The other day I was talking to a guy about the 292 Y-block in my truck, and he said hydraulic lifters could be replaced for the solids. Anyone ever done or heard of that? Mine are real rattley.

 

No I have never heard of hydraulics in a Y, and don't think it is possible. But hell I also thought that there was a 312 with 9.7 compression.

 

I have never seen a hydraulic lifter with the mushroom shape the solid lifters have in a Y block. Since you can't get the lifters out without removing the cam it is a major job best done when the engine is broken down for overhaul. In this pic you can see the cam I installed with the block upside down to keep the lifters out of the way. The second pic is from www.ford-y-block.com showing the shape of the lifters.




Daddywags, sounds like you are over due for adjusting the valves.

 

Mine are really rattly too, and Im new to the Y Block world, as well as Valve adjustment, Ive never had to do it before, time for a search I guess

 

There's not enough room for the hydraulic lifter mechanism or oil reservoir in a lifter with the Y block lifter diameter.

There is a rumor that Argentinian Y-blocks were, in their later years, equipped with hydraulic lifters. The Y was produced there at least into the early '80s. In Y-Block Magazine some years ago, a gentleman from Argentina confirmed the rumor & promised to send pictures, but I don't recall him ever doing so. The block was a physically different casting, with larger diameter lifter bosses. Supposedly different head designs were produced as well, with more conventional ports....again, no pics. Dunno if it's true or not. Carl might recall this, from about four years ago, I think. If I get a chance I'll look back through my old issues.

 

First, if rocker arms and/or rocker arm shafts are worn too badly, you will never be able to adjust them. There will, in those cases, be high points and low points in the bearing surfaces, and when you have adjusted the "loose" portion correctly, the rocker will move to the tight position and the lash will then be too tight, and vice versa. If you cannot get rid of excessive noise and your adjustment nuts are not too loose, then check the rocker shafts and rockers for scoring and wear.

Regarding the Argentine blocks, I will try and post a picture here. However, if it doesn't post, the heads look like Y Block heads except that the intake and exhaust manifold mating surfaces look like they've been taken from a 289, and the combustion chamber also looks like a 289 chamber.

The block looks pretty conventional. It is clear from the picture that the lifters are like USA Y Block lifters, and the front of the timing chain area shows no evidence of hydraulic lifter oil galleries. However, I'm not sure whether these heads are mounted on an American block or not. I do recall seeing a Y Block block that was set up for hydraulics, but then, I don't even know what I had for breakfast...

It is clear that these were the engines that the famed WEslake heads were made for, since they would have the same cam lobe order needed for the Weslake heads, an oder that the USA version Y wouldn't work with.

(nope, can't get the pic to post, sorry!)

 

I'll try to find the issue where the Argentinian guy wrote in about the hydraulics. He indicated that most Y's had the solids & that the hydraulics were late blocks only. Again, who knows? Could be B.S., as I don't recall him ever sending in the pictures.

Apparently the older Y heads look like ours do (dunno if they're identical or not); as you said, the later ones (& maybe most of 'em for all I know) have the SBF similarities.
The conventional heads were supposedly later and "high performance", which term can cover a multitude of sins. Again, could be B.S. These apparently are not the Weslakes, which I have seen pics of. If I recall correctly Bill Smith of Speedway Motors has a set. I'd love to see his whole collection; talk about one-offs!

Try loading the pics in your FTE gallery & linking them or posting them directly on the page. You can copy & paste the pic number; there's instructions in the gallery if I remember right. I'd like to see 'em.

Regards, Mike

 

Lobo is part of the Brazilian connection. He should know all about Y's down there and whether or not they had hydraulics in the later years. Lobo, you there?

 

46Yblock,

To tell you the truth, I don't know anything about the Argentinian y-blocks...
All this talk about y-blocks with hydraulic lifters is new to me. I've never heard of it.
Then, I have no idea if they had hydraulic lifters or not.
I know that the Brazilian y-block never had. All of them had solid lifters...
But, I'll try to find something out. If I do, I'll post whatever I find out here...
Lucas (Lobo)

 

Hi guys, I'm back. My computer had to be worked on for a few days. I wasn't sure what to think of that guy's statement to change over to hydraulic lifters; honestly don't know much about solids. Thanks for the education by the way. I'm pretty sure I'd have read about that change-over on the forum by now. My truck is in a bunch of pieces waiting for an engine/tranny swap, among other things, so noisy lifters aren't bothering me much anyway. Some interesting posts, thanks for answering.

 

I am sure some of you people have heard this but here goes...
If you want and/or need to change a cam and lifters in a Y-Block it can be done with the engine installed and/or rightside up on a stand. Pull the lifters up as far as they will go and use clothesline pins to hold them there... Now pull the cam carefully. I may be wrong but I could swear I read this somewhere once.

 

I read about the clothes pin trick also. Don't know whether it works well or not. My retired mechanic friend has a tool for removing and installing Y cams while still in the vehicle. He said it takes some finese to use. The tools are long out of production.

 

you can change the cam with clothes pins but not the lifters.i changed one last year.you need a proper tool to change the lifters.im talking about the engine still in the car.there were no hydraulic y blocks.

 

312, you're right. That tool he showed me was to change the lifters with motor in car.

 

putting in a new cam and using old lifters is asking for trouble, I've built many Y blocks and can't picture a tool to change lifters? they have to come out the bottom, you can do it with the motor installed if you remove the pan..