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The current traditional hot rod movement has generated interest in the venerable Y-block V-8, and the aftermarket has supported it as well as the engine series it replaced, the flathead. Indeed, the manufacturers of speed equipment have developed new performance parts to meet the demand. It seems the old adage is true: “If you wait long enough, everything eventually comes back in style.”

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Then there are the Y-block stalwarts, my friend Jerry Christenson among them, who have continued to race and modify Y-block engines through the years. Early on, the Y-block faithful were convinced of the engine series’ strength and performance potential, despite the lack of performance parts over the decades. These enthusiasts have displayed the true spirit of hot rodding by carefully examining the raw material that Ford gave them and then squeezing every ounce of power from it using little more than ingenuity. The experience and guidance these men have has proved to be invaluable in writing this book.

When I set out to build a proper, modern high-performance version of the Y-block V-8, my approach was simple and straightforward. I wanted it to be the ideal power plant for Richard Stuck’s beautiful 1957 Ford Custom, so I selected a combination of traditional and modern performance parts that work well in concert while improving on the original Ford design. A major consideration was the intended purpose for the engine. My goal was not to have a competitiononly engine but rather a powerful, reliable, strong street engine.

This engine is based on a 1957 vintage 292-cylinder block. Why not begin with the larger displacement 312-cylinder block, you ask? After all, in hot rod circles, isn’t the old saying, “There’s no substitute for cubic inches?” The reason for my choice is simple: strength of design.

High-performance and racing Y-blocks have won many NASCAR races, Bonneville speed runs, and other competitions over the years. This 322-ci Y-block features dished pistons so it’s compatible with increased cylinder pressures of the supercharger. Here, the short-block is assembled and it’s ready to accept the heads, intake, carb, and other related equipment.

This 1957-vintage 292 block is the raw material for the performance Y-block engine build. I chose the 292 over the 312 because the 292 has the stronger casting of the two for performance applications. Engineering changes to the main bearing saddle areas of the 312 block resulted in it being weaker than that of its predecessor. After being bored oversize and fitted with a 312 crankshaft, my engine displaces 322 ci.

When Ford increased the displacement of the Y-block from 292 to 312 ci, it increased the crankshaft’s stroke as well as the main bearing journal size. To accommodate the larger main bearing journals, Ford cast and machined a cylinder block that had less beef where it was needed the most: the bottom end.

Rather than depending on 50-year-old hardware, I have chosen to use new, high-quality fasteners, such as these connecting rod bolts by ARP, throughout both engine builds, stock, and performance.

The advantages of the 292 far outweighed the attributes of using the 312 block. In addition, the longer main bearing cap bolts, which in turn required deeper holes in the casting, resulted in a tendency to develop cracks in the webbing of the cylinder block. Taking into consideration the inherent strength advantage of the 292 cylinder block along with the common and simple modification of turning down the main bearing journals of the 312 crankshaft to the diameter of a 292 journal (instant stroker crank), it all makes sense. Add to this the 292 block’s reputation for thick cylinder walls that allow for increases in bore size (unthinkable in later Ford engine series with thin wall castings), and a combination of strength plus cubic inches can be achieved.

It should be noted that blocks bearing C2AE casting numbers are said to have the thickest cylinder walls of all. For competition engines, additional displacement can be squeezed out of the Y-block with an aftermarket crankshaft used in concert with a camshaft that has been ground on a smaller base circle to provide more clearance for the rotating assembly. For the purposes of my street performance Y-block, an OEM 312 cast-iron crankshaft fills the bill quite nicely.

Rich Stuck has two Iskenderian camshafts from which to choose for these engine builds. Although several aftermarket manufacturers grind camshafts for the Y-block V-8, these particular cams were chosen because they are copies of the original high-performance camshafts offered by Ford in 1957.

