gonna guess like maybe 2 1/2 inch exhaust that goes to two cherry bombs and then turns out right in front of both rear tires sounds so good no H pipe or X pipe or anything. We’ve had that thing loaded down countless times and sometimes much beyond its capacity, you could just tell by how it was sitting so low in the back when loaded down and that engine handled it and still handles it like a champ, Dump runs, hauling wood etc.

[@user-cs1ne8gx9u]

I've got a lot of experience with y blocks and your take is pretty accurate although I wouldn't call them the worst. If they had today's oils back then they would enjoy a much bigger following now. I've had many over the years and rebuilt correctly they don't suffer any issues with today's oils. Their biggest problem today is their weight and limited displacement potential for the hot rod guys that want a bunch of power. But they were a very solid strong block that wears well with the 292 and 272 being the best for a build having the smaller mains and therefore more meat in the block. Ford Argentina used the Y Block with some locally designed, more typical port heads up into the mid 80s if I remember correctly and were a lot more popular in south America. Thanks for the video.

[@thecollectoronthecorner7061]

How come the GM Dodge Ford flatheads etc. Did not suffer ill effects from those same oils? Why did the FE not have the same problems. Why did the later Y blocks have a groove cut around the center cam journal. Its the poor compression rings and lack of PCV that created excessive blow by making the sludge and goo we found in every Y Block We tore down.

[@user-cs1ne8gx9u]

@@thecollectoronthecorner7061 oil sludge is usually a problem of contamination be it water or hydrocarbons. Poor crankcase evacuation definitely exacerbates the problem. Sludge is a weird phenomenon I've come across in a few engines that aren't known for it. Like a Windsor I had the pleasure of swapping the intake out a while back. Or the 83 Chevy wrecker (350) my uncle bought cheap where you couldn't even see the rockers without digging with a screwdriver. How the previous owner's handled maintenance I haven't a clue, but it can happen to anything if the conditions are right. The y block definitely could have had a better solution but in my experience it's never been an issue and I've had many of them pass through my hands over the years. I've currently got a 63 f250 with it's original 292 completely stock in my side driveway right now that gets used weekly as a parts runner. It sat for years before I bought it and after rebuilding the brakes, carb, setting the lash and a complete ignition tune up it's been great.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@thecollectoronthecorner7061 That's how you fix early Y-blocks - groove the center cam journal, or use a later camshaft with the groove, and plug the oil bypass hole in the rocker shaft. Then you have a great engine.

[@user-cs1ne8gx9u]

@@michaelbenardo5695 agreed

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@thecollectoronthecorner7061 No engines came from the factory with PCV before about 1963, except for those intended for the Armed Services. My aunt's neighbor did have plugged oil drainback holes in his 332 FE. I cleaned them out for him and scolded him for not regularly having the oil changed. The reason for the groove in the center cam journal was so the rocker shafts would have a continuous, rather than intermittent, stream of oil. A continuous steam is less likely to plug up. Lincoln did the same thing with their new 368 engine for 56. Flatheads did not suffer the rocker oiling problems because flatheads don't have rocker shafts.

[@tonychavez2083]

Nice info thanks.. I think despite these oiling issues they were still incredible workhorse motors that powered America in many forms for many years, many with minimal maintenance or care. They soldiered on until they died literally. Kinda like the late 2 valve Triton motors in school buses and work trucks around the country..

[@yuvegotmale]

My dad had a auto repair shop in the 40s thru the 70s. He did a lot of conversions on the the Y block to get oil to the rockers. I remember it had copper tubing being plumed right into the valve covers. I had a few flatheads back in the day..great sounding engine but it had some inherent issues, overheating, burning valves, vapor locking and breathing issues...a bit asthmatic to say the least.

[@robertsnyder5149]

You are blowing smoke again,the oiling problem came from misalignment of the oil hole to it's mate in the head. I took the heads off and oblonged the oil passage hole and problem solved.

[@sking2173]

The problem you identified was only one of three with rocker shaft oiling system. The others were: the cam bearing issue; the rocker shaft overflow tube (poor design). All the of these issues combined to grind the hell out of rocker shafts. Three strikes ... Horrible design ...

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@sking2173 The big problem with the early ones - 54 - 56, was the fact that the center cam bearing journal didn't have a groove, and that rocker overflow tube. Groove the cam and plug that overflow, and you have an excellent engine.

[@sking2173]

@@michaelbenardo5695 - Yep, but picture this: Muncie, Indiana, summer of ‘58. A middle-class suburbanite with his 2.5 kids working his 9-5 and juggling his spare time between his wife and his girlfriend. The last thing he wants to hear is that what started out as a seemingly harmless tick under the hood of his ‘55 Fairlane will now require a motor-out cam bearing replacement that will cost him more than two-week’s wages. Since his young daughter is in dire need of braces and his girlfriend’s ‘52 Ford, that he had bought for her with money he squirreled away without his wife’s knowledge, needs a clutch, he decides to put off the repair on his car for a month or two. Six months later, he’s lost his girlfriend because her car now needs a valve job that he can’t afford, has a mad wife that has found out about the girlfriend because she spotted the missing money he used for the clutch job on the girlfriend’s car, a daughter with beautiful straight teeth that won’t even speak to him because of his infidelity, half a kid that’s never home and will never amount to anything, and a ‘55 Ford that he’s embarrassed to be seen driving because it now sounds like a thrashing machine - and he still can’t afford to fix it. Do you think this guy will buy another Ford ??

