What should a "running when pulled" 272 Y-Block with automatic ****** cost me? I have a line on one for under $450. Good deal or on? The engine is complete less intake, carbs, and distributor. I have 4-barrel intake and carb in hand. Engine runs but owner says it needed lifters adjusted. He upgraded to a 351. Comments? Thanks all! Glenn
Depends on when it was pulled. Two months ago, okay. Thirty years ago, not okay. As far as needing the valves adjusted, if it's got many miles on it at all, that probably translates into rocker arms and/or shaft replacement. One of my buddies is into Y blocks, and it usually takes him about 5 or 6 engines' worth of rocker arms to come up with 16 decent ones.
I paid $150 for a 292 with a 4spd. My ford-o-matic 2spd cost $1200 to rebuild. I would rather have gone with a adapter and different ******. Is it a cruise-o-matic 3spd? I would think that would be worth a little more.
Lots of different things to consider here. If it is a 272 & not actually anything else (Y blocks are constantly misidentified)...that might be a little high. As mentioned, when was it running last? Get the block casting number. The head number is usually inaccessible. Rams horn manifolds normally would not be on a 272 (unless they were swapped), but if they were, that ups the value a fair amount. Any other ex. manifold means nothing, they are dirt cheap. Replacement rockers & shafts are fairly cheap even when new (IF sourced from the right place, that is), fairly common used, & the high ratio rockers are available new once again. However, if you are paying for "running" as opposed to "needs work", than you don't want to get in to it. On that subject...if this has been together for a long time, I'd pull the oil pump & pan for cleaning, along with the rocker covers. When you refire it, make sure that it is oiling both rocker shafts. If not, it may be either sludged up, or the ctr. cam bearing has issues. It IS possible to de-sludge the rocker oil p***ages WITHOUT pulling the heads. I'd pull the covers, at least, before laying down any $$$; if it's run recently the rockers should show signs of oil. The Ford-O-Matic poses some questions. If it's a TRUCK setup, grab it. People are always looking for them. Car autos are common. Up through '56 they are all air-cooled; the later ones are more conventional & worth a little more $$. As mentioned they cost a little more to rebuild. It is possible to easily adapt it to use a FMX or later Cruise-O-Matic instead, with the Ford-O-Matic bell & some other pieces. For $450 I'd expect "running with no problems whatsoever", 'cept maybe a minor drip or two.
I paid 100 dollars for the running Y-block that I have in my '48 tudor sedan. Its a '57 272 with the good heads, high lift rockers and big cam. If you look at the specs for Y-blocks the '57-'58 motors were the high compression, big valve, big rocker years with HP/TQ going down hill in the years before and after '57-58. I did, however, end up putting rocker arms, rockershafts, tube type push rods and a blue-printed oil pump in it. This motor DID run sweet when pulled and I discovered the rockerarm issues upon inspection....so if the motor your looking at has issues that are obvious and the "fix" is adjusting the rockers then you should proceed with caution. The second motor I bought was out of a '62 COE truck. Its a 292 with the forged steel crank, good rods, good heads (same as the '57 supercharged 312 castings but with a different part number), '57-up 4V intake and was in full dress from fan to E-brake (mounted on trans) and air cleaner to oil pan **including** the God aweful hard to find RamsHorn exhaust manifolds. I gave $400 dollars for it but it needs a full rebuild.....I was after the RamsHorns at the time but had to buy the whole package to get them. If your motor ran SWEET, was more complete and doesn't need any valvetrain work (it most likely does) then its worth the $450. Otherwise I'd try to get the price down and/or keep shopping. ....on the other hand, these things are drying up and getting hard to find. .....hmmmm. -Bigchief.
RockerArm Specialties (in California - do a Web search) will rebush original Y-block rockers and install new adjustment screws and nuts for about 7-8 dollars per rocker. They did the high ratio rockers for my 272 last year for that price and they were SWEET. At that time new replacement OEM type high ratio rockers were not available and the standard ratio rockers were something like 16 dollars a piece. -Bigchief.
