I'm replacing the 302 in my model A hot rod with a y-block to make it more 'era correct'. I was planning to do a quick tear-down and rebuild of this old '57 292 that came in a parts truck I had. I researched the casting numbers and it turned out to have the desirable ECZ-G heads and block.



I'm thinking that it could be a 312... and that would be cool; but no way... it's a 57 f100 and the numbers show that it should be the correct engine.



I pulled the pan yesterday and son-of-a-gun.. ECZ on the caps, and a BIG ECZ on the front counter weight... nice. It is very clean inside and I know it has been rebuilt at least once because there are numbers stamped in the rods and caps. It has a double roller timing chain.



But one of the heads had this: (see attachment)



SO Now... what should I do with it? It's going in my hotrod and I'm running open headers. I want it to be reliable, and not overheat, so I'm not going too high on the compression. I will have hardened seats and SS valves installed. What is a good, lumpy cam?



Any suggestions?




Turning fuel into noise since 1971

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primer gray with gold inlay

Congratulations!  A good lumpy cam will have overlap decreasing dynamic compression.  So go for whatever static compression the cam maker calls for, or have a more sluggish motor at lower rpm with lower CR.  If the burnt valve is the heads only problem, GREAT.

My experience with CR and overheating is that it isnt an issue.  Ran a 7:1 or worse 292 in the truck, and changed the engine to a 9.2:1 CR 292, and essentially no change in heating, at least that is attributable to the compression.  The heating issue I have in traffic on hot days has more to do with my $15 Chinese electric fan !

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

I'm dropping it off at the machine shop tomorrow. I'm going to have hardened seats and SS valves done in the heads, but just the minimum machining required on the block and rotating assembly.



I think I'm going to do the pressurized rocker mod.



any other suggestions?

Turning fuel into noise since 1971

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primer gray with gold inlay

You might want to go over the common assembly errors related to these engines.  Here’s a link to a list of assembly errors compiled by John Mummert.

http://www.ford-y-block.com/assemblyerrors.htm

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Looks like that head is cracked.



Be aware that the bolts for the rear main cap are sightly shorter than the other bolts. Your machinist won't know it, he's too young, and if he torques a longer bolt into that rear cap it might crack the block.



I don't think you'll need a lumpy cam to draw attention. The firing order of the y-block will do it just fine.

Best regards,



Paul Menten

Meridian, Idaho

if you change cam bearings make sure their installed right.

Thanks for all the info! I read all the typical assembly mistakes. My machinist knows yblocks, i guess that makes him old(?) ha.



I received the block and heads back from the shop, and everything checked out okay. The head did have a small crack on the seat with the burned valve, but it was removed with the material for the hardened seats.



It was a virgin block, so i went 30 over and with a Iski 300 cam with regular ratio rockers. USA made lifters, and all SS valves. I installed the rear main seal from best gasket co.



Before assembly, I de-burred the the block.

Turning fuel into noise since 1971

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primer gray with gold inlay

Show us some progress pics! Please? The dawg

Heber City, UT (15 mins outside of Park City- basically it's in the mountains)

55 Effie