Can anyone give me the engine specs on a 1954 239 Y-BLOCK V8? I just want to make sure that I'm NOT getting the 1953 239 FLATHEAD....but the Y-BLOCK please. Thanks in advance.

 

Don't know what specs you want, but, the 54 will be overhead valve.

 

I know but some people get confused since in '53 there was a 239 flathead and in '54 there was a 239 y-block.

 

239 OHV V8 / 5 main bearings / B&S: 3.50" x 3.10" / Displacement 238.6 cid (239) / Compression ratio 7.2:1 / 130 HP @ 4,200 RPM / Torque: 193 ft. lbs. @ 1000-2200 RPM / 2V Carburetor.

Source: The Standard Catalog of Light Duty Ford Trucks / krause.com / ISBN: 0-87349-411-3.

 

Thanks Numberdummy, I actually already found what I needed but you can never get enough info on these things....lol. I should have been more specific, but what I needed was torque specs and such for rebuilding the motor, but I already found them. Thanks guys...everyone at this site is very helpful and quick to respond. I appreciate all of you for the help.

 

Don't forget, the '54 is a one year only motor. The distributor, oil pump, cam, cam bearings, and fuel pump are NOT the same as the 55 239, or any other small sized Y-block.

 

B5AE-6600-A .. Oil Pump-Rotor Type-Tang Drive ~ 1954 239/256 / 1952/54 279/317.

B4A-6250-A .. Camshaft ~ 1954 239.

C4TZ-6250-A (replaced BMA-6250-C, B5A-6250-C) .. Camshaft-Marked CAB ~ 1954/55 239/256 / 1957/64 292.

There are two types of cam bearings, depends on which camshaft it has. If it's the C4TZ cam, the bearings have the same application.

B4A-9350-D .. Fuel Pump ~ 1954 239/256.

B4A-9350-E .. Fuel & Vacuum Pump ~ 1954 239/256.

FAE-12127-A .. Distributor-Uses 13 tooth gear ~ 1954 239.

B4A-12127-A .. Distributor-Uses 14 tooth gear ~ 1954 239.

 

The block will not take the later numbered cam bearings, or cam. The block has a larger cam bore than the newer ones. A newer cam could fit, IF the cam bearings used a sleeve, or bushing, or something to make up the difference. This I found out just recently when rebuilding the 239 in the '54 I was working on. The 55 and later cam WILL NOT work in the '54 block, and any reference that says it will is inaccurate.

 

Maybe of the two types of cam bearings, the one set may have a bigger OD?

I don't have anything Y block related, but found this thread rather interesting, since 1953's OHV 239 is unique to its year. Kinda like how the first Windsor series evolved each year from 1962 and on. Can't have engineers get bored? lol.

EDIT: I meant 1954.

 

The od of the camshaft journals itself is larger, as is the bore in the block. In order to fit a newer model cam into it, one would have to use a custom cam bearing, that fit the block, and the later model camshaft journal size. The only problem with that, though, is it would be cost prohibitive to have custom cam bearings made for a one of modification. I searched a lot for the correct cam bearings, and they are super hard to find. Obviously, one with access to the sources could probably find them stashed some where, but the average person could be searching for a long time. When the bearings are found, they are in the $80-$100 range plus shipping. I got lucky and found a set on ebay. The block is different, and so is the cam. Get passed that and later model parts can be used. That is what I found from hands on, in the mix experience, and found articles, and references to cooberate it. Even the Ford parts books show the measuremenrt differences, and well as the block part number difference. The '54 block is different than any other year. I don't know if it's the same as car, maybe it is, but none of the newer camshaft, oil pump, distributor, or fuel pump will fit, and it's because of the camshaft difference itself. Rods, yes, pistons, yes, heads, yes, timing cover, yes, lifters, rockers, valves, crank, and so on, and so on, but NOT the cam, cam bearings, fuel pump, oil pump, or distributor. Can it all be changed? Yes, but at great expense and labor.

 

Thanks guys...I'm actually learning a few things from this discussion. Or maybe that's just the confusion talking...lol...seriously though, thanks guys for all the responses and info.

 

This info is straight from the parts catalog (Text, page 287), so you can argue your points with FoMoCo.

 

That's fine, but the 48-55 parts book I have says the cam bearings, cam, and block are different in number, and the dimensssions are also listed different. Of course, the info available in print is only as good as the person behind the printing process. I found through actual labor, and physical hands on experience, that the '54 cam is a 2.05 diameter, and the 55 up 1. something. They are not the same, and the book lists different part numbers, and the dimensions. Personally, I could really care less, except that if someone wants to rebuild an original '54 239, a cam, and other parts from a 55 up WILL NOT fit, plain and simple. Just figured I save someone the hassle that I already went through, because the Ford book is WRONG. 55 up cam absolutely, in no way, shape, or form, will work in an original '54 block.

 

It's kinda neat to have these old parts catalogs, isn't it. But, the problems with old catalogs are...

Ford made many changes/revisions (including changing some of basic part numbers) when the parts catalog was revised when the 1956 models came out.

There were EIGHT revisions of this catalog after 1956.

I'm using the last (1964) printed version of the 1948/56 truck catalog...which you can buy on a CD from hipoparts.com for about 20 bucks, or buy reprints of the original 1964 version from DC for 200 bucks.

And, since Ford replaces/updates 10's of 1000's of part numbers EVERY YEAR, unless you have O-S-I (Obsolete-Supercede-Interchange) catalogs to verify part numbers, looking them up for yourself or passing the numbers along...is a mistake, because...

Excepting most body parts...some of the chassis part numbers were replaced decades ago., so you're looking for numbers that haven't existed since LBJ was prez.

 

Exactly right. The number of revisions, and each one having something changed, it leads to an end result of excellent info, in most cases, and lost info in others. I feel lucky that I had access to a 55 printing of the 48-55 small truck book, and a 55 printing of a Big Job version of the same book. It was a huge help when needing to look at something, and compare available numbers. This is how I found out about cam bearings, and associated parts being different. I then searched it out on the internet, and found a few sites that had info related to the differences in the blocks, and the cam, and such. Regretably, I am now missing my truck parts book, and 54/5 shop manual. I do not want a reprint from the aftermarket world, and can hopefully locate an original one off ebay, eventually.