This specification sheet provided with one of the Iskenderian camshafts shows that it is ground to match the Ford B7A-6250-C high-performance cam. Lift is listed at .435 and duration at 290 degrees, and the cam is ground on a 110-degree centerline. (Illustration Courtesy Isky Racing Cams)

Even though the quality of this image is a little suspect, the quality of the information that Rollmaster provides with their multi-indexed lower gear kit is quite helpful.

A cast-aluminum timing cover from John Mummert replaced the heavy cast-iron OEM timing cover on the performance engine. Not only does it save weight, it also looks great.

Cutting open the cylinder head reveals the port configuration and allows Crew Chief Seppo Kokko to determine how to best modify the head to attain maximum airflow through the intake and exhaust ports to attain additional horsepower. Based on knowledge gained from sectioning a Y-block cylinder head, Seppo is able to modify the ports in the cylinder heads to be used on the team’s race engine.

A look through the modified exhaust ports on this ECZ-C cylinder head casting shows that Seppo has achieved the sought-after result: the straightest possible path between valve and port that provides the maximum amount of horsepower from the head.

The Knuckleheads Racing Team are running a turbocharger on their engine, so they needed to find an effective solution to sealing the cylinder heads to the block under the extreme pressures created by this form of induction. To supplement the fire ring in their copper head gaskets, the team had their cylinder head surfaces grooved to accept an O-ring.

Another cylinder head modification dictated by the use of the turbocharger on this engine was a complete redesign of the standard Y-block cylinder head’s combustion chambers.
The addition of a turbocharger to the engine also requires custom-made pistons, as shown here. (Photo Courtesy Seppo Kokko)

The addition of a turbocharger to the engine also
requires custom-made pistons, as shown here.
(Photo Courtesy Seppo Kokko)

How sturdy is the cast-iron 312 crankshaft? Jerry Christenson uses one in the engine of his 1956 Thunderbird drag car, and it covers a quarter mile in 10 seconds. Jerry reports that even after machining the main bearing journals to 292 diameter, offset grinding the connecting rod journals to 2.10 inches to gain additional displacement, and running a supercharger delivering 10 to 14 pounds of boost, the crankshaft has stood the test of hundreds of quarter-mile runs with no signs of wear. As a matter of fact, such is the strength and reliability of the engine that Jerry has only had to replace piston rings and wrist pins as part of his race engine’s maintenance.

Racing Engines

Enthusiasts and racers from Finland take the Ford Y-block seriously and squeeze every ounce of power from their engines. The Hollowheads Racing Team is at the forefront of getting this venerable engine series to perform its very best. The team fields an Altered dragster, driven by Jyrki Peltonen, that is powered by a 292-ci turbocharged Y-block that is capable of covering the quarter-mile in just over eight seconds; it’s one of the fastest Y-block–powered vehicles in the world today.

Most race engine builders agree that a great deal of additional horsepower can be found through modifications to cylinder heads. To this end, the Hollowheads sacrificed a Y-block cylinder head to be cut into several sections to examine its port configurations.

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RaceTec Engine Parts

The RaceTec piston in this performance engine build is a thoroughly modern design and features an accumulator groove, which, by design, collects any gases that manage to escape (blow by) past the top piston ring. It also prevents the ring from being disrupted; it is allowed to seal properly against the cylinder walls.

This comparison shows the difference between the customforged aluminum RaceTec (right) piston and a cast replacement (left) for the Y-block V-8.

To achieve the optimum compression ratio for the performance Y-block, a custom-made piston was required. I chose RaceTec to provide a set of forged aluminum castings made to my specifications. Because I will run my engine with the original McCulloch supercharger, the compression ratio was kept down to around 9.0:1. Supplying RaceTec with the combustion chamber volume of the cylinder heads, along with cylinder block deck clearance, allowed them to calculate the proper piston configuration for this application. Although the original supercharged 312 Y-block engines of 1957 had an 8.5:1 compression ratio, I am able to squeeze in another half point because of the aluminum cylinder heads, which dissipate the heat created by combustion more efficiently with modern, higher-octane fuels. This is an example of a RaceTech spec sheet. (Illustration Courtesy RaceTec Pistons)

Not only is the RaceTec piston considerably lighter than OEM or cast replacement pistons, it is of superior design and materials, making it far stronger for use in a performance-oriented engine. Less power-robbing weight in reciprocating mass equates directly to horsepower.

