So I have had a few y blocks in my cars and I have herd they are prone to oiling issues. So I bought a kit that oils over the rockers. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...rkparms=algo=LVI&its=K%2BD&itu=UCI&otn=3&ps=5 Would it be a good idea to run this after I rebuild the motor aswell? Just to be safe?
No, not really. The main problem that screwed up the upper engine oiling on Y blocks is sludge buildup that blocked the internal oiling passages that led to the rocker shafts. If you're having the cylinder heads and block professionally cleaned by a machine shop as part of your rebuild (as you should), all of the sludge will be gone and the external oilers will be unnecessary.
No, once rebuilt with modern oils you should be just fine with the stock passages. The passages from the cam to the rockerstands get clogged(sludge) and you get no top end oiling.
If the cam bearings are correctly installed and not worn out; and if things aren't all plugged up with sludge you will not need any of the external oilers.
The Y-block I have in my '29 PU already had them installed on them when I pulled it out of a long ago hopped up 55 wagon. I decided to put them back on just for the old flavor, but didn't hook them up. They get quite a few comments.
It was clamed that the cam bearings would spin and cause them to not oil. I have taken apart dozens of them and never saw a spun bearing. They have a 90 degree turn in the head that the oil must make and stop up there. I have taken off the rockers and then tapped the oil hole for a alemite grease fitting and used a grease gun to pump heavy oil backward.That sometimes will unclog them. The trouble with external overhead oilers is they can oil too much and rob oil pressure from the bearings.
I agree, no not needed if engine is in good condition. My new heads are milled .036 so the oil passage in the head leading from block to through the head port was reduced in depth by the same amount. A small bur made a quick correction smoothing and deepening the passage.
I agree man. I was working on my 287 short block and i rebuilt the thing complatley so I fire it up and I get no oil pressure. So i take about half the damn motor apart to replace the oil pump and to make a long story short it was my rod bearings and cranks bearing that was making it loose pressure. Sludge buildup on y block can also be a problem
The Y-blocks would spin cam bearings. I am sure there are other caused for a loss of oil pressure to the upper end, but the cam bearing spinning and covering the oil galley was common. Every Y-block I built, I would pin the cam bearings. My very first 272 had spun the cam bearing.
do what he said y blocks did spin cam brgs...thats why they came up w/ those kits seems today people today think history can be rewritten...a common problem
I have deepened the groove in my camshaft about the original depth again this is supposed to help also some std cams this groove can gunk up this groove and the bearing groove and prevent oil entering the cam gallery. I am not sure if this would happen with new oils I run a diesel engine oil in mine and it doesnt have the oil sludge in it like the engine had before rebuild. Although it had been many years since it was rebuilt last, the valley etc was very gunky, I doubt a modern oil would do this if the oil and filter was changed at regular intervals.
The thing with Y blocks is, there are different cam bearings from year to year, the wrong ones block the oil passages. And they do turn bearings, just enough to stop the oil flow. I have had those oiling kits, they do work, but it's easy to make your own out of small copper tube. As for pinning, the shop I used to use would grind a small notch in the edge of the bearing boss and stake the bearing with a round-ended punch. Never had one come back with top-end oiling problems.
I did a bad assed 312 back in the 60's and other than originally not putting the rocker stands in the right place, I never had an oiling problem. I have a 272 in my '56 now and it oils just fine. Go to Y-blocksforever.com and there are people there that know more about these motors than Ford did. Ted Eaton & Hoosier Hurricane know Y-blocks inside and out. Also there is a ton of stuff on there about this very problem.
Thanks guys I really appreciate it. Also, I have a tri power for my y block but Im looking for a 6 carb manifold aswell. Does anyone know where I can get one?
Oiling kits and oiling issues were largely generated by by lack of proper use of oil and oil changes promoted by chevy lovers to discourage the FORD owners. Simple maintenance and proper assembly prevented all the claimed issues. I'm sure the "j C Whitney" types made plenty of dough off those types of oiling kits, along with toilet paper type oil filters etc.!
I realize there are some errors/bad info in this article, but, would the techniques used in here be worthwhile? The fellas in the Y Block forum ripped this thing apart a bit. http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/tipstricks/74739/index.html
Did anyone in this thread ask the obvious questions - Like did you pull the covers and look to see if oil was coming out the return tubes at the ends of the rocker shafts? Have they been plugged or pinched? Are the rockers oiling? If you've got a nice oil stream coming out - and down into the head/valley return hole - probably OK. Keep a supply of the right oil - and change it by the numbers - the return stream will stay strong as ever. Some engines have had the return tubes pinched or blocked - 5,000 opinions about trying to "pressurize" the rocker shafts. Some pretty bright (and experienced) y-block guys come down on both sides of the question. Ford engineers obviously thought dripping at each pivot was good enough - and it cuts down on getting excessive waste flow all over the valve stem seal area. One thing for sure - especially if you run the devil a while with the covers off - you will notice that the solid lifters are pretty noisey? And they get louder with age as the shaft to rocker bore clearance wears - but if the oil hasn't been completely cut off by sludge (and galled the rocker shafts) - chances are its just fine.
First of all Greenbird56 hit the nail on the head. do what he suggests. IMHO i would say the article is correct. I'm not wild about the two four setup they chose, looks better than it performs. As is the case for most of the muti-carbed setups for y's, Blue thunder is the clear winner on the dyno-maybe just not as old school fun as multi-carb setups. Jury is still out on the Eldebrock 557 with 3 Barry Grant 2 barrels as far as hp improvement, but as far as efficiancy goes, it should be good, with new carbs versus old 97's. However in this pic the manifold they illustrate it with is a dog on the dyno./offy. One more thing, when they speak of boring a 292 Y block-I would always have it sonic check FIRST before any machine work, to check for core shifting during casting. Well worth the money and time.
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