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@sking2173 If this was his first Ford, probably not, but if he always had good luck, except for this one, he probably would. Now if the next one is bad, that's a different story.

[@MostlyBuicks]

Well after Ford introduced the 352 in 1958, they radically detuned the 292 and it was also Ford's last year for the 312 (used in some Mercurys). I had 6 312s in my life--three 1956 T-Birds and three 1957 T-Birds. They were fantastic engines. When restoring this 6 cars, I rebuilt each engine. I also had one of those radically detuned 292s in a 1960 Mercury, and it sucked. Yes, they had oiling problems because of two things: 1. People just refuse to maintain their cars, always have, always will. And since these engines had solid lifters, people typically used non-detergent oils. Bad idea. If you changed the oil and filter every 2000 miles and used a high grade detergent oil, you will probably never have trouble with upper oiling problems. Just about every year I made the 4500 mile round trip from Tucson to the Twin cites area via Denver with my T-Birds.

[@will7its]

Most people dont know what the numbers mean on the oil bottle so detergent vs non detergent is really pushing it with the average joe.....

[@spaceghost8995]

Every 2000 miles? Who wants to do that? Most of my life I have changed oil just twice a year regardless of mileage! Of course I drive Hondas and Toyotas.

[@MostlyBuicks]

@@spaceghost8995 Back then 2000 was about right. With modern cars I go every 5000 miles. Cheap insurance.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@will7its In the 50s and 60s, detergent oil actually said it was detergent on the can. Many people, myself included, didn't trust detergent oil, as it would sometimes separate. Eventually, they fixed that problem.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@spaceghost8995 You are not supposed to change the oil that seldom, unless you do very little driving. And just because your engines start and run does not mean that they are in good condition. I have had people tell me how wonderful their engine is, only to hear bearing knock when they start it, which is NOT good.

[@Bbbbad724]

The Y, if you choose this mission contact John Mummert and Royce Brechler. Mummert casts aluminum heads and intakes. He can also fix you up with a supercharger intake and with the rear distributor, a. 184 series even fits. Mummert can also get stroker kits and cross bolt mains. The first engine I built was my Dads Y block. The 2x4,ECG cam, heads and intake on a bored and stroked 320 ci. 2x4 intake. BTW the MEL and 385 were bros. The 368 Turnpike Cruiser and FE were bros. The 289 replaced the Y block.

[@monarch1957]

I have a 57 Monarch with a 312 Y block and had the car since 86 and it's been a reliable engine never let me down all those years, the previous owner had the engine rebuilt with 30 over pistons at around 75,000 miles and have just over 90,000 miles on the car now.

[@leewilliams2094]

The Y blocks powered the 1957 NASCAR champion beating fuel injected Chevys and Hemi-powered Chrysler and Dodges. I've been building and racing cars over 50 years the Ford Y block is a great motor. But some punks that don't know anything just have to put stuff down. Yes early Y blocks had some rocker oiling problems which were corrected early on .The lower ends were so bulletproof the design was copied for the all conquering 427 Ford.

[@tommcmillan3143]

Great video Adam! My Dad had that engine in his 61 Ford sedan, I was pretty young but I just remember him very unhappy with that engine. Prior to that he had a 51 Mercury which he absolute loved, I think you described exactly why he was so disappointed after having a flat head in the 51. The 61 Ford ultimately caused him to change his loyalty to Chrysler when he traded it for the 65 Fury III. After that experience, he only bought Chrysler products for the rest of his life.

[@GOD-mj9wt]

Tell me about that fury

[@tommcmillan3143]

@@GOD-mj9wt It was 4 door hardtop, dark blue metallic paint. It had a very nice light blue/silver interior, very classic styling. The car had to haul 4 young kids and we rode in it with comfort. We took many high speed trips from Warren to the cottage up north and we never broke down, much better than the 61 Ford:)

[@robertchristie9434]

My dad had a '55 Fairlane with a 272 Y-block, bought it new, no problems, drove it to the junkyard in '66 due to severe structural rust. He replaced it with a '62 Wagon with a 292 Y-block and with 4 teenage drivers it wasn't babied, no troubles and was sold with well over 100K in '71. A lot of family members owned Y-block '54 -'62 Fords and Mercs that ran fine. The only common issue was failing water pumps at around 40K miles. No problem changing them. Otherwise, they seemed to be very reliable motors. The flatheads had their issues too. I had a '51Merc, '50 and a '51 Ford that had vapor lock and would overheat in hot weather. 265 and 283 Chevy V8's back then leaked oil and some of the gasket material was crap. Mr.Gasket made a fortune with replacement kits.

[@johnphillips2396]

My great uncle had a sedan with the 292 . It had 120K on it with just tune ups ,oil changes two water pumps and a valve job.

[@chuckselvage3157]

The forgotten Ford motor they didn't get much love but they did redeem themselves with the FE which won everything in motor racing.

