I am by no means the level of expert that a lot of the folks here are, but one thing I had really found out after digging into my y is that less you really intend to push the envelope on performance, they are truly very forgiving on a lot of tolerances and wear and will keep on humming.

Mine can be temperamental and cause some cussing at times, but some issues I was sure would have caused some irreparable internal damage just got taken in stride. And it has never left me hanging (knock on wood)




Mike Rizzo

1963 F100 "Rudy"

Daniel Island, SC

Just remember to post pictures when you have the new paint. And congrats on the engine rebuild. Should be a neat "cruzer".

Bud in Northern Arizona on route 66 in Winslow (standin' on the corner)

If you're American, buy American

631/2 Galaxie 500XL 406   55 T-Bird

Just a post to thank you guys & give an update.  Overhauled my 292 with new rings, bearings, valve job with hardened seats, and scraped & cleaned everything as well as I could with the engine in the frame (I had front clip off).  I had a few problems, not too bad-had a vacumn leak that drove me crazy-turned out to be intake gasket.  I've had it running for a few months now but not driving much because of brake & body work.  This winter I've  got it licensed, insured, inspected, and ready for paint & I've put about 600 miles on the engine & I am very satisfied.  the engine doesn't smoke at all and pulls very well at low rpm.  I had duals installed with glasspacks & it sounds sweet!  I can't wait now to get it painted!

i havent removed the ridge in 30 years.

And that can be a vote for the rering, new bearings and head work.

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.

Also if you re-ring, make sure you remove the ridge at the top of the bore.

I didn't use a ridge remover but preferrred to do it old school and scrape the ridge out.

Yakes a lot longer but you don't remove more metal than you need to this way

With compression still at 130/140 it is still pretty good and probably either the valve stem seals or the oil rings are causing the smoke.

I am rebuilding my 272 but it is out of the car, but I am still only honing and re-ringing with standard rings and bearings.

Afterall, these cars are not going out to win races and be first off the lights so it will take a long time to put another 100,000 miles on it which is what the engine should be good for with a re-ring.

Gary - 1958 Star Customline and 1940 Ford Deluxe Hotrod

If you hone and rering, use cast iron rings.  If you rebore, use moly.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Did you check for taper and eccentricity?



A recent cylinder head test indicates that the '62 heads are not that bad for street performance.



http://www.y-blocksforever.com/forums/Topic61587-3-1.aspx



But, have you checked the casting numbers to see if they are stock? You may already have better heads. Memory is not so good. Even if you bought it from the original owner, after 49 years there's no telling what's been done.

Since you do have it torn down so far, if you have the slightest desire for a warmer cam, now is the time to do it. Intakes, exhaust, heads, that can all be taken care of easily at a later time.


Lawrenceville, GA

Thanks for the advice.  This is a very informative website.  Something else I didn't mention is that if I go for a rebore-I'll probably want the better heads, a four barrel, a little more cam.  If I get that far into it, I may want to swap for an FE!!

Welcome to the Yblock Forum. My opinion, based on your description and what you want from the engine, is to do what you have suggested. The new valve stem seals included in the head rebuilding will likely help with the small amount of smoke. Consider knocking the freeze plugs out and flush the block with it in the frame. I would add sending the radiator out for a check/flush, new Tstat, hoses and water pump, belts to the list. Boring the cylinders means more cost and labor including block tear down and prep, new pistons, etc.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto