Paul,

I wish I could make it!  That will be a goal for next year.  Maybe I can ever get my beast road worthy for a long trip by then.  I think that the performance is my main priority, I just have the gears & std. trans combo going in that make me more tolerant of a bit of a hotrod idle.

Doug, I already asked on the other topic, but I am curious what was suggested for your truck cam wise?

Kevin

I got a cam ground for my Y truck on a new blank for $150.00 from Racer Brown here in Baltimore.  He also quoted me a regrind for $100. The grind was custom selected by Jim Dowell for my truck.  He bought the R.B. masters several years ago.  I have also been satisfied with Berry Cams in Minn. and John Mummert's selections.

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.

Kevin,

If you are going for a lumpy idle and sound, I suggest you go to the Y Block event in Columbus 8-31/9-2, and listen to some of the cars there.  I personally would build for performance, not sound.  I have seen many cars that are over cammed and over carbureted get blown away by milder set ups.  Hopefully you can find what your looking for and have your cake and eat it too.  I have a 91 Mustang with a supercharger that has straight cut gears in it.  If I had heard one before I bought it, I would have made a different selection.  It really performs well, and when I pull into a drive in on a cruise night everyone looks, but I don't appreciate the whine.  Now the young guys say is sounds "Sweet" ( I guess that used to be Cool), but the whining sound of the gears  reminds me of the late 40's early 50's Pontiac and Buick 3 speed sticks with straight cut gears, the old timers will know what I'm talking about.  I am going to try to make the event this year myself.

Good Luck, 

Paul J. - '57 E Code

Thanks John.  I think it will be worth it to pull it.  I need to change out the rope seal anyway. That should make the whole thing alot easier.

Kevin

Kevin:

I changed the lifters in the chassis once, a long time ago.  My brother-in-law worked at a Ford dealer at the time, borrowed the tools to do it.  It was very time consuming and aggravating, and when I got finished I took it for a test run  and found I had dislodged the rear cam plug and it came out while driving.  So I ended up pulling the engine anyway.  I have since always pulled the engine and turned it over like Ted said. 

John 

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

John,

No problem.  Just here to enjoy the y block & it's fans. Sorry if I caused a comotion.

Does anyone know for sure if lifters can be changed in-chassis?

Thanks,

Kevin

Kevin:

I'm sorry if I came off as trying to slam a door in your face.  What I was trying to say is something I've preached for a long time, and that is to listen to your favorite cam grinder.  All of us old farts grew up buying off the shelf cams from Isky, Crane, Engle, Herbert, Clay Smith, Crower, etc, and that's all we had available.  Present cam technology far outstrips anything available back in the '60s and 70s, and can be far better matched to what you are doing.  Dual pattern cams started to surface right after the popularity of the Y Block started fading, so they didn't get a chance to be tested.  And I still stand by my advice for you, listen to what Erson tells you.

John

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Ted, Thanks, I appreciate the info on the vtp clearance.  I don't remember ever reading about the service tool you mentioned.. I remember seeing the clothes pins to hold the lifters up if doing a swap, or during the removal/installation of the cam. 

John, Ease up there friend.  I wasn't asking anyone if they had ever tried the specific cam I posted specs for...

I was curious if anyone had tried a similar dual pattern cam(s), & their results, or opinions.

I agree with your very valid point about the cam grinder & their computer designed setup being the way to go.  I do however value the collective opinions of the guys who have skinned their own knuckles, & mixed their blood with the y-block both currently & in years past. 

Knowledge & wisdom is what I am here for.  I don't mean to offend anyone by my curiosity, or questions that may seem elementary, or neive to you or anyone else. 

If the popularity of this great engine is going to continue to boom, passing the torch with speed secrets & tips is in my opinion a win win for everyone.  The more demand for these engines, the more the aftermarket will take interest.

Just my opinion- which again is not ment to offend or incriminate anyone.

I appreciate your wisdom guys, really.

Kevin

The .469 net intake valve lift is expected to get you by without having to notch the pistons but I’d recommend checking just in case your rocker ratio is varying.  At least 0.075” clearance is the universally accepted mininum clearance value where the intake valve is involved.

 

Lifters can be installed with the engine in the vehicle.  Ford had a special service tool for this.  Turning the engine upside down definitely eases some of the pain though.

 

 

Custom cams do not cost much more than a regular grind.  The issue with a roller cam in the Y is the ½” diameter of the lifters and there’s not much out there in that small a diameter without getting into the motorcycle stuff.  Once the lifter issue has been worked around, then a billet steel blank for the cam ideally needs to be available.  Even if you go to the trouble of doing a special heat treatment on a cast camshaft, the existing lobes on the current castings are not adequate for a roller lobe profile without making the camhaft’s base circle dangerously too small.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Red Bed ,

I agree with John.Stick with what the cam grinder advised . I was so poor when I was a kid ,I had to pull the choke out and pretend I had a BIG cam ???.The black smoke gave it away when I drove away ??? It sounded pretty tough .

Regards Lon

yblocksdownunder