[@mylanmiller9656]

the FE took over from were the Y block left, in 1957 the Y was the boss look at the NASCAR records.

[@chuckselvage3157]

@@mylanmiller9656 ok I will.Anything else?

[@MrMopar413]

In my youth I had a 62 F-100 with a 292 in it. It had its issues just like any engine in those days , that all engines had. No PVC system so engines slugged up big time, no matter the manufacture as people got used to using detergent oils and changing oil and filters together at the same time. The Y-block engine was pretty much indestructible but the big issue with them was the intake port design which was offset 90 degrees , top n bottom compared to the small block Chevy and Chrysler that where side by side. Who in the hell came up with that stupid intake port design and thought it was good is beyond me. If the YBlock had a side by side intake port design it would have made a lot more horsepower. Another issue was the Y-Blocks that I’ve worked on is after a long time the distributor in the back was notorious for sticking solid to the block, we’d have to get a big pipe wrench on them to get them unstuck. Other then these issues it was a good engine and would take a hell of a beating and keep on ticking.

[@nicholas2447]

Got an original Y-block in my 59 F100. It did spin a bearing and block oil on one side. Broke one exhaust pushrod and bent one intake. Sent exhaust through the carburetor and lit the air filter on fire. We rebuilt the engine and heads, bored it out, bigger cam, safe valve seats for ethanol, mummert 4 barrel intake, msd electronic ignition and long tube headers and reground crank. 550 4 barrel Edelbrock. It sounds and drives really nice.

[@Cameraman148]

I owned and drove several Fords with the Y block engine 2 1956's and 2 1957's also a 1962 Ford SW, The Fifty sixes had the Thunderbird 312 ci and the 1957;s had a 292 and a 312 bird, all 4 barrel carbs except the SW .never any major upper engine problems. except they smoked on the vent tube because they did not have a PCV valve...I changed the Oil very often and used a upper Lube for the Valve Train as extra protection, because they were Cast Iron, I ran one 57 low on oil and drove 12 miles home, it got hot but did not lock up...old school but very fun to drive, and with glass packs they sounded great....cheers

[@Jurgy777]

Built a y block 312 few years back, converted the rocker shaft assembly to full pressure setup. Lots of parts from Mummert's - was really happy with how it turned out.

[@wildman510]

Those minor issues aren't really enough to make it bad, plenty of good engines have had design flaws and after they were fixed were great. Like the Ford FE which is known for tending to bend pushrods

[@TheCatOfAges]

Well, stuck valves rather. If they sit they usually stick.

[@ryanhodges7101]

I have had quite a few Ford machines in my day. I was always amazed how many different families of engines Ford had. They all had their idiosyncrasy’s. It’s like they were trying to “re-invent the wheel” with all of them. Especially the FE series which I had the most experience with. They never seemed to get the details right. For example the oil ports from the oil pump were gently sloped and the holes in the block were straight holes that were not even close to matching the ports. Then, the rocker shafts and the head returns would flood without proper drain back. In their infinite wisdom they decided to route the oil to the cam first instead of the mains. The trick is to put a large Holley jet in each head oil journal to slow down the flow.

[@ryanhodges7101]

Thank you for another interesting and informative video. I have been watching a lot of the videos from Art’s collection. I’m so glad to see you all are doing well. Take care

[@travyboy5947]

My grandpa had a 1956 Ford with a 272. It was a straight 6 3speed column shift, a dealership had replaced the i6 with a v8 before he bought it. When he got it, he put overhead oilers on it. Supposedly it was a wonderful car

[@sblsbl7600]

My dad was in the Canadian military in the early 1960s on a remote base Holburg. The military had an old 1950s Ford pickup with a Y block. The soldiers loved that truck because it was fast and fun to drive. The truck was supposed to be scrapped but the soldiers ignored the scrap order and just kept using it.

[@automatedelectronics6062]

