I am pretty sure I now own a 317 Y-Block Lincoln. I had a few minutes to thumb through some of the posts here on the "Y-Block V8" string. I have enjoyed and even learned a few things in the little info that I have read. I will have a few questions in the near future I am sure dealing more in depth with the engine. But before I step out the door, I wanted to throw a couple basic questions at you if you don't mind.

1. Is there any Shop Manuals or books that would pertain to this engine in any great detail? Or such a large truck? What would you recomend?

2. Being new to the Y-Block scene, is there any information out there on the Carburetors for these engines? Mine has a oil bath air cleaner on it now, and the Carb seems to be quite heavily coated in oil. I was wondering about the care/changing of such a air-filter and the care and adjustment of the carb.

There is a lot of great info on this site, glad I found it. I look forward to reading it all and learning more from you.

By the way, my truck is a Fire Truck and we are restoring it to its former glory when it was last in service for parade and other details and presentations. It was previously owned by our department and as the crew retired or moved on the knowledge of maintaining the truck was lost. It became very difficult to start, and out dated so it was put up for auction to raise money for a newer truck. The station thinking someone from town would become the owner. This was not the case, so the truck left town and sat out in the middle of a farm field for some years... until two months ago when it came back home to town.

Now I am learning about it.

Thanks for the help.

Dave

 

Hi Dave, welcome to FTE!!

I spent a little time looking through your gallery. Very cool truck! Looks very clean, considering its age!. One thing that might be helpful to others, if you can manage it, would be to thoroughly document any paint colors on the engine, such as the rocker covers, manifold, block, heads, as well as markings. There's been enough debate over correct paint colors after all these years that it's neat to see one that appears to be original.

The shop manual for 1949-1952 should cover most of what you need. It has complete engine specs & procedures, chassis & brake info, factory accessories, body/glass/interior details, etc. Caveat: I don't have one in front of me, so I can't guarantee it....but all the other Ford truck manuals do. Motorhaven (FTE) carries manuals, or any of the major parts vendors like Mid-Fifty, Sacramento Vintage Ford, etc.

You can currently get reprints of A) the operator's manual; B) the 1949-52 shop manual; C) the 1948-56 Ford truck parts & accessories illustration catalog (has exploded views of virtually everything in the basic truck, covers '48-'56 chassis/engines & '53-'56 body); D) the '48-'56 text catalog goes with C; E) '51-'52 Specification & Features manual (with pics).

If I had to choose, I'd make it B & C. Be warned that C is now something like $90-$100; it's also worth it, IMHO, & I use mine frequently. I will say that it is confusing, though, to a neophyte, because of the way that Ford does their parts numbering system. The same basic group number applies to all parts of that type; so two completely different connecting rods, for example, have the same group number of 6200. The book refers to parts by the group # only, so one could get the impression that a 317 rod is the same thing as a 215 six. The text (D) deciphers all of this & gives specific part numbers, but it is another $90-$100. Where the illustration manual comes in handy is...well, um, illustrations. Particularly so if you are trying to determine what atrocities have been committed by previous owners.

Others here can give more info on the carbs, I'm more of a darksider...but parts & kits are available for them, as well as cores if needed. They are fairly simple. The oil filter is pretty much a question of filling it to the correct level & changing it at tha proper interval. One place to look for problems is the fact that condensation in the housing sinks to the bottom & can over time cause rust pinholes, leading to leaks.

Lastly, you might already know this, but there are two separate & distinctly different engine families lumped together as Y blocks. Here's a paragraph swiped from another thread:

"Without trying to make this any more confusing, there are two different families of Y blocks. The Lincoln/heavy truck Y came first & is in sizes of 279, 302, 317, & 332 in the trucks (so far as I know, anyway). Lincolns had a couple of other sizes as well. What we call the Y block was made as the 239, 256, 272, 292, & 312, for Ford & Mercury trucks & cars. The two families look pretty similar, but aren't really interchangeable in terms of parts. So, make sure the donor bus (or whatever you find) has a Y block in it, not a Lincoln Y."

Or, making certain in your case that the donor IS a Lincoln Y.

This looks like a really neat truck! It's good to see somebody taking the time to restore it. BTW, there are some specialists out there who restore vintage Sun tachs & transmitters, though I don't know if they go back that far. I can scrounge up some names & addresses, I think, if you need them. Good luck!

 

-The LINCOLN Y-BLOCK-

Be advised the later 302/332 were heavy truck engines of the times and the valvetrain was gear driven, giving them a reverse rotation valvetrain.

The intake of the late 302/332 4V (62/63) will allow you to bolt a 4150/4160 carb. to the engine.

The appropriate year FORD TRUCK SHOP MANUAL will give you the details of the engines.

 

Kultulz, good to see you over here.

If you would be so kind, lay out some more info on the later 302/332 engines. What's the demarcation between "early" & "late"? For example, the 292 Y block was revised in '61 with different pistons, rods, & crank to upgrade it for medium truck use (though the 292 had been in them previously...but anyway).

I will freely admit to being unversed on the Lincoln/h.t. Y, but plan to pick up a junker in a few weeks to look at, as part of a package of truck Y engines.

 

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you but am suffering from advanced CRS...

I don't have that much information on them (302/332) but they are a part of the LINC Y-BLOCK Family. I was doing some research on the LINC 368 (was also used in the 57 MERC TPC) and came across this information as the 62/63 4V intake will retrofit to the 56 368 allowing the use of a larger base carburetor.

Steel cranks, all HD. These and the 292HD were replaced by the FT Series. I have the truck shop manuals of the period so if there is anything specific you need, let me know.

 

I have a for big job fire truck for sale. non running but won't take much to get her running again. hit me up for pictures and more info thanks