Remanufactured Y-Block for my car

[gasman826]

When I was 16, the guy that loaned out his set of chain falls was really popular.  We had a falling out and I bought one of those cable come-a-longs.  Still have it!

[SkylinerRon]

I've used a chain hoist, link belt lift and come-alongs over the years.  My first engine swap was from a large tree limb! Every one after with my original "A" frame which I still have. Most everybody I knew borrowed it so I didn't need to store all that steel very often. It never got stolen because no one wanted to store it either.  If I needed it most everyone knew where it was.

An engine and trans could be tilted about 80 degrees and lifted about 5 ft off the ground with it.

Ron.

[SkylinerRon]

ROK,
That cam you posted looks a little milder than mine which is an RPM-300 which was mild back in the 60's when I bought it. Cams have had a lot of development in the last 50 years, that cam should be ok for you.

Goodluck,

Ron.

[ROKuberski]

Ron,

It may be too late to make any changes.  It should be shipped in about two weeks.  My last conversation was that I should expect it about March 14th. 

I plan to start removal of the engine/transmission on the 28th.  We've got mild temps right now, but Monday night the bottom falls out.  Big cold front heading our way and it will be cold all week.  My 5kw garage heater won't make it very nice in the garage when it's that cold outside even though the garage is fully insulated and it's attached to the house.

Rich

[ROKuberski]

After the cold weather last week, this week is a heat wave.  Monday, I pulled the transmission and got the engine ready for removal and Tuesday a friend came over and within an hour we had it out.

When I went to remove the harmonic balancer it came out with very little effort.  As I was mounting the puller, rotating the screw, it would not get tight, then I realized that it was coming out with finger pressure on the screw.  That did not seem right, but it is what it is.  The shaft is damaged where the seal rides on it, so I'll get a Speedi-Sleeve to solve that problem.  The engine should be here about March 14th and I've got plenty to do to get ready for that.

I have a new speedometer cable to install and I have a new accelerator (cable linkage) to put in too.  That will mate up better with the EFI unit.  Plus cleaning the engine bay and repainting the firewall white and the sides black.  I'm taking the radiator to a shop today to have it checked and cleaned out.  That's a requirement to maintain the warranty on the engine.

Rich

[oldave57]

Hello Rich,

Glad to hear you are well under way on the engine project.  One thing I wanted to point out on the firewall color (I believe I told you in an earlier post that my firewall on my 57 red/white Skyliner was white) is that the styletone or two-tone colors had the firewall painted both colors.  The upper half of the firewall would be the colonial white and the lower half (below the pinch-weld on the firewall) would be red.  I don't have a photo of my Skyliner firewall but I have a photo of my earlier 57 Club Sedan that I had prior to the Skyliner.  That car was green/white but the photo shows how the firewall paint color scheme would be the same for the red/white.  Nothing wrong with an all-white firewall either if that's your preference.

Good Luck and keep us posted on updates.

Dave

[ROKuberski]

Well, isn't that cool!.  My car was originally two-tone, but Inca Gold/Colonial White.  The firewall is now Colonial White.  However, the white I've used is brighter than the Colonial White, I'm pretty sure my red is the '57 Ford red.

I have not sanded the lower part of the firewall to see if it was Inca Gold.  I also don't know if I could find a rattle can red that I could use on the lower part of the firewall.  I'll think about this.  Thanks for the picture.

Rich

[terry_208]

Paint suppliers can mix the proper red and put it into a rattle can.  There's two problems, they only have a short pot life just like mixed in a spray pot and they are expensive.

[oldave57]

Rich,

I have found that Rust-Oleum gloss rattle can paint in "Sunrise Red" is a very close match to the "Flame Red" used on the 57 Fords.  The other Rust-Oleum paint that is a close match is the "Canvas White" for the "Colonial White" used on the 57's.  This Rust-Oleum paint is pretty widely available in hardware and lumber stores.

Good Luck,
Dave

[ROKuberski]

So, who has reinstalled a Y-block with automatic transmission attached?  Can you do it with the cross member installed?  I'm estimating that total weight of engine/transmission is about 900#, so should not be an issue for the engine hoist.  However, the center of gravity it going to move towards the rear quite a bit.  Maybe so far that I won't be able to level the engine/transmission.    I have thought about leaving the cross member out and putting a floor jack under the tail shaft to assist in leveling the assembly.  Any other problems that I'm not thinking about?

My harmonic balancer has a nasty groove where the oil seal rides.  I looked all over the internet and local suppliers for a sleeve for this 1-7/8" shaft.  Zero luck.  I've also sent that balencer to the Damper Dudes in California to rebuild it.  I thought all I was getting from them was new rubber, but when I checked in with them I mentioned the sleeve problem and they told me that they will install one as part of the rebuild.  Every once in a while you have to get lucky. 

[ROKuberski]

Has no one installed the engine/transmission as a unit?

[oldave57]

Rich,

I have had 57 Ford engines in and out a couple of times and always either left the transmission in place with supports or pulled the transmission first and installed it last.  The Ford shop manual indicates that the engine/transmission on the conventional car needs to come out separately also.  It does appear to me that the engine/trans assembly could be shoehorned in there, but would require the removal of the radiator and support structure so the assembly could be moved into position at a lower angle.  Not sure if that would be more work than placing the engine in place and then slipping the transmission in place, but something to consider.  With your car lift setup, I believe I would do the transmission after the engine is in place, but you know better how much work that is since you have done it more than once.

Good Luck,
Dave

[ROKuberski]

I kind of feel like a dummy now.  I have an original maintenance manual.  I could have looked that up too.

I have lots of experience removing this transmission.  It's not that hard with the lift, but I was thinking this might be an opportunity to shortcut the process.  I do have the hood off and the radiator out, but that's all.

Thanks for the response.  I'll just do as the manual suggests.  One complication is that the car is off the lift.  I cannot use the engine hoist with the car on the lift.  So I will have to get the car back on the lift without being able to drive it on.  I do have a method to do this.

Rich

[ROKuberski]

My engine was shipped today and according to the tracking information, it will be delivered Friday - Amazing.

I was not able to find a matching style of vacuum advance unit for my distributor.  It's listed in Mac's, Jerry's, Concours Parts, etc, but no one has one.  I did find one NOS unit on eBay, but too much money and it's still an old unit with rotten rubber in it.  So, I went to AutoZone and they looked it up on their computer and it showed two units, one straight shaft, like mine, but also not available, and one with a dogleg shaft.  I told them to order it and I now have it installed.  I clamped the shaft in my vice and gently smacked it with a hammer and bent it around so that it fits.  With military discount, it's less than $30 at AutoZone.  Sure looks like it's going to work.

Rich

[hiball3985]

You have an original ball bearing breaker plate, not many of those around any more and they were only used for a couple of years, thats why the straight arm advance is hard to find. When your new engine shows up check the head casting numbers..