I paid 150 for my 312.... the one in my little picture icon in the upper left. It was a really nice one that was in good shape, still rebuilt it but that was one of those once in a lifetime "in the right place at the right time deals" I have seen them for good prices, in fact in know where a few are in a junk yard that definatly needs rebuilt, i dont know what he is asking for them. so if you are interested send me a personal message or somethin and ill tell ya where they are.
Probably enough that I'd try to find one that at least still had the intake, and hopefully the air cleaner on it while it languished for decades. Another thing to keep in mind is that any '57-'59 Y block, regardless of performance level, has good heads on it--although check the numbers, because I've seen more than one with an original head on one side and one with different sized valves on the other from a quick and dirty "keep it running the cheapest way possible" repair.
WAAAYY too much- You should forget about bringin' any of it back to life and just part it out. I need that blower housing for my '57...
Are you dead set on a 272? Or are you interested because it's available? Almost every engine 'ran when parked'. Just looking at that pic tells me there'll be a ****load of work involved. If it's been sitting for any amount of time, with no intake on it, the inside has basically been exposed to the elements through the ports. I'd expect the same amount of surface rust inside as well, and the oil to be solid sludge. At least consider the heads shot. Why is that valve cover missing a nut? The guy forget to put one back on when he took to intake off? Or was the something wrong and he just slaped the cover back on there? 292's are plentiful enough, I would go with that instead. They also have enough material to bore them way out. 312's are better, but you'll pay thru the nose if you can find one. Y blocks were used in trucks into the early 60's, the 292 in my Fairlane also came out of a '62 truck with the steel forged crank like BigChief's. I'm not popping any wheelies with it, but it has proven to be a good dependable motor over the last few years. Someday I'll get around to putting my tri-power on it. As for rebuild costs, how much can you do yourself? I tracked down a set of big valve 113 heads, after the machine shop got done with them, I had $1100 invested total. Adapters for more modern ******'s seem to cost more than the more modern used ****** does. Rebuilding the old Ford/Merc/Cruise-O-Matic seems to be a **** shoot with finding a competent experienced shop. Then you're back at the cost, I've read that the rebuilds will cost more than an adapter and a modern ****** combined! If you want a Y block, get the biggest, newest, and most complete one you can find. My two cents.
I just picked up this 58 292 for $250.00. They seem to be getting around $200 to $250 around here for them. The heads where replaced at some point with early 60s lo-po heads, but I was after the shortblock mainly, and I got the holley flange 4V intake and carb as well as the exhaust manifolds. The next weekend I found another 57 292 with the good heads (ECZ-G), standard bore block, that was all apart for $200. So I recommend you keep looking, or make an offer and walk away. By the way, for a short block the 272 is a good starting point. Bore it to standard 292 pistons size (if that will clean it up) and you should have no problems.
Uhhh, the owner said it only needed a valve adjustment? .....yeah, right after the rebuild. GEEZ! If it turns over offer the guy 50 bucks and take the risk that there's a usable crank in it. Anything else that is good is gravy. Oh yeah, grab the trans/bellhousing and starter too. -Bigchief.
Unless I'm reading his posts wrong, the engine in the picture is not the same one as is for sale for $450.00. Either that, or the seller was lying about both the "running" and the "pulled" in the ad.....
The engine in my pic came with my Merc. I ***ume its toast and in line for a total rebuild MAYBE. That is if it is even rebuildable. Glenn
Most Y blocks can take an astounding amount of overbore with no problem...thickwall castings to be sure. .125 isn't really unusual, and still leave plenty of thrust-side thickness. Of course, sonic-checking is your friend. The exception is the 312, some of which may be limited to .060...but many will go much more.
I "bought some time" with the Y in my Uni by purchasing some longer pushrods from John Mummert. Web search his name.. lots of info there..
I Have A 312 Y-block Good Motor But There Are A Lot More New Parts For 292 There A Place On The West Coast That I Got A Lot Of Parts For It. I,ll Try And Find Treir Address If You Need It But I Would Go With A 292
John Mummert's web site: http://www.ford-y-block.com/ He's well known in the Y block world & reliable.
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