FE Engine

[Philbe]

Hello, I got an FE age unknown. The heads are COAE-6090-D. Block has 352 on frt. an A11 on the oil filter boss,along with E1. No other info! The Boer is 4.132 with pistons flycut valve reliefs. The cam has 17 stamped on end with SF 63 with EDEL 2106 on the rear face of boss. What is this thingy????

[viking]

Reading Casting NumbersReading Casting Numbers
Casting numbers tell when a part was ORIGINALLY designed and what car it was
ORIGINALLY designed for. This does not mean that the part was not used on other
cars. For example, casting number C8OE-9430-D is an exhaust manifold for a 428
CJ Fairlane; however, it was also used on 428 CJ Mustangs.
Example:
The breakdown of casting number C8OE-9430-D is easy using the charts below:
C = Decade of 1960
8 = Year of the decade (8th year of 1960), 1968
O = Fairlane Car line / Manufacture code
E = Engine engineering department
9430 = Basic number for an exhaust manifold
N = Design change
Casting Number Breakdown Charts
Decade of Manufacture:
A = 1940
B = 1950
C = 1960
D = 1970
E = 1980
Year of Decade
The year of the decade is determined by adding a number (0-9) to the letter of
the decade. Example: C6 would be 1966, D0 would be 1970, D1 would be 1971.
Car Line/ Manufacture Codes
A = Galaxie
D = Falcon (60-69)
F = Outside USA, Trans Am racing
G = Comet / Montego
J = Industrial
M = Mercury
O = Fairlane / Torino
P = Autolite / Motorcraft
R = Rotunda
S = Thunderbird
T = Truck
V = Lincoln (61 - current)
Z = Mustang
Engineering Departments
A = Chassis
B = Body
E = Engine
F = Engine accessories
J = Autolite (67-72)
P = Automatic transmission
R = Manual transmission
W = Axle
X = Muscle parts program
Y = Lincoln / Mercury service parts
Z = Ford service parts
Basic Number
These identify the part, such as 6090 being a cylinder head or 9430 being an
exhaust manifold.
Design Change
A Basic part is made to fit many applications. Example:
DOZZ-7528-C is a clutch bar for a 390/428
DOZZ-7528-D is a clutch bar for a 351 W
DOZZ-7529-E is a clutch bar for a 302 Boss
Reading Casting Dates
Casting dates:
Casting dates show the exact day, month and year a certain part was made or
cast. The typical casting date looks like "6M08".
Breaking down a casting date:
6 = The year of the decade. "6" for 1976.
M = The letter of the month. (December)
08 = The day of the month. (8th)
First year month codes:
ABCDEFGHIJKLM
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugN/ASepOctNovDec

Second year month codes:
NOPQRSTUVWXYZ
JanN/AFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

How do casting numbers appear?
Most casting numbers are stamped into the part itself, other have the number
molded on the part. Some casting numbers can be ink stamped while others are
printed on paper, which is then wraped around the part.
FE Casting Numbers
Blocks (C1AE8015C)
390 cid
C1AE-CC1AE-GC1AE-VC2AE-BC
C2AE-BEC2AE-BRC2AE-BSC2SE
C3SE-AC3AE-KYC3ME-BC3AE-AY
C4AE-DC4AE-FC5AE-AC5AE-B
C6MEC6ME-AC8AE-AC8AE-C
C8AE-ED3TE-1D3TE-ACD3TE-HA
D4TE-ACD7TE-BA

406 cid
C2AE-JC2AE-KC2AE-VC2AE-BD
C3AE-DC3AE-V

427 cid
C3AE-MC3AE-ABC3AE-ZC4AE
C4AE-AC5AE-AC5AE-EC5AE-D
C5AE-HC6AE-BC5JE-DC6JE-B
C6AE-CC6AE-DC7AE-AC7JE-A
C8AE-AC8AE-BC8AE-H

428 cid
C6AE-AC6AE-BC6AE-FC6ME
C6ME-AC7MEC7ME-AC8ME

Crankshafts
390 cid [3.78" stroke]
2UC3AE-DC4TE-6303-B
3UC3AE-EC4TZ-A
C1AEC3AE-UC4TZ-B
C1AE-AC3AZC6AE-A
C2AE-BC4AE-BC6TE-6303-C
C2AE-DC4AE-CC6TE-6303-E
C3AEC4AE-DD2TE-6303EA
C3AE-6303-EC4AE-A
C3AE-BC4AZ-A
C3AE-CC4AZ-J

406 cid [3.78" stroke]
2UC3AE-BC4AE-C
3UC3AE-CC4AE-D
C1AEC3AE-DC4AE-A
C1AE-AC3AE-EC4AZ-A
C2AE-BC3AE-UC4AZ-J
C2AE-DC3AZC4AZ-J
C3AEC4AE-BC4TZ-A
C3AE-6303-E C4TZ-B

410 cid [3.98" stroke]
1VAC8ME-AC9ZE-CIU
C6MEC9ZE-BC9ZE-DIUB

427 cid [3.78" stroke]
2UC3AE-BC4AE-C
3UC3AE-CC4AE-D
C1AEC3AE-DC4AE-A
C1AE-AC3AE-EC4AZ-A
C2AE-BC3AE-UC4AZ-J
C2AE-DC3AZC4AZ-J
C3AEC4AE-BC4TZ-A
C3AE-6303-E C4TZ-B

428 cid [3.98" stroke]
1VAC8ME-AC9ZE-CIUC2VE
C6MEC9ZE-BC9ZE-DIUBC6ME

[Philbe]

I see the heads are 1960 galaxie engine part but I am still in the dark over the block I looked again and cannot find anything other than the A11 on the boss and the E1 above it they are not on the same line. No c nos. anywhere Thanks again for the input Phil

[Philbe]

I forget, the 4.132 bore according to Sesslers Data book is a 406 but the dates don,t jive. A 390 or 352 can't be bored that far can they???