By comparison, the wrist pin supplied with the RaceTec piston (right) is both lighter and stronger in design and material than the OEM part (left). RaceTec wrist pins are the same dimension as those used in later-model small-block Ford V-8 engines. Both are .912 inch in diameter.

Top End Components

Another upgrade is from the old-style solid pushrod (top) to that of superior tubular design (bottom). Tubular pushrods are hollow, which results in less power-robbing mass; the hollow design makes them inherently stronger. This upgrade is advised for any Y-block engine rebuild, including stock. Tubular Y-block pushrods in OEM length are available from Speed-Pro. For custom lengths, I trust Smith Brothers.

Occasionally, tubular pushrods aren’t strong enough for some applications. Valve lash is far too loose, and it could cause the adjuster on the rocker arm to eventually fracture the cup at the upper end of the pushrod. In this instance, the cause was very high-RPM operation in conjunction with super-heavy valvesprings in a racing engine.

The now-assembled 322-ci performance short-block displays the custom dish-top RaceTec pistons, which, by providing a larger combustion volume, supply the desired compression ratio of 9.1:1. This is perfect for use with the factory McCulloch supercharger for this engine. In 1957 the factory horsepower rating for the supercharged 312 was 300. In reality, the engines produced between 340 and 370 hp. Without a dynamometer, I can’t be exactly sure, but I am confident that with all the upgrades, my 322-ci engine will deliver in the neighborhood of 400 ponies on pump gas.

The redesigned aluminum cylinder heads by John Mummert have allowed the venerable Y-block engine series to make a serious leap into the 21st century when it comes to performance. The bare head castings weigh 24.5 pounds each, which is a considerable weight savings over the cast-iron OEM heads. Manganese bronze valveguides and Viton positive-seal valve seals keep oil out of the combustion chambers. As delivered, the Mummert head features a 1.250-inch-diameter valvespring with an installed height of 1.750 inches with 85 pounds of seat pressure on 1.375- inch spring cups. For more aggressive cam profiles that require larger valvesprings, the heads are machined to accept spring cups up to 1.460 inches in diameter.

When he designed his cylinder head castings, John Mummert thought of everything a true Y-block enthusiast would love, including his logo, the Y-block logo, and the ECG casting letters. One of the biggest aids to performance, as well as weight savings, came in the form of the cylinder heads that I chose for this 322 Y-block buildup. They are John Mummert cast-aluminum cylinder heads. Modern CNC technology allowed Mummert to redesign the cylinder head ports for maximum efficiency and flow. Fitted with stainless-steel 11/32-inch-stem diameter 1.94- inch intake valves and 1.54-inch exhaust valves, these heads flow 235 cfm at a .550 lift on the intake and 175 cfm at a .550 lift on the exhaust side. The deck thickness is .625, combustion chambers are 60 cc, valve angle is 18 degrees, and the use of 14-mm spark plug holes improves combustion by eliminating valve shrouding that improves flame travel.

The exhaust port and combustion chamber improvements over the original Ford design found in the Mummert cylinder heads allow you to bolt on instant horsepower to your Y-block without any other engine modifications.

Of course, serious racers, including Jerry Christenson, try to wring every last ounce of power from any cylinder head, even those from Mummert. Evidence of Jerry’s port and combustion chamber work are seen here. These modifications include increasing port size and removing material in the combustion chamber to decrease valve shrouding. These changes accommodate Jerry’s engine combination and are not necessary for my street performance application.

