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I've been trying to figure out all info on my motor that's been swapped out before I got the truck. The truck was a work in progress when I got it, it ran an was drivable. I just wanna know what the motor truly is out of and what does 1A8 mean? What does 1AB mean?
In the case of the engine pictured, "1A8" means January 8, 1991.
The other casting number shown tells us it's a 1991 casting revision. It shows the code for Thunderbird, but that doesn't mean it was in a Thunderbird when it left the factory. There might be model specific oil pans, intake configurations, exhaust manifolds that would point to one model or another, but chances are those went away with the swap to your truck.
Scroll through this to understand how the casting and date codes work:
That could also be a 2001 casting. I don't think Ford ever revised the 5.0 block after 1991. If it's got GT40P heads on it, it's a good bet it's a 2001 motor out of an Explorer or Mountaineer.
quick look at front of head 4 bars is GT40P, and under valve cover
There will also be a "GTP" cast in one corner outside the valve cover rail. On a GT40 head there you will find "GT". On an E7TE head will be a "T" and on an E6SE head an "S" in this location.