[FFR428]

Is it a original solid lifter block?

[Philbe]

in a answer to ffr428 this block has the hydraulic bores but some 406 were hydraulic as well according to the FE quick facts in this here Internet? The stroke measures 3'860 with a depth mic. Whats the correct method to find CID?? Philbe

[FFR428]

None of the 406 block were hyd lifter blocks. Thet carry a C2 or C3 casting number also. However some of the early 352 HP blocks were indeed hyd lifter blocks. If it's a 406 block it would have HP cast on the right side, on the back and in the inside by the cam bores in two places. Same with the 390HP blocks. G.

[FFR428]

Bill is correct if the block is still the original. The HP352 came in two flavors with EDC-B and EDC-C as the solid lifter blocks. It's possible the block has been replaced with a service replacement at some point in it's life as they were hyd lifter blocks or has been converted to run hyd lifters. It could also be a later post 70's service block as they had no casting numbers but a date code. Does the block have vertical ribs on the outside down by the skirt? Also can you see a DIF or MCC logo cast in the block anywhere? Just looking for a few focal points to help out. Ford was pretty good back in the early 60's with casting numbers. That's why I'm thinking service block possibly. Also what numbers or digits are on the crank and rods? G.

[Philbe]

Hello, Iam going out to look now and take pan off as well. Will report back with what I find. Thanks for the assist people Phil

[Philbe]

hi, Philbe here I looked at motor with pan off just now. I found a 49 DIF on the block, 5 bars in frt. 6 bars on rear of rt. side 2 bars on rear 3 bars at motor mt. area. left side. main caps are C2AE .060 pistons. crank has 2U on one throw. Rods are C7AE-B
.010. bearings. Will this help I.D. this thing better?? Phil

[FFR428]

Yes that does help. The DIF confirms that it was cast at Dearborn Iron Foundry and the 49 is most likely the mold number. The vertical ribs were common of service blocks but were also found in some production cars and trucks too. The fact it has the C2 on the maincaps leads me to think it's a 390 as the 428 service blocks had a triangle on the top of the maincaps. But they could have been swapped out for some reason. If you can take a flashlight and look in the water jackets on the head surface of the block for a small "428". You can also knock out the center freeze plug (not sure what side) and look for the 428 cast inside. The 428 inside the water jacket or freeze plug will tell you. The 2U crank is a 66-73 390 iron crank with a 3.78 stroke. The C7 rods are 66-70 428 rods and were also used in the 68 427. A nice HD rod. The thing that bothers me is that you said the bore is 4.13 std 428 right? The .060 pistons don't jive with a 390 bored 60 over to get the 4.13 bore. It would have to be .080 to get the 4.13 from a std 4.05 390 block. Did you get the motor running or apart? It's very possible if it was not running the .060 pistons were just used in order to appear complete. So a little more detective work is required but I think your getting there!!! hope this helps. G.

[Philbe]

hi. If the block was a screwup from the foundry it could have been overbored from 4.05 to 4.07 than bored .060 to get to 4.132
I retired as a jouneyman diemaker and have seen screwups repeired typical of this. Just a thought. Remember the pintos and mustang 2's with the flexplates and trans mounts etc. what a mess they were aay. Will go out and play Columbo some more. Thanx Phil p.s. The bearings were in good shape and showed signs of wear. So the engine appears to have ran at some point.

[FFR428]

Yes I'd say anything is possible. I have a 406 with std 406 cyl walls on one side and std 427 walls on the other. I knocked out the freeze plugs to check wall thickness and thats what I found. Looks like the core setter has an "oops" moment and grabbed a 427 core to make good LOL. G.

[FFR428]

You know I have an easy way to check the block to give you a better idea of what it is. You may have used it or heard of it before. The drill bit test....this is where drill bits are used to gap the space between the cyl walls The freeze plugs need to knocked out though. You gap the cyl wall with the shank of drill bits in 1/64" increments. As follows for a 352,360,390,410 block a 17/64" bit is used and for a 428/406 block a 13/64. As I said use the shank of the bit to size the gap between the cyl walls. This is a basic test that will give you a very good idea what block your dealing with. You will find some rust and maybe casting sand and the gap may be plugged with crap. Clear it with a butter knife or something first. Check gap at top middle and bottom. The fit should be snug not loose. This test has been laid out using 1/64 measurements for ease of understanding among the masses. You can substitute different bits in 1/8th measurements or whatever as long as you convert the measurement to 64ths to ID them. Hope this helps it's a good guide and sorry I did not mention it sooner. G.

[Philbe]

Hello Again, The bit test showed the 17/64 bit was tight in the end areas. The center plug area is raised. So this is a 390 way overbore at the factory, then bore to 4.130 because they had no pistons? or a way overbore 352 to be a 428 block? Curious. Or they goofed like I thought. Don't know anymore. Thanks for the insights. Have a good day Phil