Is there any way to date one of these old beasts? Since they have plenty of decorative casting numbers and such, which ones do I believe? Grandpa had it put in the truck in 1984/85, it was just an engine the shop had laying around, so no idea what it came out of.

Sam

 

All those numbers on the block, heads and intake, post some and maybe we can give you an idea.

 

Ok, thanks.
head: C8AE-H DIF
block: 68 352
intake: D3TE(9 or 8)425AlA

Sam

 

If it was a complete motor, intake and all, it's at least a 1973. Beyond that, who knows... I THINK I once saw an FE intake with a D5, which if true, means your engine is a 1973/74 because it would have had the D5 intake (1975) if it was newer than that. That was a 360 intake I believe.

What engine is it? 360 or 390?

 

It is a 390 for sure, I measured the stroke just the other day.

Sam

 

Um, actually, there's a mismatch. Something's already been done to it, so who KNOWS what's up with it.

Why? Because a D3TE intake is a 1973 intake. If it was a 1973+ engine, the heads would be D2TE (1972) heads.

So, you have C8AE heads with a later intake.

Could be almost anything

 

Good luck ID'ing the year/size of the engine...when one considers engine swaps, FoMoCo Service Part Replacements.

FoMoCo: The C8AE (C8AZ-6049-M) head was used 1968/71 on 360/390/428's, AND...was used as a service part replacement for C4AE, C5AE, C6AE, D2TE and D5TE heads (all w/o T/E).

The C8AZ-6010-G bare block was the FoMoCo service part replacement for all 1965/76 352/360/390 engines.

And...the C8AZ-6009-G short block was the FoMoCo service part replacement for all 1965/76 352/360/390's.

Ford authorized engine rebuilders used these parts on everything, as did the dealers.

1958/64 FE engines have rounded valve covers with no holes for oil caps/smog valves.

1958/64 FE engines have an oil fill tube. Have 2 mounting holes in the block for the rubber insulators to bolt onto.

1965/76's have an oil fill cap in the valve cover. Have 4 bolt holes in the block for the front engine mounts.

1965/76 FE engines have pent roofed shaped valve covers with holes for smog valves/oil caps.

Casting numbers on FE engines are WORTHLESS for ID'ing what size the engine is, cuz all the blocks were originally cast as 352's. And, casting numbers cannot be cross referenced to Ford part numbers.

Many FE engines have 352 cast onto the block. This is a foundry mark only! It does not mean the engine is actually a 352 for the reasons stated above.

1967 was the last year 352's were installed in F100/350's, Galaxie/LTD's.

Oh, and btw: The same intake manifold gasket set (C3AZ9433G) fits all 1958/76 FE engines. So who knows what year/size engine the D3TE-9425-A1A intake manifold is mounted to?

btw, part II. Originally, D2TE marked heads were used on all 1972/76 360/390's without T/E. The actual Ford part number prefixes for these D2TE heads could be: C8AZ, D2TZ, or D5TZ. I kid you not!

 

That's a lot of numbers! Its definately a 65-76, but from there, who knows. (it does have ribs in the block, not sure it that means anything or not) Looks like I got a cobbled up monster here. Its a pity that ford didn't put any date castings on the FEs like they did on the 300 I6s, oh well. Thanks for the info, its always an interesting read!

Sam

 

There ARE date codes on the castings. Good luck finding them I think the ones for the heads are under the valve covers.

 

Block date code (most) is right below the oil filter adapter on the small angled part of the block there. Head date codes (most) are between the center 2 valve springs. Pretty easy to find and see. You'll see a number/letter/number(s) sequence for the date codes. This will breakdown year/month/date. Post what they are and we'll decode them. On the block date code good chance you'll see 2 dots under the first number. Keep that in mind while looking at them they can sometimes slur and look like something else.

 

I finally got myself under the truck and found those numbers, the ones on the block are:

WI
1H20 (edit: after re-reading FFR428's post its probably a 1, not an L)

There must be a half inch of grime caked on under there, I had to scrape and clean on it for a while before I found them.

Sam

 

Check out post 2 and up here:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...st-number.html

1 H 20:

1: 1st year of the decade. Probably 1971, since your block has ribs, afaik, iirc, wag, ymmv.

H: 8th month, thus August.

20: 20th day of the month.

So, 8/20/71.

 

Ok, thanks! Always neat to know little stuff like that.

Sam

 

Welcome to the wonderful world of Ford casting numbers, engineering numbers, and part numbers.
Bill, how did you manage to retain your sanity? Puting up with 30+ years of that day after day.

 

I have wondered the same thing, and with some of those parts I just have to laugh, four numbers for one part?!

I got some more numbers to decode too, these are off the heads:

passenger side: (1?)J1 It looked like a one, but two dots were in the way.
driver side: 1h12


Sam