I'm trying to identify a Ford FE engine I've been storing for quite a while. It was pulled out of my old '51 Merc before I owned it and came with the car, I was told it's a 390. Where do I find the engine code numbers or some identification so I can figure out exactly what it is? Any Ford Guru's out there?? Thanks for your help, Keith
Look on the bottom left side of the block..next to the oil filter mount..will give you the year/mo./day/and cubic inch...send me the numbers, can id it quick. a couple of pictures are worth a thousand words..........make sure it does NOT have cross bolts..if so, tell no one and only let me know...will most likely be a 427...but don't count on it....... Mark
Try looking behind the starter mounting location on the p***enger side looking at it. Thats where mine were on my 429. JD
429?............the OTHER Ford big block.........but nothing like an FE..more like a BB Chevy with the distributer in the RIGHT place. Lotsa cheap hp in those '29's and 460 based engines.. M.
find the casting numbers and I can tell which block it is! Is the intake manifold part way under the valve covers? On the front of the block is there a casting of 352 or a reverse casting of 105? even if it is cast 352 it doesn't mean it is a 352, coud be a 360,390,406,410,428,427 ect. The casting number is on the p***enger side of the block in front of the motor mount and freeze plug. the date code is under the block on the drivers side in front by the oil pan. There is also a casting number in the valley area under the intake manifold. if it starts with a Number like (5751091 or B9AE-B it is a 58-59 332), a C =60's the second number is the year of the block casting example ( C3AE-KY is a 63 police w/ solid lifters) , D = 70's example (D3TE-AC is 73-76 360/390 truck block with reinforced webbing at the Mains) Post the casting numbers and I'll decipher it. The FE only ran from 1958 to 1970 in cars and until 1976 in trucks. There are about 40 different casting numbers for FE blocks. AND YOU CAN MIX AND MATCH MOST OF THEM.
Thanks for the help. I'll get the numbers up here tonight, now I'm real curious. The 390 I had in my Merc used to push that land yatch along pretty good!
Get number 1 on TDC. Take a piece of wood dowel and put it in the sparkplug hole. Using a common point (I use the edge of the valve cover) make a mark. Now pull the plug on number 4 and take the same measurement, Now measure the differance between the marks, this will give you the stroke, 3.50 for the 352 and 3.75 for the 390. Takes all the doubt out of it.
I cleaned up the p***enger side of the block and couldn't find any numbers, but I did find some stamped on the front just to the side of the water pump that looks like "9B21J". On the front drivers side is cast "58" over "352". Down by the oil filter it looks like "WI" cast over "9B12" or "6B12". Do you guys think any of these numbers look right, or am I way off? Thanks, Keith
Early 390's will have 352 cast on the block so the dowel measurement is the best way to determnie if it is a 390.
the 9 or 6 is the calender year of the motor the B is february the 12 is the day, so the numbers from the water pump mean either 1959 or 1969 february 21st, the J is an inplant control number. you will have to check the stoke as greyone has noted. If you had the casting number/letters like the first 352's in 59 were 5751091 or B9AE-B( have hyd lifters), EDC castings have Solid lifters thats with the 3.5" stroke and a 4" bore. If its from 1969 and the stroke is 3.75" and the bore 4.05" its probably a 390. but there are alot of castings for this motor. Almost ALL FE BLOCKS HAVE 352 cast into the front of the BLOCK ,some are cast in the back behind #8 cylinder this could still mean it could range from 332 to 427 cu in. A little more internal measuring or a good casting number( check on the p***enger side of the block even above where the starter is.
Check between #2 and 3 exhaust side by the spark plugs or # 5 and 6 cylinders. If no numbers pull a valve cover and look for the casting numbers/letters on th inside of the head. this really could narrow it down and give you the cc volume of those heads.
The heads both have a "C8AE H" cast on them, does this help? I'm going to be throwing this engine up here for free to the taking, I'm just trying to identify it for listing. Thanks again for the help.
The heads are 1968 360,390,428 heads with 68.1-71.1 cc combustion chambers, So the only way to truely identify the internals is to take it apart(or use the dowel method to check its stroke)3.5"-360, 3.75"-390, 3.98"-428. FE engines can have almost all their parts swap with each other, same deck heights, same size crank/rod journals as other FE's, there are 3 different strokes, 2 different rod lengths, and 4 different bores. More than likely its a 69 360 truck engine or maybe a 390, from the casting dates you've given us. They produced FE engines from 1958 to 1976 and they are becoming harder to find and build due to less aftermarket speed parts produced. If built right you have a great low to mid rpm hp/torque monster with a bullet proof bottom end. if it has a 4V intake manifold its worth something to a Hot Rodder PM me and I'll take it off your hands.
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