Lincoln Y-block V8 engine

The Lincoln Y-block V8 engine was Ford's earliest OHV V8 engine, introduced by Lincoln in the 1952 model year. Like the later and better-known but even more short-lived Ford Y-block engine, its block's deep skirts gave the block the appearance of the letter Y from the front.

The Y-block's development was in response to the sales success of the competing Oldsmobile "Rocket" and Cadillac OHV V8 engines, introduced in the 1949 model year, the Buick "Nailhead" engine introduced in the 1953 model year, and the OHV V8 Chrysler Hemi engine in 1951. Also, Ford needed larger and more powerful truck engines. The basic engine design was produced through 1963. It was replaced by the newer MEL engine for car applications in 1958, and was replaced in heavy-duty truck applications by the FT (330/361/391) engines starting in 1964.

279
A 279 cuin version of the Lincoln Y-block was produced for heavy-duty truck applications for the 1952 through 1955 model years. The engine had a bore of 3.5625 in and a stroke of 3.5 in.

302
The 302 cuin version of the Lincoln Y-block was used for heavy-duty truck applications from the 1956 through the 1963 model year. The engine had a bore of 3.625 in and a stroke of 3.65625 in. Power output was 196 hp. The engine was optional equipment on the Ford T-700 Series and standard equipment on the Ford F-750, C-750, and B-750 Series heavy-duty trucks.

317
The first-generation Y-block was the 317 cuin, which replaced the undersquare 337 cuin flathead V8 on all Lincolns in the 1952 model year and was produced through 1954. The 317 was oversquare, as was rapidly becoming the fashion, with a bore of 3.80 in and a stroke of 3.5 in. Power output with a two-barrel carburetor was 160 hp. Higher compression, larger intake valves, a Holley four-barrel, improved intake and exhaust, and a more aggressive camshaft, the next year increased it all the way to 205 hp. The engine was unchanged in 1954 except for the vacuum advance mechanism. These engines used hydraulic valve lifters while Ford truck engines used solid. The stock Lincoln 317 powered the "Mexican Road Race Lincolns". The 317 was replaced by the 341 for automobile applications in the 1955 model year. Like the 279, the 317 was also used in heavy-duty truck applications for the 1952-55 model years.

Lincolns powered by the 317 won the top four spots in the Stock Car category of the Pan American Road Race in both 1952 and 1953. In 1954 Lincolns took first and second place.

332
The 332 cuin version of the Lincoln Y-block was used for heavy-duty truck applications from the 1956 through the 1963 model year. The engine had a bore of 3.80 in and a stroke of 3.65625 in and produced 212 hp. The engine was standard equipment on the Ford F-800, F-900, T-750, T-800, C-800, and C-900 Series heavy-duty trucks.

341
The 317 cuin automobile engine was bored out in 1955 to 3.94 in, displacing 341 cuin. Power was up to 225 hp and torque 450 Nm. in its sole year of production.

368
In the 1956 model year the 341's bore was increased to 4 in and stroke to 3.65625 in to create a 368 cuin engine that produced 285 hp and 545 Nm. In 1957 horsepower increased to 300 hp with 563 Nm of torque but the Lincoln still lagged in horsepower and torque behind the Chrysler Hemi 392 used on the Imperial, Chrysler New Yorker, and 300C, and in horsepower behind the 3-2bbl version of the Cadillac 365 used on the Eldorado. The 368 was standard equipment on all Lincolns in the 1956 and 1957 model years, and standard on the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser and Colony Park and optional on the Mercury Montclair, Monterey, Voyager, and Commuter in 1957, its final year.