|
By ray - 14 Years Ago
|
New guy to the forum but not new to Y blocks, I've owned four, drove them back when they were new. Yeah, I am an old guy. I've rebuilt, freshened, a couple and built, assembled a basket case 292 to replace a six cyl in a one ton van. I got into FE powered stuff, antique Ford tractors and even over to the orange colored engine powered stuff so I am not exactly a greenhorn. All my experience has been as a hobby, I just like cars. I might add that the hobby proved to be an excellent way to bond with my boys while they were growing up as my shop was the gathering place for my boys and their friends……And my tools never came up missing.
Lots of technology has evolved since I last played with a Y block so I ask for a bit of guidance as I realize there seems to be a lot of no BS knowledge here.
I recently bought a 1956 DRW stake bed F350 with the original 272 engine, ECG block with ECZC heads. The truck is obviously a fairly low mileage as I have most of the maint records dating back to the early 1960s. Records for about 30 years are meticulous but later records are not so well kept. A speedometer head replacement at 70K miles along with some subsequent problems makes a certainty of the mileage iffy but I would estimate somewhere a bit over a hundred thousand miles. General condition of the truck substantiates that it is an extremely well maintained original vehicle that has no indication of being overworked or abused.
A close examination revealed the original head gasket was seeping coolant at the lower head to block at cyl #7. Head bolts on the steel gaskets were obviously not to torque. Coolant had been into #7 but I am convinced the slight etching will come out and not mandate a rebore. The oiling to the rockers was not what I thought it should be even though the truck had excellent oil pressure, so I pulled the engine. Besides, we buy this old stuff, to play with it, don’t we!
I found most everything at original dimensions with very little wear, convinced it is virgin. Even the original Ford script valves show no signs of receding and were seating, sealing well. So much for the need for hardened seats in a street engine. The rocker area had the usual build up of crud but the shafts show no signs of wear. Cylinders had very little ridge and the ring lands show no noticeable wear. The cam does show wear and gaulling with one lobe being down about .020" so it and lifters will be replace. My guess is the lack of ZPPD has taken its toll.
So my plan at this time is to remove the ridge, lightly hone the cylinders, surface the heads, and touch up the valves. I plan to go together with standard rings and bearings. Bearing wear pattern is good. I have not decided what to do with cam replacement as there might be a better than stock grind for this application. The truck will get very little use here at my place, hauling gravel, firewood, pull a loaded 5000 lb total weight trailer with my antique tractor thereon. It could see as much as 2000 miles a year. And of course, I’ll be the only driver.
I calculate my road speed to be about 3000 RPM at 60 mph with the current gearing and tires. Needless to say, it won’t see much interstate use.
So, what about it, guys, does anyone make a cam grind that would be better than the stock ECK for this application? Keep in mind that I want the torque low down.
What about timing chain, gears, anyone see the need to go with a roller or changing valve timeing?
And gaskets, certainly there are good sets and not so good gaskets on the market.
And rings, John Mummert does not list rings for my application. My guess is that everyone bores them to 292 so there is not much call for 272 stuff.
So guys, hope I’ve not bored you too much if you‘ve stayed this far.
Thanks for any insight.
Ray, in E. TN.
|
|
By pintoplumber - 14 Years Ago
|
|
For a cam I'd suggest an Isky E-4 . It has the grunt you'll feel driving around town.
|
|
By juangonzales30 - 14 Years Ago
|
|
Will the E-4 even work with a hydra-matic four speed transmission? Also isn't the cam made for a Y-Block Ford not a Y-Block Lincoln? If you know for sure it works let me know. That is definitely a camshaft to consider.
|
|
By PF Arcand - 14 Years Ago
|
|
Ray: As you say, when camming a truck like a F-350, you want to be careful not to upset low end performance. John Mummert lists a 256* 112 lsa .375 lift cam that might work. Contact him, I'm sure he will steer you straight for that application. And try Egge Machine for rings, someone has to have them. Or Joblot Automotive in N.Y. for a start. Or Schumann's Sales in Iowa, 563-381-2416.
|
|
By DualQuad312 - 14 Years Ago
|
|
Hi, noticed you have a cam question....Look up berry cam services. there in Lester Prarie MN. give then the specs. on the heads tell them what the lift is on the cam you have...I'm thinking it's around .420 for both the exh. and Int. I had two differant camshafts ground....an M-260 which is 1114 grind #. It has .432-.435 lift for both the exh. and the int. It has 268 degrees of duration....( should be 260 degrees but the grind card has it as 268) I, run a 312 dual quad punched out .030 over with G. heads.....Ranchero moves nicely good bottom end torque with the 3pd/od. the second cam has .447 lift with 266 degrees...it was used on the cobra....haven't tried it.....i, would think it's going to run rough in comparison with the 1114 grind. I think you would be happy with this grind...it's about .014 more lift....I, believe th stock cam (if it's orig. has only 256 degrees of duration.....the generic cam that's avaibale today only has 246 degrees of duration.... a buddy of mine recomended the m-260 1114 grind because he claimed you got good power out of it and it ran like a stock cam....I think it does run slightly rougher because of the increased lift but it has no trouble idling....Sounds good too! Jeff
|
|