victorialynn2 Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Could someone explain how to determine which engine I have? Are there numbers on these engines I can look for that will decode it? I haven't spent any time on this car because I refuse to consider selling it. All I know at this point is the oil filter is a twist off and not an insert. I went to buy an oil filter for it and they asked me which engine was in it. I haven't determined if it's the 292 or 312. Thanks in advance. More pics: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1j_Rb5rf7tybHBwb3hZOGxZWkk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordrodsteven Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 My guess is that a '57 full size Ford with the optional "Thunderbird" powerplant would be a 312. If I remember correctly that is what was in my '57 Country Squire wagon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorialynn2 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 2 minutes ago, fordrodsteven said: My guess is that a '57 full size Ford with the optional "Thunderbird" powerplant would be a 312. If I remember correctly that is what was in my '57 Country Squire wagon. Thanks Steven, I appreciate the info. I *think* I remember seeing something that said 312, so that is my guess. I'm hoping there is a way to determine for sure. I'm just curious. ~Victoria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorialynn2 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 I found this, but it's not helping me. http://www.portholeauthority.com/thunderbirdETC/tech/1957_engine.html#C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidAU Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 If that first letter in the serial number is a D (hard to read) it is a 312 with 4 barrel carb. 9.7 to 1 compression, rated at 245 HP at 4500 RPM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorialynn2 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 14 minutes ago, DavidAU said: If that first letter in the serial number is a D (hard to read) it is a 312 with 4 barrel carb. 9.7 to 1 compression, rated at 245 HP at 4500 RPM Yes, it's a D. That's what is should be for sure. I was reading this and it sounds pretty hard to tell by looking at the engine: http://www.secondchancegarage.com/car-restoration/57-59-ford-skyliner-bg.cfm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pont35cpe Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 You know that`s a 2 barrel carb. on your engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorialynn2 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 1 minute ago, pont35cpe said: You know that`s a 2 barrel carb. on your engine? No, and I don't know what that means...??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorialynn2 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 My dad may have modified it for better mileage if it's not how it's supposed to be. I would bet if he did, it's easy to change back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1957Birdman Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Hi Victorialynn, It means that you have the wrong carburetor for a "D" code car. A "D" code car will have a 4 barrel carburetor and dual exhausts. Also, the Thunderbird rocker arm covers your car has were an option on the T-Bird but not on the full size Ford. A lot of people put them on Fords because they look so good. As for the engine, you have the correct type for the car, meaning a Ford Y-Block. Unless you know for sure that the car has the original engine then there is a good chance that a rebuilt unit was put in sometime within the last 60 years. I own a 1957 T-Bird that is also a "D" code car. It has a 312 engine from a 1958 Mercury. Unless you look at the casting number on the side of the engine where the oil filter is then you would never know that it isn't the original engine. Since you are keeping the car I suggest just driving it and enjoying it. I'm sure it is a very nice car. Both the 292 and 312 engines for 1957 use the Motorcraft FL1A oil filter. Regards, Lew Bachman 1957 T-Bird Colonial White with Flame Red Interior 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorialynn2 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 48 minutes ago, 1957Birdman said: Hi Victorialynn, It means that you have the wrong carburetor for a "D" code car. A "D" code car will have a 4 barrel carburetor and dual exhausts. Also, the Thunderbird rocker arm covers your car has were an option on the T-Bird but not on the full size Ford. A lot of people put them on Fords because they look so good. As for the engine, you have the correct type for the car, meaning a Ford Y-Block. Unless you know for sure that the car has the original engine then there is a good chance that a rebuilt unit was put in sometime within the last 60 years. I own a 1957 T-Bird that is also a "D" code car. It has a 312 engine from a 1958 Mercury. Unless you look at the casting number on the side of the engine where the oil filter is then you would never know that it isn't the original engine. Since you are keeping the car I suggest just driving it and enjoying it. I'm sure it is a very nice car. Both the 292 and 312 engines for 1957 use the Motorcraft FL1A oil filter. Regards, Lew Bachman 1957 T-Bird Colonial White with Flame Red Interior That you so much for the info! I'd love to see pics of your T-Bird. Don't ever tell dad, but I just said earlier tonight that I wish it was the T-Bird. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 My understanding of the regular Ford (not the T-bird) Y block V8s, If it just says Ford on the valve covers it's a 272, If it says Thunderbird it's a 292, if it says Thunderbird "Special" it's a 312. I can't see any difference between the 292 and 312 ribbed covers in the link and even if you had the "Special" covers they could have been changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorialynn2 Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 5 hours ago, DavidAU said: If that first letter in the serial number is a D (hard to read) it is a 312 with 4 barrel carb. 9.7 to 1 compression, rated at 245 HP at 4500 RPM The D code 312 does not say "special" as noted in the link above. There are a few rare ones that do, but they have a different code. It seems like you pretty much have to check the casting numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkyardjeff Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Since its a spin on filter a Motorcraft Fl1A will work and should not matter if a 292 or 312. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1957Birdman Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 One last thing on this topic. It is definitely not absolute that a car with Thunderbird Special Y8 on the rocker arm covers was a 312. The reason I know is that my dad owned a 1957 Fairlane 500 Club Victoria with a 292 CID engine that definitely had the Thunderbird Special Y8 rocker arm covers. His was an early car bought in the fall of 1956. Who knows, maybe the factory ran out of the correct decals when his engine was produced? Lew Bachman 1957 T-Bird Colonial White with Flame Red Interior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger914 Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 In the mid 50's Ford brought in McNamara and the bean counting wiz kids to straighten things out and by 57 they were flat busted, but their cash flow was so great that by the time they figured out they were broke, they weren't. Ford was out of something every day, so you got what they had and the assembly line didn't stop running. OK, so a few cars got the wrong trim, or upholstery, or valve covers, but they got delivered and that was the important part. McNamara brought seat belts and the padded dash to Ford and some people think he would have changed the auto industry if he had stayed, but if he hadn't gone on to be Secretary of Defense and head of the World Bank, we might not have had the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crises, the Vietnam War and todays economy. McNamara was a great bean counter and a world class penny pincher, but he did OK this 1957 nine minute movie on how the hardtop convertible works. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victorialynn2 Posted January 10, 2017 Author Share Posted January 10, 2017 Cool video! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, Digger914 said: When I a kid of 8 years of age my grandparents bought a battery operated toy of one of these for me. The top went down and up just like in the video. I can't count the number of times I have thought about that "toy" over the years....... Edited January 10, 2017 by cahartley (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digger914 Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 22 minutes ago, cahartley said: Got to love those grandparents, I was about the same age when the grandparents gave my brother and I matching red T-bird hardtop convertibles for Christmas. Back then remote control was a battery pack in your hands and a wire about three feet long. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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