We're any Y blocks blue and what Brand / year would they have been installed into? When installing a cork valley pan gasket is a gasket sealer recommended? Which one? Has anyone heard of using a thin film of Vasoline to keep the cork moist instead of gasket sealer?

What I did when I rebuilt my 292 was to drill and Tap for about 8 Machine Screws around the perimeter of the Valley Pan. Any excessive tightening of the 2 retaining Bolts causes the edge of the Pan to lift. Over the Years excessive tightening of the Pan Bolts can really distort the flange of the Pan causing Leaks. I do not have any leakage around the Pan. The rear main Seal is a different Story even though I did use the Best Neoprene Seal. I will be redoing it at some Point.

  

I'm no expert on colors, I know most Fords were red, and the merc's kind of a gold. I read somewhere that the "blue" ones were rebuilds. Supposedly, the rebuilders were doing FE's, and used same blue on the yblock's. Just hearsay, though.

Mark's solution on the valley pan is a good one. That, or the cast aluminum ones that are more rigid. On those, I glue it to the pan, and use light grease on the block side. Let's you remove it easier.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Don't use Vaz it will slip and be a PITA.  A small amount of grease is usually the go with cork gaskets .. Before you even start make sure the pan has a flat surface. Getting the pan on is delicate as from memory you can twist them, they don't just fall on it slips in somehow. It might be possible to use some contact cement to glue it to one surface , then maybe a small amount of grease on the other if you're using cork.. Don't over tighten !  OR do what Mark did  ; )



"Came too close to dying to stop living now!"

Believe it or not the Cast Iron Block is easy to drill and Tap and does solve the problem of Leaks.. This was suggested to me  by John Fr. who I haven't seen on this site for what must be a Year or more. Did something happen to Him that I missed? 

  

The only factory blocks painted blue I’ve seen have been marine engines.   I see a number of rebuilds that are also painted blue among other odd ball colors.
 
John F. hasn’t posted on the YBF site since the last forum upgrade.  All the normal fixes on this end would still not allow him to make posts.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

I used I really thin application of the grey gasket maker on both sides of the gasket when I replaced the Valley pan on my T bird with good results and was thinking I'll do it again on this car.
Same for the intake gaskets.
Opinions?

I use the Hi Temp orange silicone sealant on my car for all the gaskets except for the head and intake.  On the intake, I only use it on the water ports.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Thanks I'll do the same
There are 2 studs on each cylinder head to attach the intake manifold hold down clamps. I need to replace them
Anyone know where I can get a set? I found studs threaded top to bottom but they are not original style.

A good hardware store will probably have studs that will work.  Dorman and ARP have studs that may work.  Easiest to look those up at summitracing.com.  Search for studs and then narrow it down with thread size and length.


Lawrenceville, GA