Tune up difficulties?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 869
Likes: 36
From: Ohio
Tune up difficulties?
I've yet to fire up my rebuilt 292 and my previous owned early 60's Fords did not involve Y-blocks. So, with winter approaching again, I decided to pull the plugs and make sure the cylinder walls were well oiled. I never gave it much thought how hard it is to R&R the plugs with the exhaust manifolds in place. I didn't even have the front clip on when I installed the plugs, as well as the dual exhaust manifolds. I ended up crawling under the truck to do the job, it just seemed to be much easier. Is that what you other Y-block owners are used to doing?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 869
Likes: 36
From: Ohio
Wrong? I can’t imagine what, unless it user trouble, lol. Maybe if I was taller, I could reach over the side and underneath the manifold easier. Of course, you can’t see the spark plug holes hiding under there. The heat shields do seem to interfere a bit more than they should. I bought a repop manifold set, so maybe has less exterior clearance in some area. I form fit the heat shields with a hammer to allow the spark plug socket avoid binding. The other thing I jury rigged was the dipstick tube when I changed to dual exhaust. I just made my own bend, so maybe it’s not in exactly the right spot.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,389
Likes: 58
Rams horns don't hinder plug access. If you are shorter, that could definitely complicate the task but that's hardly a problem with the engine or truck. I'm also not sure that the heat shields were meant for use with the rams horns so that might be an issue - that you had to modify them is a clue there. Your customized dipstick tube could also cause problems with access to some plugs on the passenger's side.
They're all pretty much a straight shot with oem style manifiolds, super easy to get to.
They're all pretty much a straight shot with oem style manifiolds, super easy to get to.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 869
Likes: 36
From: Ohio
Rams horns don't hinder plug access. If you are shorter, that could definitely complicate the task but that's hardly a problem with the engine or truck. I'm also not sure that the heat shields were meant for use with the rams horns so that might be an issue - that you had to modify them is a clue there. Your customized dipstick tube could also cause problems with access to some plugs on the passenger's side.
They're all pretty much a straight shot with oem style manifiolds, super easy to get to.
They're all pretty much a straight shot with oem style manifiolds, super easy to get to.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Rams Horn manifolds used a different kind of heat shield, that protects the valve covers. I haven't found spark plug access particularly bad. Maybe plugs 3 & 4 are kind of a pain. I start with the plugs at the rear and finish up with the easy ones. #5 being a sweetheart. I envy the 6 cylinder folks sometimes. Now there's a well thought out design. Fuel pump, distributor, coil, plugs etc etc, easy to get to, plenty of room.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
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Well, I'm 5'8" so I don't think that's your problem.
I don't think I had heat shields when I had rams horns. At some point, I did have a set of metal gaskets, I think from Napa, that did have a heat shield for the valve cover but I don't remember if it incorporated the plug wire heat shield. I think that I only had those at some point with the single exhaust manifolds.
I don't think I had heat shields when I had rams horns. At some point, I did have a set of metal gaskets, I think from Napa, that did have a heat shield for the valve cover but I don't remember if it incorporated the plug wire heat shield. I think that I only had those at some point with the single exhaust manifolds.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 869
Likes: 36
From: Ohio
Rams Horn manifolds used a different kind of heat shield, that protects the valve covers. I haven't found spark plug access particularly bad. Maybe plugs 3 & 4 are kind of a pain. I start with the plugs at the rear and finish up with the easy ones. #5 being a sweetheart. I envy the 6 cylinder folks sometimes. Now there's a well thought out design. Fuel pump, distributor, coil, plugs etc etc, easy to get to, plenty of room.
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