The "Y" blocks were great engines. The Fords benefited from having a 3-speed automatic transmission, although until 1956 or the 1958 Cruise-O-Matic, they normally started in 2nd gear. With the Lo position, it allowed the fords to move off the line quicker than a Chevrolet with a PowerGlide. OK, the "Y" blocks were very reliable and long-lasting engines. Their life and reliability depended on a large part to regular maintenance. We resurrected a 1960 Ford Sunliner a few years ago. It pretty much had sat at a vacation home, rarely driven, for the last 50 years when we got it. The top-end was slugged up and we had to pull the heads and do a valve job. We used to see lot's of much newer slugged up engines, and it wasn't from not using detergent oils. Nearly everytime, we found that they had used Penzoil and changed it at factory intervals. It was the ash in the oil. Not so much a problem with Quaker State and NEVER a problem with Castrol, Valvoline or other Western oils. Well, after the valve job, the engine ran like new(the car didn't have that many miles on it). At the same time, I pulled and resealed the Cruise-O-Matic transmission. As these used metallic clutches, they were in great shape, so I re-used them. The lined bands were replaced, as well as all the gaskets and seals. After that job, I took on a 1956 Ford T-bird, with a 312 V8 and Ford-O-Matic. After disassembling the engine, everything looks good, but the customer wanted it rebuilt. Everything was within tolerances so the engine was cleaned up and new rings and bearings were installed. The heads got hardened valve seats for the unleaded fuel. Again all the transmission internals were in great shape, so all it got was new bands, seals and gaskets. The similar Lincoln and Mercury Turnpike Cruiser 368 V8 was also a good engine. The only reason it was replaced was because of it had run it's course, plus the cubic inch and horsepower race was full blown. The "Y" blocks came to an end and the 292 was probably used last in the Ford F-100 pick-up. Many are still on the road due to the interest in early-60's Ford pick-ups. Ford needed a physically smaller engine to fit into the smaller cars at the dawn of the new compacts. Chevy already had the smallblock and Chrysler came up with the new LA engines, Ford followed suit. The new 260 Ford V8 showed-up in Fords compact cars first. It was also the first engine used in the Cobras and Sunbeam Tigers. Because it could hold it's own, it replaced the old 292 "Y" blocks. In 1965, it grew to 289 c.i. and then went into most Ford and Mercury's as their base V8 engine, including full-sized cars and pick-ups. The next generation brought the legendary 302 V8. I believe that Ford still manufactures them, but they were replaced by Ford's modular OHC engines. No. The "Y" block was a legendary and excellent engine. It was only hampered by physical dimensions and dated technology. Oh, the "flathead" Ford V8's can easily be modified to give reliable 210-250 horsepower. There is nothing like the exhaust note of a "flathead". Be sure to congratulate a person who has a vintage Ford with atleast a genuine Ford powertrain!

[@mylanmiller9656]

Ford replaced there Y series engines because they realized they had two problems they didn't like. First was both the Lincoln and Ford Y engines had two center exhaust valves close together this caused burned valves from over heating under extrema conditions. The second was the distributor was at the rear of the engine making it hard to service. Ford never made another North American engine with this problem again. Chevy built there engine for nearly 50 years and never fixed ether problem.

[@automatedelectronics6062]

@@mylanmiller9656 The rear distributor wasn't really a problem as many other engines from Mopar and several GM engines had them and never changed it either. I never had a problem servicing a "Y" block distributor. I hadn't seen any more valve problems with the "Y" blocks than any other engine in over 40 years of working on them. The Chevy smallblock always had inherent problems and culminated with the Siamese cylinders of the SB 400. I can't tell you how many SB's I've seen with holes in the sides of the blocks from thrown rods. They finally addressed the problems when they introduced the LS series.

[@mylanmiller9656]

@@automatedelectronics6062 The rear distributor was a problem for the Ford engineers and they did fix it. Just because Dodge and GM never addressed it or the two different

[@automatedelectronics6062]

@@mylanmiller9656 Ford engineers did the best they could. Heck, even on the old flathead V8's. They had the distributor originally mounted on the front of the engines and then changed it to the top of the engine. With the new "Y" blocks, Ford went to using a single water pump, compared to the 2 water pumps on the flatheads. They put the distributors in the back and they didn't interfere with the cooling systems as front mounted ones did. Plus there was more room for accessories on the front. The rear mounted distributors were easy to work on on the "Y" blocks, especially considering front-mounted accessories and easier for the cams to drive them. This I know from personal experience working on them. How many have you worked on? On Pontiac and Olds, the rear distributors we're a real pain because they were buried behind the intake manifold.

[@mylanmiller9656]

@@automatedelectronics6062You should preach to the engineer's that changed them not me! As for working on them I never took the time to count how many Y blocks I worked on. I worked in a service station when I was going to school, changed the Points in lots of Y blocks and will never say they are good to work on. Compared to the FE or 289 they sucked.

[@lelandcarlson1668]

I had a 1961 Ford Falcon with the 144 cid straight six that my grandfather originally purchased. It had the same issue with upper engine lubrication. My grandfather used non-detergent oil for the 10 years he owned it and the oil passage to the rocker arms was completely blocked. The crankcase was also full of sludge from the non-detergent motor oil. I remember my Dad putting some kerosene in the crankcase and running the engine up to temperature, then draining the oil. It came out in lumps. But to Ford's credit that little motor never left me stranded.

[@TheCatOfAges]

I disagree... the Y block has been extremely fun to work on and repair, as long as you kept oil changes on time, and used Halvoline over some shitty quaker state.

[@MostlyBuicks]

Yeah so many people used Pennzoil or Quaker State back in the day. These paraffin oils are sludgy flakey messes. Every engine I ever torn down with these oils were so dirty. Engines I tore down with Valvoline or Castrol were typically very clean.

[@tomnekuda3818]

You're sure right about the Quaker State.

[@jeffrobodine8579]

@@tomnekuda3818 The Green Monster.

[@hendo337]

I always buy Havoline 10w-40, the 6qt box is cheaper per Qt than even Supratech or Rotella at Walmart.

[@randymagnum143]

@@hendo337 shell Rotella or Chevron Dello are as good as any oil you can buy

[@BonnieKay13]

I still drive a '54 all original, one of the best balanced engines Ford ever made, only the OIL of the time was bad, not the engine. I run 5-20 synthetic, this big fordor gets 23 on the highway, far better than the flatheads, lots more power & speed, have 190K on it now, runs like new. Don't be fooled by young guys' ignorance, I'm 89 and have been there done it.

