I've heard that the sound of the Y is a result of it's firing order, 2, and 1 firing one after the other. A topic concerning 302 and 351 firing orders came up on slick 60s and so I started looking at them. I noticed that the 302 HO and 351 firing orders have the same characteristic, but for cylinders 6 and 5. The earlier 302 and 289 motors have 7 and 8 fire in sequence. If you convert a Chevy to the ford numbering scheme, it is the same as the early Ford small blocks. Other than those similarities, the firing order seems to be a good bit different. Obviously, many things come into play to make the sound of an engine. I thought that was interesting. I'm thinking that the firing order has little to do with it - or at least that aspect of the firing order.


Lawrenceville, GA

I have wondered that too.



Is those new alu heads still got same tractor tone, cause they got different (better) combustion chambers?


Hyvinkää, FI

I think Ford changed the firing order on the later small blocks due to main bearings getting knocked out with cylinders firing across from each other. A Ford guy told me that years ago. The later engines are not nearly as hard on main and rod bearings as the early engines.

Jim

The Chevy 4-7 swap gives a Chevy the Y, and flathead firing order. I suppose it could be harder on the bearings but better for power. The early Ford small block firing order is the same as the stock Chevy. I wonder if there is an advantage to the newer Ford firing order.



And now we're in an area that's been touched on: http://www.y-blocksforever.com/forums/Topic4543-6-1.aspx?


Lawrenceville, GA

And speakinig of Y Block sound, last night at the track a couple guys came up to me in the pits, and one of them said, "we've been arguing about what engine you have.  He says it's a Y Block, I say it isn't."  I said, "he's right".  The first guy was amazed that a Y would run 11.90s in a full sized car, so I showed them the engine.  They liked it.  The second guy said he knew it was a Y by its sound.  He has a '55 Bird, but I don't know how he recognized the sound unless his Bird has open headers.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Henry nailed the firing order with the flathead .By firing the  4 outside cylinders ,then the 4 inside cylinders , this gives the great sound and adds to the harmonics of the motor . I was told last year that Crane Cams will mill up  ( $30 extra )a C%#V cam so you can do the 4-7 swap and make it sound like a Y-Block . Was also told that the Y firing order also helps with more torque and more power .????

Regards Lon

yblocksdownunder

Here again, the other firing orders fire the four corners and then the inside. If you look at them all, 1, 5, 4, and 8 fire in sequence, though not always in the same sequence.

351 and 5.0 HO: 5-4-8-1

289 and 302 (chevy also follows this scheme, though numbered different): 8-1-5-4

And, of course the Y-Block and flathead: 1-5-4-8


Lawrenceville, GA

I don't know if it's still common practice,but at one time most of the Nascar teams ran their engines with the Y-block firing order.That includes other brands,not just Ford.In doing so they gained torque at lower RPMs,smoothness at high RPMs and durability.

I've always figured the unique Y-block sound is because of a combination of the somewhat unusual breathing characteristics and the firing order.Headers and aftermarket intakes sure change the sound of a Y,but it is still a unique sound.Even when the firing order of another engine is matched to the Y,it does not have the same sound.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

I,ve allways thought you could recognize the Y block sound by the leaking exhausts !!! ha ha. regards bill.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

I think the "sound" is sort of in the ear of the beholder - like Aussiebill says - it may just be the leaks. I noticed that when I got the bird exhaust all buttoned up and the engine rigged so it doesn't idle retarded, it sounded more like my Dad's old 352 Galaxie LTD (too quiet).

There is an article on the web - by David Vizard - who isn't just a chebbie guy but a pretty bright engineer. It describes the steps used to design and build street exhaust systems that don't subtract horspower - and don't act like a cop magnet. It's got some good advice I think.

http://www.superchevy.com/technical/engines_drivetrain/exhaust/0505phr_exh/index.html

What he mentions is that our v8's are configured as two v4's in line - not two fours side by side. The two cylinders per side that inevitably end up firing 90° apart cause the engine -side for side - to sound more like two three bangers with one big cylinder on each side. THUMP, thunka , thunka, THUMP... so to speak. To smooth it out would require some 180° headers that only can be made to fit race cars.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona