I have a 1968 F100 and I'm new to Fords. I don't have a clue on what engine is in my truck. Small block or big block, size? It is a 2 barrell. How can I ID the block. I believe it is the original engine..

 

Small block, big block are che**y terms, but there were two styles of V8s that year. The "small" block would be a 302 V8, the "large" one is known as a FE. I am not sure the 302 was offered that year - but the FE V8s are easy to spot. On a FE, the valve cover extends over the head and a couple of inches over the intake manifold.

Most likely you have a FE - they came in two flavors that year - a 360 and a 390 cubic inch. The only way to tell which you have is to measure the stroke. The 360 was the most common.

If you will post your VIN we can tell you what the truck came with from the factory. If you are serious about it being the stock engine there are date stamps on the head and block we can decode for you, but it takes a bit of cleaning and scraping to read them.

 

count the valve cover bolts and the small block big block term is a chebbie thing.

 

Steve, Welcome to FTE and the 1967-72 Forum

I believe that you will find this group to be very helpful with your fact finding. I hope that you will join in and find a place here.

John

 

The VIN number is F10YRD54175. The valve cover does not look like it extends over the intake manifold but it has 5 bolts. I took a picture of it. Where are the block numbers located? http://silver340.home.comcast.net/Fordengine.JPG

 

That most definitely is an FE - look at the bolt in the valve cover on the upper left (front) side of the valve cover: it is screwed into the intake manifold, not into the head.

Your VIN of Y indicates it is a 360, as well, so the details seem to match. If you think you might have a 390, you can check the difference by the stroke.
Here's the easy way to check the stroke without removing the head. Get a straight 12 inch piece of white electrical house wire or coat hanger wire. Get a magic marker. Remove the number 1 spark plug. Turn the engine over until the timing mark is at TDC. Now, put the wire in the number 1 spark plug hole with the wire resting on the top of the piston. (Because the old timing dampers sometimes will slip, the timing marks may be off. Make sure the engine is at TDC in the Number 1 hole by rocking the crankshaft back a forth a bit. When the wire is as high as it will go, it is at TDC. Once you are sure it is at TDC, continue.) Make a mark on the wire even with the lip on the valve cover. Now rotate the crankshaft 180 degrees, until the wire is at its lowest point. Mark the wire again, at the lip, and measure the distance between the two marks.

Here are the specs: 3.98 is the stroke for the 410 and 428 engines; 3.78 is the stroke for the 390, 406 and 427 engines and 3.5 is the stroke for the 352 and 360 engines.

So, if the stroke in your engine is about 3 and 3/4 of an inch, it is most likely a 390.
If it is about 3 and 1/2 inch, it is a 352 or a 360 - most likely a 360.

Let us know what you find!

 

By the way, do I see 4 bolts holding an aluminum cover on the power steering gearbox?
If so, you have a Bendix gearbox.
Time spent searching this forum and the '61 - '66 forum on the Bendix box will be well spent.

 

Nice, clean looking unit - and I agree with banjo, it is a FE. Like he said, the valve cover bolts into the intake manifold.

Casting numbers on the heads are between the center spark plugs, and the casting number for the motor is on the skirt of the block near the starter - sometimes you have to remove the starter to read it.

 

notice how the valve cover hangs over the intake so its a FE for sure but the size is the question.