Engine Block Identification.....not what you think

[Anthony]

Right before i start, i have figured out the age of my blocks (being greedy i know but i saw a bargin and grabbed it)

i have an '87 302 ho roller cam etc and an 85 302. I know they are 302 as bore is 4inch and stroke is 3 inch, (4*pi*3*8=301.6)...math nerd!!!

All forums and text say that in the lifter valley, the CID is cast, none of mine have. they do have 'XXX' stamped at least once which one place says 'hotrod program'. What is also cast is 'SB 25' on the '87 and 'RT 21' on the '85. This is what i am trying to found out about.

Now both engine apparently came from mustangs but i never saw the cars. there is a Z cast on both in the same place on both which again the texts say is mustang. the piston in the '85 also have 'xxx' cast on them'

So anybody got any clues, specially you chaps over the Pond?

regards

Ant

 

[Dave Wood]

I think they stopped using the 302 in the valley area when they went to roller cams. If you post the block #, it's on the block above the starter area, what you have can be pinpointed easily. I am not sure about the x's. I see it on almost all Ford small blocks to some extent and my perception is that it is a cheap way to add some strength, nothing more. They are on Clevelands as well as both size Windsors. At one time in the early 60s, when FE's ruled, the X was sometimes used to identify HP blocks. I think that time is long past. The casting # will determine it.

 

[Brett James-McCall]

Yep Ant, look just above where the starter goes, there s normally a casting code there. Mine is a D1ZM.

Brett

 

[Anthony]

Thanks for the replys.

The numbers on my block in that area are E5AE and on what looks like a tab screwed to the cast mould is 4M4. i think there is a couple of more numbers but i can't remember them, will post in a couple of hours. there are casting numbers all all over the place. the '87 block hasn't got the numbers in the usual place, looks like the casting process screwed up. i will take some pictures of all marks. it would be nice to know all the info i can about the blocks.

 

[Dave Wood]

The E5AE indicates a 1985 block that was originally used in big Fords ( the A in the # is for the big car) although it was used in other body lines. The 4M4 is the casting date , 4th day of Dec (M) in 1984, about mid year for a 1985 block.

 

[Brett James-McCall]

E= 1980s
5= year
A= Galaxie
E= Engine Engineering

4= Casting Year
M = December
4= Date in Month

Hope that helps Ant.

Brett

Edit: somone got there before me. Anyway there's loads of sites on the net like: Kelly hotrod - Ford Engines Page 4 or Ford Engine Numbers