Ford 292 Y-Block

Timing Chain Set Section

An "unknown" 1959 Galaxie engine and still on the shipping pallet. I purchased the
complete engine and Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic transmission from a man in
MA. My only complaint is, this is the filthiest engine I ever rebuilt. After saying that,
it's also the least abused engine I have rebuilt. The cam and crank are like new.
Bearing sizes for the mains and rods are STANDARD (+/- zero).

#1
Not only is it filthy, it looks like it hasn't seen any oil in decades.
McTim64 (on y-blocksforever.com) has a great oiling mod to remedy this problem.

#2

This bad case of oil starvation could have been avoided with a very simple fix.

The problem:

The Y-Block depends on a 'trough' that is cast into the fore-valley.  This runner
is supposed to direct the 'return oil' from the right head through two holes and
onto the timing chain.  Two problems exist; the engine is tilted back, and 'blow-by'
races through the holes from the bottom of the engine.
Here is the runner and two holes from inside the front of the valley:

#3

Here are the resuting gears, showing bad wear from a conventional, oil-starved
timing chain.

#4

#5

#6

The fix is easy.  The timing chain doesn't need much oil, so a few drops per minute
is plenty.  I drilled a 1/16" hole in the block, underneath the cam thrust plate, into
the oil galley running from the #1 crank bearing to the #1 cam bearing.  Then, I
stuck some putty on the thrust plate and screwed it in over the new hole.   When
I removed the plate and looked on the underside, the clay showed the exact
location of my new hole.  I center-punched the clay dot, then drilled a small dimple
in the punch mark.  Then I used a Dremmel tool to grind a slot from my new dimple
to the edge of the thrust plate for the oil to exit.

#7#8

Here is the final step:  Pull the dripping oil away from the block and onto
the middle of the chain.  Picture #8 shows the "Lifted corner".
Older Y-Blocks had a sheet metal trough, but Ford discontinued installing
them (pictured below).
If you don't have one, a home-made trough can be made from simple metal,
as shown in picture #8.

#9

#10

#11
The final setup for delivering plenty of oil to the chain and both sprockets.

Below, are true roller timing sets for the Y-Block by Elgin Industries:

#12

#13