[OleBlueF100]

Well, I am buying a 1975 Ford F100 Explorer from my uncle for $250. The motor that is in it is NOT stock. The cylinder heads on the engine are 352 heads, but he's not sure what the block of the engine is. Where do I find some sort of engine identification for the C.I.D.? He said that the 352, 360, 390, and 428 heads are all interchangable. Do y'all think the engine is a 352, or could it be something else. Would it make sense to put 352 heads on a 360 or 390? He also said that the engine makes a good 240 HP. Would a 352 make that much? What about a 360, or a 390?

 

[FFR428]

Between the center 2 sparkplugs there is a casting number on the heads. This can help id what heads you have. Most of the std FE heads are very simular in chamber and valve size. The 427 and 428CJ heads have larger chambers and valves. It's kinda tough to tell from the outside what engine you have. The only way to check the cyl bore size id to remove a head and measure the cyl bore. There is a easy way to check the crank stroke. This can help tell you what you have. Put the timing mark on the harmonic balancer on TDC. Remove the #1 and #4 spark plugs. Using a common edge as a guide stick a lenght of wood dowel or stiff wire doen into hole #1. Mark the dowel with a marker/pencil etc... keeping in mind the common edge. Then stick the dowel into #4 and mark again. Measure the distance between the marks. A 3.50" distance would be a 352 or 360 stroke. A 3.78" or aprox 3 3/4" is a 390,406,427 stroke. And 3.98 or aprox 4" is a 428 stroke. The cyl bore will tell you the displacement from there. A 352 has a 4" bore. A 360 and 390 a 4.05" bore. A 428 and 406 have a 4.13" bore and a 427 has a 4.23 bore. Keep in mind overbore when you measure as most blocks have been rebuilt a few times over the years. On the crank stroke you can also drop the oilpan and look at the cranks casting numbers. They are on the 7th counterweight. The block might have a casting number but most are generic and used on many different bore FE and FT blocks. But some are paticular to certain blocks.


G.