Hill Country Performance & Machine

This Ford 292 Y-block is almost ready to come off the run stand!

We begin with the camshaft break-in, then install a 1-inch open carburetor spacer and tune the carburetor. At the end, I shut it down and restart it to check how it starts—then have a little fun with it before removing it from the stand.

This engine is being built for a customer’s 1964 Ford truck. After all the machining, assembly and testing, it’s great to hear this old Y-block running!

Y-block cam break-in time. It’s been a long journey.

Today was the first test start of the rebuilt Ford 292 Y-block. We installed the new fuel tank and fuel pump, then tested the starting and ignition systems—the starter, coil, distributor, and plug wires. Once fuel reached the carburetor, it fired right up and sounded good.

This was only a brief systems check. Next is the full 20-minute camshaft break-in run before the engine goes into the customer’s 1964 Ford truck.

This 1958 Ford 292 Y-block uses 1957 312 471X heads, an Isky 811100 camshaft, and a Holley 390 CFM carburetor.

Built and machined by Daniel Soliz / MrDanielSoliz.

Shorts

Fun Holiday Weekend project. Made an adapter for the run stand / Dyno room. Needed a place to ad a water temperature gage. The engine was already painted and I didn’t want to pull a plug out add a temporary temperature sensor and then replace the plug. Would have messed up the paint.

Y Block Sunday is Sunday Funday!

The rocker shafts wouldn’t fit—so these Ford Y-block rocker assemblies received a complete rebuild and an FE-style oiling modification. 🔧

These are the rocker assemblies for the 1957 312 cylinder heads going on the 292 for a 1964 Ford truck.

After disassembly and cleaning, I refaced the rocker tips and honed the rocker bores. The pedestal bores had been distorted by previous overtightening, so I honed them until the new shafts would slide through correctly.

The factory setup used two small tubes that allowed oil to drain back into the engine. I tapped those openings and made two small plugs from bolts, then cut screwdriver slots into them so the modification still looks old-school and period-correct—using the same basic approach Ford used on its FE rocker system.

The assemblies went back together with new rocker shafts and new SBI pushrods.

Y-block builders: would you keep the factory oil tubes or convert the rocker assemblies to pressurized oiling?

Ford Y block video update.

Should you ever use block sealers? In my opinion block sealers should never be used to repair a cooling problem. If used correctly it will repair the result not the cause for the cooling problem. Modern MLS head gaskets and BlueDevil in my opinion were made to go together. Most people have never seen a MLS gasket but will swear the sealers will not work. This Chevy Cruz was pushing compression into the cooling system and the oil system. Oil was milky and bubbles in the cooling tank. We fixed the cooling problem ( a bad water pump) and replaced all the hoses and plastic parts. Followed the directions on flushing the system and added the sealer. Then and only then we installed a new thermostat and burped the system to remove any air in the system. This was two weeks ago. Owner has been driving around downtown San Antonio and back and forth to work and has reported that his car and a/c have never run this cool. Texas is very hot this time of year and if you get in traffic it’s not fun. You can trust me, I would never say or try and sell anything that doesn’t work.

Rear Main Seal: Rope or Neoprene? Rear main seals have sparked debates for decades. If you’re building an older engine, do you stay with the original rope seal, or upgrade to a modern neoprene rear main seal?

I’d like to hear what professional engine builders, machinists, and experienced DIY builders are using today—and why.

One more option worth discussing: Best Gasket also manufactures a graphite rope rear main seal, which many builders consider an improvement over the older traditional rope seals.

Tell us in the comments:

• Rope seal?
• Graphite rope seal?
• Modern neoprene seal?
• Have you had one fail?
• What engine are you building?

Let’s compare real-world experience and see what today’s engine builders are actually using.