flavarella

hi...
a couple of months ago i bought a 1970 F250 camper special from a family member. i was told that the engine i have is a 429 police interceptor/FE series which is totally different than the one that it originally came with back in 1970. i am confused as to what application i am suppossed to buy parts for. like, for instance, the other day i went to napa and asked for spark plugs for a ford 429. they asked me what vehicle i had and i told them 1970 ford f250 and they told me that a 429 "doesn't exist". i explained everything to them but they still didn't know what i was talking about. frusterated, i bought spark plugs for a 1970 f250. i installed them with a gap of 44 like they told me to do and now this truck is not running right. it's guzzling gas and acting like the timing's off. the numbers on the block are impossible to read so i have no idea as to what year/vehicle i am suppossed to buy a repair manual for. i've never had a v8 truck before, or even a domestic. i'm totally lost... can someone please help ? !? i know i have an edelbrock dual barrel carb and a c-6 transmission if that means anything..

390wagon

429 isnt an fe series its a 385 series engine, its the little brother of the 460. for application i would say mid 70's fullsize car, galaxie etc.

__________________
68 Ford Country Sedan Wagon-390 FE, C6, 9 Inch
87 Chevy Caprice Classic Wagon-307, 2004R, 10 Bolt, what can i say, i grew up with that car

Paul Kane

There seems to regularly be confusion among others about the 429/460 engines as being a part of the ol' FE Series engine family, which they are not. The 429 & 460's are part of the 385 Series engine family.

The confusion probably comes from the fact that the FE Series engine family includes a 427 and a 428 cubic inch engine.

I suppose it is possible to have a 429 in it and not an FE Series 428...but who knows? If you can get the cylinder head casting numbers from the outside of the cylinder heads, they can tell us if it is an FE or if it is a 429/460, and finally if it has the police heads on it or not.

Cylinder head casting numbers are located on the outside of the head, along the valve cover mounting rail and between the 3rd and 4th exhaust ports.

Provide those mumbers and I may be able to tell you approximately what you have.

Paul

__________________

flavarella

okay... I think these are the numbers..

9 J 1 7 0 106
9 C 1 9 F 108

if they aren't the right numbers or if you need other information. let me know. i really appriciate your help...

Paul Kane

Flave,

The cylinder head casting numbers are located on the outside of the head, along the valve cover mounting rail and between the 3rd and 4th exhaust ports. The are visible simply by raising the hood and looking at the engine from either side of the truck. You should be able to find a cast-in alphanumeric number, possible one of the following:

• C8AE-H
• D2TE-AA
• C9VE-A
• D0VE-C
• D2VE-AA
• D2OE-AB
• D3VE-A2A

Or, it may appear similar to one of the above numbers but be something entirely different.

Please try again,

Paul

__________________

flavarella

D0ve-a

Mental

D0VE-A = 429 Cobra Jet (CJ) -- You scored well

__________________
Any problem is best aproached sideways ... with a crowbar
-Mental

Paul Kane

D0VE-A does not equal a 429 Cobra Jet engine.

The heads you have are early 1970 engineering revision castings that first appeared on standard issue production 429/460 engines in late 1969 for the 1970 model year vehicles. They are the standard passenger car head castings but they are a very good version of the factory iron heads. Performance enthusiasts seek those heads out for high performance engine builds. Also, the 429 version of these engines were also labled as "Thunderjet" engines.

So, this cylinder head casting number confirms that you have a 429 or a 460 in your 1970 F250 and not a 390 or 428 FE engine, and also explains why the auto parts store help thought your truck "didn't exist." By the way, the plugs that will work for your currently installed truck engine would be the Autolite 45's or Autolite AP45's (<---platinum) or the equivalent spark plug in another brand. In regards to the rough running, check your spark pug wires and make sure that you have not mixed up plug wires during the spark plug change.


4......8
3......7
2......6
1......5
(fan)

Firing order is 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8

You do not have a Police Interceptor engine. The casting number for the Police Interceptor heads for 1972-1973 is D2OE-AB. The casting number for the factory iron Cobra Jet or Super Cobra Jet heads for 1970-1971 is D0OE-R. (1971 PI heads may also be D0OE-R's.) 1970 and earlier PI motors were in the FE engine family.

Paul

__________________

flavarella

would you happen to know what repair manual i should buy for this engine? it wouldn't be for a 1970 ford f250 would it? also, i heard that you're suppossed to adjust the timing with the truck in drive.. is that true? what should the timing be? and lastly, i have an edelbrock dual-barrell carburetor.. the parts store told me that it should be 30 degrees off center.. is that so? you're a fu<ken genius bro. thanks so much!~!!!!!!!!!!!1

<3 janae

Mental

Blah .. /delete's page where he looks up his casting numbers.
I just read it off a page i usualy go to to check my castings .. if thats wrong as you say, who knows what else is off par ..

__________________
Any problem is best aproached sideways ... with a crowbar
-Mental