Ok, I've searched all over the place, and from what I've read, it's from an 87 truck. But I've also read that the 87 trucks didn't get roller cams. I even read somewhere that the truck blocks that early weren't even machined for roller...(?)

The block casting is E7TE CA and a S. The crank is cast with E7AE-AA

I took off the pan yesterday, and saw the slightly different casting on the crank... is that normal? Or a replacement?

Also, I was able to peer at the cam/lifters, (from the bottom) and saw that it does indeed have roller lifters already inside. Is that normal for a truck block? The inside of the engine appears VERY dirty and worn. If it was rebuilt.. it was a LONG time ago. I've never seen a timing chain this worn w/o failure.

Also, I was told that in order to run a carb/manifold I'd have to change the heads... is this correct? I can't just bolt on a manifold and carb to simplify getting this mess running?

Oh, and the rear coolant ports on the backs of the heads... can I block these off or do I have to replace whatever line was there that was snipped off?

thanks!

 

The E7TE block production started in late 1986. These numbers in no way are an indicator of the year it was built. This casting was used for several years after the 87 model year. So, yes, it could be a roller block and roller cammed. All the blocks after 1985 were roller blocks, some didn't have the lifter valley bosses drilled and tapped for the lifter retainer hold down bolts. I have one that's got incompletely formed bosses, so it was sent to the flat tappet line. As for running it with a carb, only thing you need to change is the intake and distributor, nothing different about the heads. The cam can even be used with a carb. The wider LSA I've found actually makes a carb perform better.

 

Cool! Thanks for the info. Another question about the carb swap... are all 302 intakes the same?
I have the wire harness for EFI, but I'd still have to get the fuel pump etc worked out. I've never messed with EFI, so that's daunting at the moment too. I'm very tempted to just pick up a cheap intake and carb (and dist) and get her running and work out the EFI later.

 

Be aware that the cam gear on rollers cams are spicific to roller cams and using a dist with a bronze cam bear will result in failure. If you do decide to go carb use the cam gear from your present dist and install it on the new dist.

 

The TFI cam gear will not fit a points, or Duraspark distributor. The I.D. is larger on the TFI distributor. Bolt pattern is the same for all 302/5.0 intakes, no change needed there. Might also want to check with your local emissions testing station to see if you can carb it. Don't think that'll fly in Kalifornia though.

 

Hmm... sounds like the distributor might be a big hangup if I can't swap gears, etc. Or I'll have to find a cheap dist. and get an iron gear.

Stock roller cams in 5.0s is steel right? cut on the same shaft? Or did Ford press on bronze gears?

What about the rear water(?) ports? Shall I block them off? I don't know what the stock setup was, as they were cut off.

Smog wont be a problem... this is in a 56.

 

Distributor won't be a problem, you just need a mechanical unit with a steel(not bonze, not cast iron) drive gear. Gears are available for the various distributors at the typical parts houses you will just need to know the shaft diameter for the one you want to use.

A roller cam has an integrated gear and that's why you need a matching distributor gear, the steel cam gears will simply chew up the softer metals.

As far as I know the rear water passages are blocked on all newer intake manifolds so I don't see this being a problem for you.

 

Whatever distributor you choose to run, you'll need one with a steel cam gear to match the steel roller cam. Ford Racing sells the cam gear (thru Summit Racing) last one I swapped cost about $45 for the gear. It comes with detailed instructions. If you want to run a Duraspark setup, you can buy a fresh reman distributor from the local parts house with the steel gear for about $60 (with a core to exchange, doesn't have to be the same exact core) The only application for this distributor is the 85 Mustang GT, with the 5.0 HO motor and manual trasnmission. Ford never used bronze gears on one, bronze is too soft and will not last. As for the rear water ports ? You're talking about on the heads to intake ? All SBF intakes cover those ports, nothing special needs to be done.

 

Thanks guys!

I realized I was wrong when I was asking about the rear coolant ports... because they're NOT coolant ports. It's the port that attaches to the back of each head, facing the firewall. And apparently that's the AIR injection plumbing. I'll be closing those off as well it appears.

 

A 5/8" x 1" or 1.5" coarse thread bolt with a copper washer(for sealing) will do the trick on the air injection ports.

Also note that if you have a roller motor it's not original to the truck.. must have been swapped in at some point, but that's a stroke of good luck for you and maybe a double stroke if it happens to be a HO motor. You can determine this by measuring cam lobe lift and that's easily done on an assembled motor with a dial gauge. Just remove a rocker and setup the gauge on the end of the pushrod and cycle the engine one full rotation, if you get about 0.277" lift you have a HO but if you only get about 0.236" it's the low po version. Also note that rockers are non adjustable on these motors and are simply torqued down, but do look for shims under the pedistal, there ususally isn't any but if the motor has been rebuilt some may have been required.

 

There were two different cams used in the 5.0 truck engines. The 92-93's had the base roller cam, same as was used in the Crown Vics. The 94-97's got the F4TE cam, same one used in the later 96-2001 Explorer/Mountaineer 5.0. This one has an exhaust lobe lift the same as the HO cam. The intake lift is slightly less @ .264. This cam also uses the HO's firing order(13726548) where the base roller used the early firing order (15426378)