I have a 1954 Ford with a 239 can I put 272 heads on it with out any problems

 

No... the water ports will not line up well. Compare the gaskets if you can - you will see the differance.

Why 272 heads?

 

I am having a hard time finding 239 head gaskets I can get 272 head gaskets and have a 272 head.

 

Hang in there... 239 gasket sets are up on e-bay fairly frequently. I have four 239s for my one truck - yes, that's a few too many, but I have managed to find every part that I've been looking for. Where are you located - I might know a source for you.

 

I shouldnt say anything here because everytime 239 subjects come up I screw up. But once in the last couple years I had a 239 head. Looked at it and compared it to a 272/292 block and headgaskets. It seemed like it wouldnt be hard at all to drill an extra hole or two.

 

I am located in Utah. I found a complet engine gasket kit from C and G auto parts but it is $195.00

 

Hi, It's an older post but have you found your head gaskets yet? I have a line on some that might do the trick.
Ed

 

There are 2 kinds of 239s and 256s: Dearborn and Cleveland.

Most of the car engines were Dearborn engines.

All of the newer engines like 272, 292, and 312s were Cleveland engines.

Blocks, heads, head gaskets, cams, cam bearings, and distributor gears are some of the parts that WILL NOT interchange between Dearborn and Cleveland engines.

The water passages in the heads and matching block decks are different in Dearborn engines from Cleveland engines, so you cannot swap between the two, and you have to use the right head gasket for the engine you are building.

If your distributor gear has 13 teeth, you have a Dearborn engine.

If your distributor gear has 14 teeth, you have a Cleveland engine.

The foundry mark for parts made in the Cleveland plant have a "C" with an "F" inside cast on the part. On the engine block, this is found on the front of the passenger side of the block, by the generator.

A Dearborn part will have a "DIF" cast on it.

If your 239 is a Cleveland engine, then you can use a 272 pair of heads on it. Otherwise, you cannot.

If your 272 heads are from a 1957 or up engine, they are big port heads. Make sure your intake manifold will seal -- it may be very close and not be able to seal, in which case you will need to get a big port manifold.

The exhaust manifolds will swap.

 

Let me ask a question then....will 239 Heads work on a 272 Block! I'm pretty sure they will but just asking the experts here to make sure. Thanks.

 

Phil:

See my post above. The short answer is, if your 239 heads are Cleveland heads, you can, but if they are Dearborn heads, you can't.

 

Thanks wild.bunch, that was what I needed to know.