[@sherryskillwoman7491]

Had a 54 239 Y Block & got about 23mpg with a 4 barrel. The Rocker Arm assembly snapped so it ran flail (presume due to oil problems).Replaced the rocker arm & changed to a 2 barrel - got a drop in MPG. Some years later it wouldn't mic out for another rebuild, so replaced with a 292. Generally a reliable engine. Did have to repair the truck body frame & then the weld rebroke, driving in the dark thru the mtns. Decided it was time for a change.

[@doug960]

GM came out with their small block at the same time. The venerable small block served as the yardstick against which all other engines were compared for such a long time. The GM smallblock greatly overshadowed the Y block. However, as others have said here, detergent motor oils were a new thing in 1954. If you used the best oils available at the time, the Y block was decently reliable compared to other engines you could have owned in 1954. I think people initially approached the Y block the same way they did the flathead it replaced, which would run on just about any flammable liquid laced full of dirt and twigs, and also just about any oil suitable for the ambient temperature. Sort of how we got used to conventional oil in engines from the 70s and 80s and had to switch to synthetic in the 90s and 2000s as many cars went to overhead cams, variable valve timing, auto lash adjusters, etc.

[@charlescline4352]

If that is true why did the Y-Blocks dominate NASCAR during the mid to late 50's. Look it up if you don't believe me.

[@mylanmiller9656]

@@charlescline4352 one reason for teh confusion was G M preached about the 265 being a performance engine while ford was raving about having a padded dash. The people that hung around the race track knew Ford was faster. the people that don't believe it can watch Daytona Beach 1957. The 368 Merc and a 312 super charged Ford run away from the field, Both of these engines were y blocks..

[@doug960]

@@charlescline4352 Because they introduced the VR57 supercharger before Nascar introduced rule changes. Don't get me wrong, Y blocks are not bad engines, are cool and can make respectable power with modern technology, but they were and still are comparably heavy and limited in terms of displacement potential. The only option Ford had to make them competitive in the mid 50s was forced induction. Chevys were just as competitive if not more competitive naturally aspirated with Rochester fuel injection. When Nascar forced rule changes including 4 barrel carbs shortly after, the Y block just wasn't as adaptable as the GM architecture, and also wasn't as big a commercial success. It had reached it's limits by the 60s. Ford had to move to the FE, which shared some design features, but was a completely different engine. Ford did have a successful race program in the mid to late 60s, but they weren't selling many 427s to the public and GM and Chrysler big blocks offered to the public spanked the 390. It took them a while to catch up with the 428 and the 385 series.

[@nightsailor1]

In 1970 I drove my 55 Fairlane to Laredo from Dallas. 272 2bbl. Dual glass packs and well tuned it was a pleasure to drive. Smooth, fast and strong and sounded great. BTW the transmission was auto with a 1st gear select or it would engage on full throttle from stop.

[@sking2173]

Come 1970, you were driving one of the only ‘55 Fairlanes still on the road ...

[@wymple09]

You have to go thru about 5 flatheads to find 1that doesn't have a cracked block somewhere. That's 1 of the 2 or 3 big reasons why the hotrodding community kicked it to the curb for the SBC.

[@sking2173]

That, plus the old flathead couldn’t breathe at all ... A Briggs & Stratton mower engine has better exhaust scavenging ...

[@richmcintyre1178]

My grandfather gave me my first car a 1955 Ford Customline 2 door. It had the BIG 292 V8 that ran on 6 cylinders most of the time. Grandpop didn't think his "new car" had an oil filter so he never changed it??? God, I loved that man 😀 The first time I removed the oil filter I think it weighed 15 pounds LOL. Being a budding gear head I rebuilt the motor and it ran great, with lots & lots of torque.

[@msbae]

Seems Ford has a LOT of trouble with keeping their engines properly oiled... This motor, the early FE's, that 3-valve Triton motor in the 2004-08 F-Series trucks... How does Ford keep making that mistake?

[@stewartgregory3364]

Ford has a long & proud tradition of making the same mistake over & over. Look no further then the power steering issues with the Exploder

[@donreinke5863]

The early FE only had issues when used for racing as it did not have direct oil feed to the crankshaft bearings. That is why the side oiler 427 was made, the main oil galley directly fed the mains first, after early 427s in 1963 blew up on tracks.

[@DanEBoyd]

Ford also loves under-carbureting, coupled with intake manifolds which just aren't trying...

[@sking2173]

@@mikec9112 - The 335 series wasn’t really a “top-oiler” like the FE-series engines. The FE engines (except the side-oiler) fed oil to the cam bearings, where it was then routed to the crank. The 335 routed oil first to the crank, and from there to the cam bearings. The 335 worked great on the street. The 335 did feed the mains off the lifter oil galleys, instead of having a dedicated galley for the crank. In racing applications, measures were taken to apportion a greater amount of the lifter-galley oil to the crank.

[@jwelchon2416]

My dad said a problem with the Y blocks is that they had solid lifters. He told how wonderful the FE engines were in 58 with hydraulic lifters. It eliminated all the valve clatter.

