I have a chance to buy a 55 that's about  90% rebuilt into a drag car and the seller says the engine in it is a 427.Without taking it apart,is there any way to tell which FE it is?

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

First thing I would check on a 427 is for cross-bolted mains.

Dan      Kingman Az.      86409

Did all 427's have cross-bolted mains? And don't the side oilers have a passage cast into the outside of the block just above the pan rail?

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Some casting numbers information...

http://www.fordification.com/FEcasting-numbers.htm

http://www.lovefordsbb.com/view_topic.php?id=817&forum_id=7

 Seppo from Järvenpää, Finland
www.hollowheads.net (just click the hole in the head to proceed)

as far as i know, 427 oil passages are only seen from back of block.



stick with the cross bolts and date codes.

casting date will be near oil filter housing boss.


This ain't no L-Kamino!

PWH42: Paul, it appears the issues of cross bolting & side oiling is somewhat complicated. If you have time, look for the article on F.E.s in the issue of Muscle Car Review, Spring 2005. ( may be a reprint of earlier info..?) It gives a full run down on the engines including the appropriate casting numbers etc. I'm not sure if all 427s were cross bolted but late 406s were, casting # C2AE-BD. Our moderator Ted is very familiar with F.E.s and if he has time, can undoubtedly help you.

Paul

Thanks Guys,

I thought that what you are all telling me would be the case.I'll have to get over to the car and look for numbers and whether or not it has the cross-bolted mains.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

As has been mentioned, look for the main cap crossbolts on each side of the block above the pan rail where the three center mains reside.  With these in place it’s very likely a 427 although a number of people have retrofitted the four bolt mains to the other FE’s, myself included.

 

427’s came through as center-oilers well into1965 and sideoilers were available from 1966 and on so it could be either oiling system depending upon the year model of the block.  For the 427 sideoiler version, look for the screw in freeze plugs whereas the 427 center-oilers came equipped with standard pressed in expansion plugs.  The sideoiler also has the oil gallery in the drivers side of the block just below the screw in freeze plugs along with a galley plug at the very front of the block just in front of the oil filter adapter.

 

Many of the industrial 427’s were two bolt mains so even though the block doesn’t have four bolt mains, it can still potentially be a 427 without the crossbolts on the outside of the block.  Looking for ‘HP’ on the side or back of block can also point you towards a 427 but 406’s also had these markings.  And don’t be misled by those 390’s that have the sideoiler oil galley cast in the side of the block and the sideoiler oil relief valve provision in the back of the block while also having ’66-427’ cast into the back cylinder of the block.  Casting numbers from the block can also help to identify the block origins.  Beyond this, it will almost take a teardown to confirm which engine you have.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Thanks for the help guys.I'll have to go get a look at the engine this weekend.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO