My 54 Ranchwagon had a new engine when I bought it, and I want to see just how much the little 239 can stand before getting carried away. It has dual exhaust maniforld on it now, but otherwise is original. I have a 59 distributor to install and a later model 292 4 barrel intake I would like to add. How much carb can the little engine take? Has anyone done this with sucess? I saw a 239 with 3X2 intake, and since it only runs on the center one most of the time, I can see how this might not overpower the little engine. If anyone has pulled this off sucessfully, what model/part number carb seems to work the best.

 

Just a point of information ... the 239 had small ports in the head, which will ultimately limit how much you can get the little guy to breathe.

 

I have a 59 pickup 292 engine I am planning to rebuild and stick in, but the 239 is brand new and I hate to waste it. Just trying to give it a little more "hot rod" appeal.

 

The 292 has a lot more upgrade potential. Especially with the '59 heads, which are close to the best ones for the Y-block.

Myself, if I had a 239 like that, I'd build an open-hood model A with a '54 "build date." But that's just me.

 

On a 239 you would be better off going to a post '57 two barrel intake and using an Autolite with .098 venturis, assuming you can get a good manifold to head seal. Then low rpm torque would stay up there. Change to the later dist. and add Pertronics. Convert to 12 volts.
As for the '59 heads, their larger intake runners could do more harm than good. Looking at a 239 head vs a 113, it seems like the 239 has less combustion chamber volume than the later due to shrouding around the valves. The valve shrouding wont have a negative effect on flow because the little motor wont need much flow.

 

I have done what you are talking about -- mostly.

My 239 was in a 1954 F100. I used the 9425 B manifold (as comes on a 1957 312) along with the 312 4v Holley (~390 cfm). For a distributor, I used a 1960 truck unit. I had to change to a newer oil pump; the old one had the tang and blade drive.

I rejetted the carb and plugged the bleed holes with lead shot. I used the lightest gray secondary spring for the secondaries. I believe that I used a larger accelerator pump squirter, but I'm not sure. Probably from the stock .025 to a .028. I set the timing at 17* initial for 37* total (with vacuum advance plugged).

This arrangement ran much much better than the stock 2v 3 bolt carb and distributor. It was easy to hear the secondaries open, but I couldn't feel the sag that accompanies having them open to quickly, so there was no problem with the carb's size. There was much more power, much better gas mileage, and the rig started much easier and more quickly.

When the motor finally tired out, I pulled the intake and was horrified to find out that in some places around the ports, only about 1/16" of the intake gasket was compressed. The big runners in the 9425 manifold (which would be the same size as any 1957 and up manifold) barely would seal on the tiny 239 heads. I was very lucky that I never had any vacuum leaks.

This should give you something to think about.

 

If that were my 239, I'd be looking at a 1963 distributor, and maybe a Rochester 2v carb to adapt to the stock intake. Some high ratio rockers for the intake valves, and that would be it. Oh, right, the oil pump would have to be changed to fit the 63 distributor.

wild.bunch (Tim?), do you want some pictures of more intakes? Offenhauser 3x2, ECZ-A with intake mounted choke, ECZ-A with carb mounted choke, 3 bolt 2bbl, 4 bolt 2bbl.

 

I have a 1956 F350 with a 292 and I installed a off the shelf holly 600cfm with vacum secondaries, the truck wights 11,000 lbs and has worked fine for 400,000mi.

 

11,000 lb. F350?

 

As and electrical contractor I have no problem piling parts on this truck.
From 1995 to 2002 this was my only work truck and I love driving it, but due to the price of gas in 02 it was best to get a modern Ford and I was tired of so many repairs due to I drive 40 to 50 thousand miles a year (when I tow my construction trailers the total weight goes to 20,000 lbs).

 

Wow, you and F700 (he is down in Australia), work your Ys as hard as the racers do. What was the gas mileage difference when the change was made to the modern Ford?

 

I think alot of people fail to realize that 292's came in a lot of semi tractors, regularly dragging 40,000 - 50,000 lbs. around. Even the Medium Duty 292 was rated for 33,000 lbs. GCWR. My own truck spent it's first 44 years weighing 24,000 day in day out (well drilling rig). They are rugged engines.

Sorry getting a little OT.

 

Do the 239's have a different tooth count on the dist. gear?

 

Some have 13, some have 14 teeth.

Mine had 14.