[@wysetech2000]

My dad had a 1955 mercury with a 292. He bought it new and in a short time became very noisy. Turned out that it had the cam bearing problem you mentioned. They replaced the engine and it had well over 100.000 miles on it when he sold it. Other than a lot of blow by, it still ran like new.

[@sking2173]

On a cold day, a three-year old Y-block blows more vapor from the crankcase vent tube than from the tailpipe !!

[@samwalker7821]

My Dad had the same problem with his 55' Merc 292. He said he wished he had kept his old 51 Ford flat head. lol

[@1983jblack]

Any engine from Big Three back then had flaws. The engines were all new around 1955 from everyone and took time to work out the issues. Next subject

[@sking2173]

There’s okay, not so good, bad, and then the Y-block ...

[@makkepuu]

Still running a 272 in a '55 Country Sedan. Stock 2bbl paired up with 3speed + od. Always used good oil, never a problem. Only problem is the steering box, the adjustment is maxed and I haven't been able to find renewed or better shape manual steering box

[@2strokepower803]

I have a 272 in my 55 fairline town sedan. Also with the small 2 barrel. When we rebuilt the engine we got it bored over to be a 292

[@TheCatOfAges]

Must have only been driven in town, my '57 is still at minimum pretty much and steers like brand new

[@samwalker7821]

My Dad and I both had 1955 Mercury's with the 292 Y block engines. Mine ended up with a bad cylinder that passed oil and his had a bad cam. He bought his new. Mine was two years old. We always kept the oil clean and changed. I didn't buy Fords for many years after that, but Dad was an old died in the wool Ford fan and went on to suffer more headaches with other Ford's. I believe it was more a matter of quality control than that of design. Some had good luck with them.

[@sking2173]

My Dad had a similar experience with a ‘57 Chevy Bel Air ... Beautiful car he bought new, 283 4-bbl, Powerglide (his first-ever automatic car). The Powerglides that year used a needle thrust washed (Torrington bearing) that was known for disintegrating and wiping out the planet carrier and clutch drum. His went at 18k miles, and GM wouldn’t cover it under warranty. Pissed him off so much he started driving Fords, and did so for the next 20 years. And he didn’t have another automatic transmission until he bought a ‘71 Ford with a C6. I was an Olds man, and Mom fell in love with one of my cars, and talked Dad into getting her a Buick in ‘79. She drove Oldsmobiles and Buicks for the rest of her life, but he still preferred his FORD pickup with a manual transmission.

[@johnz8210]

That was good. Thanks to KZbin and if anybody remembers the movie "It's a mad mad mad mad world", the engine on the chain hoist that Jonathan Winters smashed through the garage door of that service station he destroyed was a Y block.

[@rebert69]

I've got a 32 Ford street rod, real steel not a kit car. It has a 57 Thunderbird driveline which is a 312 Y Block. Your video hit good as now I know what to look for. It was my dad's car and he is gone so I'm learning as much about it as I can thru vintage service manuals and your video. I noticed with valve covers off it's no real wet in there so I'll check the oiling system. It does run great though.

[@daveallen8824]

And the have those lovely mushroom lifters...

[@baronburgamot243]

I'm not from that era of engines but I am a modern mechanic and I can tell what you're describing is typical operator error which is not only a Ford Y block thing, its an engine thing. And people are STILL ignoring recommendations to this very day - not keeping up with maintenance schedules, ignoring issues that should be dealt with and this is a problem as old as the mass market internal combustion engine itself. I remember my Dad telling me horror stories from his time in the 50s to the 80s as as mechanic, and they're all the same stories I tell people now as a mechanic in 2024.... people are fricken dumb, don't listen, then complain and whine when what we said would happen.. happens.

[@billnasburg1361]

I have a 57 Thunderbird with the 312 and it was rebuilt by a Ford expert and runs so perfectly and sounds so good with it's unique exhaust note

[@mylanmiller9656]

Our family car back in the 1950S was a 1956 Meteor Rideau With a 312 thunder bird specials. Dad used to say it would pass any thing on the road but the Gas station. Dad traded that Car for a 1959 Chevy with a 283, What I remember is Dad saying how gutless it was compared to the old car.

[@lorenzomaximo1818]

Jan Kasse Built a 900 hp Y block Ford. That’s pretty damn respectable.

[@timkis64]

ford dont learn very well from its past mistakes.30 years later they did the same thing in their colonge engines with upper valvetrain oiling.the 4.0 ohv had major upper end oil starvation problems.by 100k miles the pushrods & rocker arms were junk even with frequent oil change intervals.some of fords better idea's were seemingly inspired by hallucinogenic substances.because they sure as hell didnt work in the real world.

[@Nobluffbuff]

That's what I got in my Explorer. Did they ever use a better oil pump throughout production years? I heard that valvetrain racket is normal on the OHV version of this motor. Mine ('96 4.0L OHV) just turned 230k miles, and it's super quiet still.

