The Ford Y-block was the company’s first overhead valve V8 engine, technically its first small block, and the engine that replaced the venerable flathead that had powered so many millions of vehicles over the course of its epic life. The Y-block was built to be tough as nails, to make equivalent power to its other overhead valve V8 counterparts from GM, Chrysler, and there subsidiary brands. It had some design quirks like the stacked intake ports in the head, an oiling system that was not exactly cutting edge, even for the time when the thing was new, and while never a huge maker of horsepower, they were decent performers for their day.
In this video we get to watch master engine builder Keith Dorton rebuild a model stock Y-block back into a…mostly stock Y-block! Wait, you say. Isn’t Dorton the engine builder guy who has all the genius ideas and does scads of high performance race engine stuff? Yes he is and this guy’s prowess shows up even here in this video. It’s not about the huge dyno numbers but rather the modifications he makes to the engine’s oiling system with additional plumbing that will keep this thing humming for ages.
Not to blow the story here but when you see the engine dyno tested, Dorton spins the thing to 4,800 because of the stock crank, parts, and block age involved. The mill makes 220hp at near that 4,800 rpm redline (watch to get the exact number) and 289 lb-ft of torque. Not shockingly this engine is going back into a vintage Thunderbird and that car will wake right up with this little iron beast under its hood!
It’s not ALL about the horsepower around here. Sometimes you just have appreciate the artist doing his work.
