need help with a 1954 Ford 239 Y-block

[coolchevy]

I am rebuilding a 54 Ford truck engine for a customer, it is a 239ci Y block. Anyone has specs for piston bore, mains and rod pin diameter?

oh, and anybody knows the correct engine color, I have seen red and green. Engine came in several boxes like and adult puzzle and I trying for days to find an accurate picture of engine in stock trim.

are there any year correct speed parts available like Westech intakes or such?

[ProPower engines]

STD.Cyl. bore is 3.500"
STD= main size is2.4980"-2.4988"
STD= rod size2.1880"-2.1888"
There is 2 cam journal sizes
Early 2.0495"-2.500"
Late1.9255"-1.9265"
Housing bores are aprox.2.187"
Hope it helps

[Dragsinger]

I do not remember much about those old Y blocks even though I worked on them all through the 60's and early 70's

But I do remember this, they are smooth and quiet. They have solid lifters and the sound is the classic "sounds like a sewing machine"

After a few minutes thought, I "think" the early engines were a deep red, like Ox Blood Red.

One possible source of info is your local library if it has a collection of older Motors Manuals or the like. Another possible is your local Community College is they have a "historic" set of manuals.

[Baprace]

I'm pretty sure only 1954 Y blocks had 13 teeth distributer gears and if I remember correctly you time the cam to crank on the right hand side of the gears ( not dot to dot like regular chains ) and I think it was 12 pins between dots ( not sure on the count ) but sure on where to check it.

[coolchevy]

like always, you guys impress me!

(and makes me wonder how old some of you gotta be to know all those details....... )

[ZIGGY]

Bap is correct - 12's the number. Some early chains had 2 links each punched with a hole as timing marks. I wish I had back a few of the Nascar "Grand National" Y-block pieces that were available as used parts when I was a kid in eastern Tenn.

[ZIGGY]

I got so carried away I overlooked your other questions. So far as I recall, red was the color, in a darker shade. If you haven't found it already, go to www.ford-y-block.com for pictures and some more modern pieces. Probably won't be cheap but I'd look on flea-bay for an Offenhauser 3-deuce intake w/carbs & linkage.

[GOSFAST]

Be sure to install the lifters BEFORE the cam or you will not get them in?

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. If you are replacing the pushrods with new, check the cup ends for correct fit on the rocker adjusters (the ball and cup), there was a bunch of "defective" pushrods made a couple years back with the incorrect radius "inside" the "cups", and are probably still kicking around today!

[Ted]

The '54 model Y's had some manufacturing differences from the Y's that came after that. The cam journals are larger along with the aforementioned different number of teeth on the distributor drive. The camshaft is '54 specific as a result. The oil pump is tanged instead of using a hex shaft and the water pump along with the timing cover is 1954 specific. If I remember right, the fuel pump is also 1954 specific. The guys over at www.y-blocksforever.com can give assistance on how to convert the oil pump and distributor over to the later model design. A later model timing cover will allow the more readily available later model water pump and fuel pump to be used.

[C Stevens]

Also, from memory, in 1954...either the 259 FORD engine OR the 256 MERCURY engine had the intake manifold gasket face machined at a different angle. Can't remember which it was but it was only that year and that one engine that would not swap intakes.

[enigma57]

I am rebuilding a 54 Ford truck engine for a customer, it is a 239ci Y block. Anyone has specs for piston bore, mains and rod pin diameter?

oh, and anybody knows the correct engine color, I have seen red and green. Engine came in several boxes like and adult puzzle and I trying for days to find an accurate picture of engine in stock trim.

are there any year correct speed parts available like Westech intakes or such?

Not sure if the 239 cu. in. truck engine was a different colour, but the 239 Y-block that came in '54 passenger cars was painted a light yellow colour.

The '54 trucks came with the 239 as the base engine and there were also the 256 'Power King' engine (sourced from Mercury cars) which was a blue colour similar to mid '60s Pontiac blue......



...... The 317 cu. in. 'Cargo King' engine (sourced from Lincoln cars) and the 223 cu. in. inline 6. The 223 engines were painted a deep red colour. Not sure about the 317 engines. The following year, the 239 and 256 engines were replaced by the 272 and 292 engines, which were both painted a deep red as far as I can recall.

Here is some info that you may find useful......

http://books.google.com/books?id=QWYOHQ ... ck&f=false

Also...... You will note in the photo above that the '54 truck used the same single exhaust manifolds as did the '54 passenger cars. The driver's side manifold discharges into a crossover pipe at the front and this crossover pipe connects to the front of the passenger side manifold. The passenger side manifold carries the exhaust from both sides through it and discharges into a single exhaust pipe at its rear. Very restrictive.

Without resorting to tube headers, there are a couple ways to install dual exhaust on these trucks. One way is to use 2 passenger side exhaust manifolds from a '55 and later Y-block car with factory dual exhaust.

The '55 and later dual exhaust manifold for cars will work on the passenger side of the truck...... But the driver's side dual exhaust manifold for cars interferes with the steering box and clutch linkage on the trucks. So you would need to use a '55 and later passenger side dual exhaust manifold on the driver's side of the truck and route the exhaust to clear the mechanical fuel pump if you do it in this way. From there, some creative pipe routing will be required.

The best way to install dual exhaust on these trucks is to use the later year Ford truck rams horn manifolds, though. I believe these are now available as reproductions. The ones pictured in the links below are originals......

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/attac ... 1204375661

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/attac ... 1204375683

Hope this helps,

Harry

[coolchevy]

thanks a lot for this information.

I have cleaned block and some parts a little bit and what I see is that block is indeed a 54 with 13 tooth dissy. I also see the colors you mentioned, a deeper dark red on intake and front cover, but a lighter blue or green on block, almost a bit turquoise or faded blue.

The engine I have here is apparently a 239ci Power King 130, the base engine as you said

So I have both colors on this engine, maybe it was pieced together some time later on.

is there any way to use later camshaft in this thing, 13 teeth cams are almost not possible to get and have to be sent back to US for regrinding.

[Ted]

Is there any way to use later camshaft in this thing, 13 teeth cams are almost not possible to get and have to be sent back to US for regrinding.

It's doable. I've used bearing brass to make new cam bearings that fits the larger cam boring bore id in the block and then align bore the final size for the camshaft with the new bearings in place. If going the brass route, be sure to go with a larger than normal bearing clearance as brass is not too forgiving on tight clearances.

[mtkawboy]

In high school auto shop we towed one about 20 miles trying to start it with the timing dots set like a Chevy. Broke in before it ever fired. When all else fails read the book. Carb looked like a BBQ pit !

[Schurkey]

Here is some info that you may find useful......

http://books.google.com/books?id=QWYOHQ ... ck&f=false

The info in that link is very misleading.

The 239 and the 256 are the same engine family, the FORD Y-block, introduced in '54.

The 279 and 317 are the same engine family, the LINCOLN Y-block, introduced in '52.

The two engine families are NOT the same. Bore center distance for the Lincoln Y is larger than for a Ford Y, and the Lincoln Y does not have the unique "stacked" intake ports of the Ford Y.

The Ford Y was built as late as '74 or '75 in Brazil.

http://reviews.ebay.com/Ford-V-8-Engine ... 0004021551