[@ajwilson605]

The '70's 2.6 and 2.8L V-6 had the same problems. I bought a '75 Pinto wagon with a 2.8 and 4 speed that had 65K on the clock. It ran OK....until I changed the oil, then it clattered like crazy. When I pulled the valve covers the top of the heads were dry..... Seems the guy I bought the car from was running 50 or 60W oil with a liberal dose of STP or Motor Honey to keep it quiet. I rebuilt the engine...30 over 10:1 pistons(netted 9.7:1), a reground cam, full groove bearings throughout(cam, main, and rod), drilled oil passages(supply and drains) oversize, and topped it off with a Melling Hi Pressure/Hi Volume oil pump. Other little upgrades included a 500CFM Holley 2bbl on a Edelbrock intake and custom made headers. 2 1/4 inch dual exhaust with "X" pipe and "Corvair Turbo" mufflers. It ran strong and I put 155K on it before I sold it. I sold it because it needed a clutch....it's 3rd in 155K miles.... The clutch was the weak point and I couldn't find a suitable upgrade.

[@galaxie5003]

I have to disagree with you that the Y block was a inferior engine I drove them in high school and ran them hard . The oiling issue was known but it was a minor issue. For one thing all Y block engines had flat tappet solid lifters which required much less oil volume than a hydraulic lifter. They were also noisy Like all solid lifter engines. You are correct that many people were lazy about changing oil and would put the cheapest oil they could find like Quaker State. That brand of oil would build up paraffin like sludge throughout the engine. They had good power ant torque and gave good fuel mileage if ran easy. They were used in full size ford's and mercs through 1962. The main problem became their weight and they were a tall engine. Ford cane out with the new small block V8 in 1962 for the Fairlane and comet. They started out at 221 cu. in. Then 260 then in 1963 it became the famous 289. The Y block engines were dropped in cars after 1962 and in trucks around 65 or 1966 , another oddity that most people don't know is the timing chin alignment marks both pointed at 3 o'clock with 12 chain pins between the marks . The chain had 2 brass washers spaced on the timing chain to make sure you got it right.

[@oceanmariner]

I had a 292 back in the day. My dad was a Ford guy. In those days engine rings only lasted about 80,000 miles. Getting 100,000 was considered a feat. Rebuilding engines was common. During this time I remember Ford's reputation for reliability was poor. Not only did the 292 engine need overhead oilers, but the shaft from the distributor that drove the oil pump had a tendency to break. My 292 thru a rod. I was so impressed with ford, I didn't have another for 50 years.

[@machintelligence]

I had one that didn't break the intermediate shaft, but it did round off and quit driving the oil pump. I replaced it and drove the truck for several more years.

[@kermitefrog64]

I have a 1964 Ford f250 with the Y-Block and it is one of the best engines that I have driven. I bought the truck from my Dad in 1980 when I graduated from High School and I am still driving this truck. I have updated the 2 bbl. to a 4 bbl. I have headers and went with the 373 ratio differential. I have a simple electronic ignition. I have bought parts off LMC. It is a great engine and a well built truck.

[@montymatilda]

Another great history video. My experience with the Y-Block engine was when I was running and detailing cars on a small car lot in the 'late '60s. We had a couple, maybe three of these engines come in various Fords that had the oiling problem. At the time and the condition of each of the cars, nothing was done and they were sold as is. Sure interesting to look at a cylinder head that had no oil on it. It is beyond me why Ford dumped the 332 FE motor that was only out for '58 & '59. That would have been a much better engine that the 292 they kept until 1964. More torque and power and quiet. They could have even kept the Y-Block 312 instead of the 292. I drove some 292's and 312's. The 312 was far superior in every way. Or even the Lincoln 317 to have a smaller V8 heading into the '60s. The 292 was a powerless gas hog. I drove a 352-2bbl '62 Ford Galaxie and that was far better than the Y-Block and more economical in the real world that I drove in. Ford had many mistakes that kept them in the number 2 position and this IMO was one of them. Who would want a 1961 Mercury Monterey with a 292, not me.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

In the 50s, the 292 was pretty potent, but in 58 they started detuning every year, so by 62 it made only 170 horses. In 57 it made 212 horsepower. That's a pretty big drop.

[@montymatilda]

@@michaelbenardo5695 True. Ford was looking for economy beginning in1959, even the Lincoln 430 dropped from 350hp down to 315 by 1960. Then they had to start increasing hp beginning in 61 for the new Continental. Having driven the 292, 312, 332 & 352 of that era, I really didn't like the 292. For whatever reason Ford reduced the power for was a silly thing to do, IMO. What about a very nice and quiet 332? My grandmother had a 59 Fairlane 500 with it and it was a great engine at 225hp. My 63 Impala had a 283 that made 20 more horsepower than your stated 170 in 62 and was quieter and smoother than the 292. My experiences were not good with the 292. IMO Ford made a mistake by not staying with the 332 FE. My experiences with the FE and MELs were great, all the way to the 428 FE and 462 MEL.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@montymatilda They did bring it back for trucks for I think 2 years. The 352 was a stroked 332. 3.5 inch stroke vs 3.3 inch stroke. I thought the 62 Chevy 283 was also down to 170, unlike the 61, which was 185 2 barrel, 230 4 barrel.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

@@montymatilda I think the 61 had just 300 horses. The 63 brought back the 4 barrel carb, but never again would we see the 350 - 375 of the late 50s.