I am using John Mummert’s rocker arm stands in concert with ECG rocker arms and hardened rocker shafts for the performance Y-block build. The Mummert stands are fashioned from light, strong billet aluminum and lighter, yet stronger-than-OEM Ford, rocker arm stands.

When mounting aluminum cylinder heads on an engine, it is advisable to use studs in place of the normal head bolts. I am using John Mummert–supplied head studs, nuts, and washers for my engine. The instructions provided with the aluminum heads as to stud installation and torque should be followed closely. Studs are first lightly lubricated with oil and then hand-threaded into the cylinder block. The studs do not get tightened beyond hand-tight. Head gaskets are then slipped down the studs and seated on the deck surface of the block.

I chose Fel-Pro Blue cylinder head gaskets to handle the sealing chores between the cylinder block and aluminum heads. The same gaskets were used in the stock rebuild. These gaskets are far superior to the OEM steel shim head gaskets originally used by Ford on Y-block engines. Again, the head gaskets only mount one way. The markings on the gaskets that read “front” must face the front of the engine.

Torque the hardware that secures the heads to the block. Again, follow the manufacturer’s directions and torque specs because these procedures and values may vary from supplier to supplier. They supply torque values as they relate to the use of this stud, washer, and nut combination. The beveled side of the washers must face toward the head of the nuts. Torque specifications are 80 ft-lbs when using oil on the threads of the studs and nuts and 63 ft-lbs when using ARP lube. The tightening sequence for the studs/nuts is the same as on page 142 (top) for all Y-block V-8 engines. It is recommended that you repeat the torque sequence three times to ensure that the fire ring of the head gasket is properly compressed.

The Mummert cylinder heads are installed on the engine, and the intake ports are shown here. I have long wondered why Ford engineers chose this unusual horizontal intakeport configuration for the Y-block cylinder head. The answer is simple: Additional hood clearance, less material required in the head casting, and, my favorite, the orientation of the port does not matter to the engine. All that matters is how directly and efficiently the port transfers the air/fuel mixture to the valve.

Although not lighter than the stamped OEM valley cover, this cast-aluminum piece looks great and is less likely than an OEM part to leak because of bending from overtightening. Using a proper sealant and snugging the hardware without overtightening keeps the top of the engine dry.

The 322-ci performance Y-block is now in long-block configuration, and it looks great with the cylinder heads and other aluminum parts installed. I expect it to run as good as it looks.

You do not need to set the valve lash wider to compensate for heat expansion of parts when setting the cold valve lash on an engine equipped with aluminum cylinder heads. Valve lash is set tighter because the aluminum cylinder head castings themselves don’t expand at the same rate as cast iron. As an example, the factory specifications for valve lash with the camshaft I am using call for lash to be set at .019 hot. With the aluminum cylinder heads, I set lash at .016 cold.

When installing the rocker arm assemblies and pushrods, don’t forget to give all components a good coating of oil because it provides protection from friction damage during initial start-up of the engine.

The 322-ci-performance Y-block engine is complete and mounted on a stand showing off the McCulloch supercharger and unique copper-coated Fenton performance exhaust manifolds.

The 322-ci engine is shown mounted in the car without the carburetor and supercharger setup in place. You can see that the Blue Thunder aluminum intake manifold has been cast and machined to accommodate either the original Tea Pot Holley (used with the supercharger) or the later 4160-version Holley carburetor.

Imagine the reaction of any gas-pump jockey who opened the hood of a 1957 Ford to check the oil and was confronted with this sight.

The lettering on the hood of Rich Stuck’s 1957 Custom tells the tale. While Ford rated the supercharged 312 engines at 300 hp in 1957, it is well documented that they produced in excess of that number. Suffice it to say that with modern parts and modifications, the engine delivers considerably more than 300 hp now.

This beautiful 1957 Ford Custom, belonging to Rich Stuck of Brick, New Jersey, is the proud recipient of my 322-ci McCulloch supercharged performance Y-block engine.

Written by Charles Morris and Posted with Permission of CarTechBooks

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