My son and I are rebuilding the 292 that is from his 1960 F-100. Do we need to do anything to the valves and heads since today's gas has no lead in it? Do I have to run a gas additive?

 

Nothing special necessary as long as it is not being built for sustained high RPM. In those cases you should have hardened seats installed or run an additive.

 

This truck will be primarily a small town driving truck with an ocasional highway trip of maybe 150 miles. If I understand you correctly, a 'stock' rebuild should be OK. Correct?

 

Yes, a stock rebuild should be fine, with one word
of caution, check the valve clearances more often,
if they're closing up, mostly on the exhaust side,
you'll need to think seriously about having hard
seats installed...

SteveL

 

How expensive is it to have the hard seats installed?

 

The machine shop that I last worked with charges $8 per seat.

 

Thanks, I think we will go ahead and do that. Do the valves need to be hardened also?

 

No, you don't have to harden the valves.

 

Thanks for the help, this would be much harder if I didn't have you guys to ask questions.

 

Nope, nothing special is neccesary, now if the machine shop can install hardened valve seats, thats a plus, but if not its no biggy, main thing though oh gosh by all means get that rope seal in right, Yblocks are notorious for being touchy if the seal isn't just so so, and if you must have your crank turned, do try to keep it within 0.20 undersize, other than that, rebuild it and have fun, good luck to you!!!.....Janet

 

For someone who claims to be up on all things Y, you sure
do sound like a neophyte, There is a modern neoprene seal
available these days...

SteveL

 

Thanks, I was a little confused by the rope seal note.

 

There is a modern neoprene seal
available these days...

Heck, the 272/292 one has been out for around 10 years now, maybe longer as I didnt get back into Y's until then. And one for the 312 is also now readily available.

And dont get me going about changing a 256 54 Merc rope seal in Feburary lying on the ground back in the 60's! Those were ample reasons to switch to the SBC back then!!

 

Walston, look for better heads before you sink money into those stock heads.

 

Walston, if you have a problem on the seal later, come back and email me, and i'll help you out, because on a Y, people that have been around them learn to get it right with engine out of vehicle, i use roper pump seal black, my 63 ford unibody is pushing 90k miles and my 56 fairlane is pushing 65k, no problems yet, other than the neoprene, there is also a dodge 318 seal that interchanges on Yblocks, what i meant is to not confuse you, only to take time with it, because it's not fun laying on your back as merc286 told you, i had to redo my 57 ford station wagon 292 right around 1969 at 16yrs of age, many persons do not know that there are good machine shops that sell what is called Raven or Roper pump seal, it works!!!! or you can go directly through Raven pump, in New Mexico, Roper Pump company has a location where i live in Houston Tx., you'll see what i mean once you rebuild that engine, just email me...Janet