[@bobkonradi1027]

One person I'm glad I never met was the person who proposed the intake port setup for the Y-block Fords. They just basically took what turned out to be GM Siamesed port horizontal set up, rotated it 90-degrees and that was supposed to be the panacea for OHV engines. Visualize a small block Chevy with the intake ports rotated that 90-degres. And who in the Ford engineering department signed off of the proposed design.? There was no purpose for what they did.

[@alvinprettyman1802]

thanks for the history lesson

[@James-j4l2y]

Our fire engine fleet consisted of '56, '57 and '58 Fiord F-899's with a 363 ci "Y" block V-8 engine. All had a 5 speed transmission. All ran the expected 14 year life span with no major engine issues. We did see blown head gaskets, tune-up needs, cooling system services and rarely a blown Exhaust manifold gasket. But all rendered good service. When the FORD FE truck engine's were introduced we continue to see more good performance.

[@davecee4459]

Many years ago I was at a Drag strip in North Carolina (I can't remember the name right now) and there was this black 55 T Bird blowing peoples doors off and pulling the left front wheel when it left the line . It had a supercharged Y block in it . That thing sounded so different that the other cars I was very impressed with that machine . Some one really knew their shit about those Y blocks .

[@sking2173]

Ford survived the late 50’s because of the aesthetic appeal of their cars, not their build quality or design excellence. The introduction of the FE engine also helped drag Ford into the 60’s in one piece.

[@M.E.351C]

Interesting video and good info. One disagreement I have though is about the exhaust sound- Y blocks have a very unique and cool sounding exhaust note. Very nostalgic sounding engines

[@mattsboatyard6891]

Yeah, Yblocks sound great. They’re good engines, definitely not deserving of being called a “worst” engine

[@tombob671]

My dad had a 54 Mercury 256 and a 60 Ford 292, both bought brand new. He ran Havoline 10w 40 , changed oil every 2k. both engines went over 100k when traded. no external oilers, no oiling problems. I guess he was lucky. YBlock guru is John Mummert in Cali.

[@2packs4sure]

10w 40 in 1954 ??

[@tombob671]

@@2packs4sure in the 60 ford yes, in the 54 20w winter, 30w summer, sorry for the confusion. all Havoline

[@commandtheline]

I had a project pick up as a teen in high school. 59 F100. Had a 292 in it that snapped the cam and sent it through one of the Pistons. Interesting to learn about the cam oiling I had no idea and certainly didn't at the time. High School shop class I pulled the motor and got a donor 239 and had it bored for 272 and reuse the 292 heads.

[@jaymichaels5187]

Ford's early OHV sixes were not so great in rocker arms lubrication either, it seems Ford over-engineered many aspects of these 1950s engines but failed on the sundry aspects of them.

[@jamesfrench7299]

So if you sort those out with fixes, careful assembly and detergent oil, and don't skip changes, they were outstanding engines then.

[@jaymichaels5187]

@@jamesfrench7299 Ford made the inline sixes much better later on. The Ford 300 cu inch six was legendary but in the 1950s I would have went for a Chevy inline six, as they been making those since the late 1920s for OHV inline sixes .

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@jaymichaels5187 Ford Australia developed the Barra six from the parameters of the six in the 1960 Falcon compact. It just kept evolving after they developed a whole new engine with single overhead cam in 1988 with the same bore centres to the monster we got when they introduced DOHC and a turbo option in 2003 and gradually improved more until it's demise in 2016. I have heard about your 300ci six. Very well regarded.

[@jaymichaels5187]

@@jamesfrench7299 The Ford 300 cu. inch six was a fantastic engine, thirsty yes but very reliable and very torque-ee. Two other great inline sixes were the AMC 258 and the Plymouth/Dodge slant six up to 225 cu in. I had both sixes, the AMC one was great in extreme cold weather starting in northern Canada with a good battery and had great torque too, this evolved to the famous Jeep 4 litre inline six. The slant six was not as good for torque but very reliable and great for putting a lot of miles on it with no problems and could take a lot of abuse and maintenance neglect.

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@jaymichaels5187 my dad had a 1964 Australian Valiant known as the AP5 model which had the 225 slant and push button selector Torqueflite. It outclassed the Ford and GM Holden sixes for HP. Very smooth and modern sounding motor too. I thought that 258 AMC would be the ancestor of the well regarded Jeep motor before reading on. Chrysler Australia had the 245 and 265 Hemi inline six motor which succeeded the Slant 225 in the Aussie market in 1970. Very similar to the Jeep engine. More of a peaky motor and a bit coarse at higher revs bit internally efficient. Achieved very good mileage when they fitted Chrysler's electronic lean burn system to them -while they worked properly! The hemi six was originally being developed for trucks in America before it was canned there and adopted in Australia for our Valiant cars!

[@edwardpate6128]

One thing I've never understood about Y-blocks of that era was the exhaust crossover being up at the front of the engine. Just seemed very peculiar to me.

[@thecollectoronthecorner7061]

Mostly truck engines had that feature. no room on the drivers side for a outlet and exhaust pipe. sone larger trucks had a pair of center dump manifolds.

[@rightlanehog3151]

Adam, I think you are firing out the videos this weekend just to keep yourself warm. 😉