The 272 inВі (4,465 cc) version of the Y-Block was the same bore as the outgoing Mercury 256 inВі Y-Block but with a longer stroke (3.625 x 3.3 in). 272 Д«y 1955 Chevrolet introduced its вЂњsmall block V8вЂќ with 265 inВі, not to be outdone Ford increased its displacement to 272 inВі and introduced the Thunderbird with a 292 inВі engine. The 256 inВі version of the Mercury Y-block was only available in 1954 models and was replaced by the 292 inВі in 1955. The engine breathed through a Holley model 2140 (4V) carburetor. The compression ratio was 7.5:1, and the rated power was 161В hp (120В kW) at 4,400В rpm. Advertised as the 'V-161' engine, it ran a bore and stroke of 3.625 x 3.1 in. The original Mercury Y-block, introduced for the 1954 model year, displaced 256В inВі (4,194 cc). The 239 inВі version was only available in 1954 models and was replaced by its bigger 272 inВі and 292 inВі siblings in 1955. The Y-block was considered a major advancement over the flathead. Torque was also up compared to the Flathead, with 214В lb It produced 130В bhp (97В kW) at 4,200 rpm as opposed to the flathead's final 110В bhp (82В kW) at 3,800 rpm, an increase of 18%. The Y-block was the same displacement as the old Ford Flathead V8 that it replaced but with a bigger bore and a shorter stroke (3.5 x 3.1 in). The first Y-block on Ford automobiles was the 239В inВі (3,910 cc) version as released in 1954. The distributor is located at the back of the engine and off to one side and the valve covers are held on with two bolts through the top. Although their flow can indeed be inferior, they are nonetheless able to rev to 7,000+ rpm. Because of the configuration of the intake ports, vertically in pairs instead of horizontally side by side, and the way in which they make sharp turns around the head bolts, they have been called вЂњbad breathersвЂќ. Д¬ylinder heads on the Y-Block have always been a point for discussion. Because of better oils today and a grooved center cam journal, a clean freshly rebuilt Y-Block should no longer have this problem and thus, no need for the external oiling tube. Ford came up with a stop gap measure for this problem by feeding oil via an external tube directly to the rocker shafts from the main oil gallery. Because of the low detergents in oils of that era these passages would often become clogged giving the Y-Block a reputation for bad oiling to the top end. This being FordвЂ™s first OHV engine, they had to feed oil to the rocker arm shafts through a passage from the center cam bearing. The drawback to this is it also makes for a heavy cylinder block. One of the design qualities of the Y-Block V8 is its deep skirting which makes for a very rigid block for added strength in the bottom end. Lincoln introduced their engine in 1952, but it was a different design from the Ford Y-Block, and was used on large cars and Ford heavy-duty trucks. The original Lincoln V8 was also known as a Y-Block. The Mercury Y-Block was 256 inВі (4,194 cc) and produced 161В bhp, again a similar displacement to the 255 inВі Mercury Flathead V8 it replaced, but with 29% more power than the older engine's 125В bhp. It produced 130В bhp as opposed to the Flathead's final 110В bhp, an increase of 18%. In 1954 the Y-block displaced 239 inВі (3,910 cc), the same displacement as the old Ford Flathead V8 but with a bigger bore and a shorter stroke. It therefore wasnвЂ™t until 1954 that Ford introduced its new Ford Y-Block V8. The company had designed the Y-block for a 1953 introduction, but a shortage of nickel due to the Korean War's needs prevented the company from manufacturing the engine in sufficient quantities. By 1952 Ford had new OHV 6-cylinder engine (215 inВі I-6) and Lincoln had a 317 inВі OHV V8. Management at Ford Motor Company instructed its engineers to develop a new engine for the future. Ford was the most conservative of the major automakers, holding onto older designs longer than GM or Chrysler, but market forces pushed Ford to develop new designs in the 1950s. It was introduced in 1954 as a more modern replacement for the outdated side-valved Ford Flathead V8 and was used in a variety of Ford vehicles through 1964.Д«y 1948, the famous Ford Flathead V8 had been developed about as far as it could go, and it was antiquated by the early 1950s. The engine is well known and named for its deep skirting, which causes the engine block to resemble a Y. The Y-block engine is a family of overhead valve V8 automobile engines produced by Ford Motor Company.

Engine block number look up