I have a 5.0 HO out of a Mustang in my '78 f150. I want to get a repair manual for this engine (or Mustang) but don't know which one to get. How can I tell if this engine is an '88 to '93 or if it is pre '88? Measuring the throttle body or finding casting numbers? I'm guessing its an '89 or later but would like to know for sure before ordering the manual.

 

Some info here, casting and date codes behind the starter....

Need help identifying engine though casting numbers (pics included) - Ford Mustang Forums

More info regarding casting numbers:

http://www.mustangtek.com/FordDecode.html

http://www.aacncclub.com/FORD_HEAD_C...ml#ford302head

Not a handy location for the casting number on the heads....

 

88 and older were SD and 89 and newer were mass air, but that's only going to be obvious if the motor is still EFI and you have the complete mustang induction setup on it. The motors themselves are all nearly identical from the outside, the '86 version had different heads on it. the crappy E6SE, and the '94-95 version had an upper with an integrated elbow that put the TB at an angle, all others just come straight out.

 

So how can I tell if mine has speed density injection or mass airflow? The throttle body comes straight out, not at an angle like a '94-'95.

 

Does it still have the EFI system? If so, check the parts on the air inlet hose. The mass airflow sensor is installed near the front of the air inlet hose, between the throttle body and the air cleaner box. The SD engines obviously do not have the MAF sensor, and the air inlet hose is one piece between the throttle body and air cleaner box.

The California cars started using mass air flow sensor in 1988, while the other 49 states got it from 1989-on.

The later Haynes manual for the Mustangs covers all the different types, including the v8s, both SD and MAF. (They had an earlier edition which did not cover the v8s.)

 

There is nothing mechanically different about an SD or MAF motor I only mentioned that as a possible tool to figure out what year the motor was, and of course it depends upon you having the complete induction system.. which you probably don't.

Look for the casting numbers on the block and heads, there should be a capital letter cast into the heads near the outside corner, if you find an S you have an '86 motor with E6SE heads and T indicates an '87-93 motor with E7TE heads.