Greetings y'all,

So here I sit with a truck-bed full of good old horsepower. The only problem is, what the heck is it? I acquired what appears to be a 1978-79 vintage F-250 4x4 for $0. Runs like a champ, no brakes and not worth restoring. Pop the hood, and what do I see? I see a set of cylinder heads that look alot like the ones on my buddy's F-350 ranger super-camper special with a 390. The story I got from the guy who gave it to me was that it was a 79 cab on a 69 frame with a 400cid under the hood. Well, considering I only really know small-block ford engines (windsor and modular), and the only big-block I can identify is a 429-460, I can honestly say that this is no small-block. From what I understand, the 400cid ford engine was a small-block and somewhat related to a 351 modified. This is definitely a big-block, and by examining the heads, it is an FE. I spent today gutting the truck, and I have the engine, tranny, t-case and drive-shafts currently in the back of my truck. From what I have been able to gather, 352-360-390 are the likely candidates, but they all use the same block. How can I identify which of these three engines that this is? Any help would be much appreciated.

 

get the number 1 piston to TDC stick a dowl in the plug hole mark it at the head, pull the number 4 plug it should be at BDC stick the dowl in it and mark it. measure the distance between the mark. a 390 stroke is 3.78 and a 352/360 stroke is 3.5. if you come up with 3.5 then the only way to really be sure is to pull the heads and measure the bore. 390/360 bore is 4.05 and 352 bore is 4. also to be sure it is an fe the valve covers cover part of the intake manifold and they have vertical exhaust manifold bolt holes.

 

Look on the passenger side of the block for a cast in 352 or 105. Either tells you its an FE engine. Also if there are 5 bolts holding the valve covers on, it is an FE. Then there is the mating surface of the intake and the head, if that is under the valve cover it's and FE.

 

could also have a 3.98 inch stroke then its a 428 or 410

 

Easiest way is to count the valve cover bolts and report the number here. You will be advised as to what engine you have.

 

Also some early (63 and earlier) blocks will have no "352 or 105" identifier. These will have the early 2 bolt motor mount bosses. If you can post the head casting numbers it will help. Also all the info above is right on.

 

Thanks for all the input everyone! I'll go out and check it out, and get back to you. I doubt it is more than a 390, but wouldn't that just be the ultimate find for $0? One could only hope. I'll post the casting numbers when I get them. Bye for now.

 

OK, the casting says 105, and '16' right beneath it. Also, the '105' appears to be embossed in a 'mirror-image'. How does this differ from '352' identifier.

 

ok it is definately an FE. the mirror 105 means it was a later casting at MCC and normally has extra main webbing and thicker cylinder walls. what are the numbers inbetween the inner 2 spark plugs on the head? im guessing they are D2TE-AA. aslo the 105 pretty much rules out the 352. it is either a 360 or a 390. the next thing to do is measure the stroke with the dowl.

 

Thanks for the reply. I'll check the head casting number when I get home in the morning (on night shift right now). I'm not going to check the stroke until I get it out of the back of my truck (probably a week due to space constraints). Don't worry, it's all tarped down. Btw... what is 'MCC' anyways? Thanks!

 

There were three foundrys that cast FE/FT blocks...
DIF- Dearborn Iron Foundry
CF- Cleveland Foundry
MCC- Michigan Casting Center

 

Ok, the head casting number is C8AEH. I have to flip the block on its other side to get the block casting number. I will post soon.