Help identify engine

[B-Man 11]

Sorry if this seems simple but I have been playing with Pontiacs for the last 20 years. How do identify what engine I just bought. I searched for the codes on the block by the starter, none there. No engine date code under/near the distributor. All I know is it is a later, smog motor, serpentine belt, variable venturi 2bbl carb. I'm going to tear it down but I was getting frustrated not finding the codes where I thought they should be. Thanks Mike :surrender:

[RogerC 136]

Pics?

 

Sounds like a late 70s 302.

[B-Man 11]

I will try this evening. Hopefully I can clear some of the smog parts/lines off. Thanks

[B-Man 11]

To dark for pics. I did get date codes (I think) of E0AE off an exhaust manifold and E1SE off the intake. Does this help...early 80's???

[69RavenConv 286]

Yep, early 80's. E0 and E1 would be 1980 and 1981 part numbers.

[B-Man 11]

Thank you very much. BTW, I am originally from near Cleveland and wound up in Atlanta after 21 years in the Army.

[Cruzzar 22]

FYI. On Fords anything starting with an 'E' would be built in the '80s. Anything with a 'D' would be built in the '70s. With a 'C' would be '60s. Anything with a 'F' would be a --------? (90s).

It should have a number on it by the starter, pull if off to get a good look.

[dennyb68 11]

Ford also had a strange engine around that time frame.It was a 260 or 275 V8 or something like that

[bnickel 10,004]

it was a 255. crappy little motor in stock form but if you add an intake and small 4v carb plus a good ignition system it will wake up and surprise you and rev to the moon. still no barnstormer but pretty peppy. my brother had an 81 mustang with the 255 and we transplanted a performer intake, 460 holley and a mallory comp 9000 dizzy with a hyfire box and improved the performance by a good 80hp or so it seemed like, i mean the car would actually get out of the way of not only itself but other cars after that whereas before it couldn't get out of it's own way.

[B-Man 11]

Got the engine on a stand and got the exhaust manifolds off. TINY exhaust ports. Absolutely no numbers on the block near the starter. How do you tell definitively, before you pull the intake that you have a 302 or 289 etc?? Thanks

[bnickel 10,004]

if there are no numbers above the starter then you don't have a ford motor

[fvike 173]

I think the engine size may be cast onto the block in the lifter valley. Not sure if it does on 302s and 289s, but it is on my 351W.

[Fordrevhead 29]

All small blocks have the displacement between the lifter bores. I bet it's the 255.

 

I own a 1980 Mustang as well (with a 302 now :) so if it is a 255 here's some info...

the cranks throws were hollowed using a cored casting so in theory they may be weaker... but otherwise the same as a 302. Slightly different journal size than a 289. I am unsure off the top of my head about pistons and deck heights, they varied only slightly year to year. Biggest issue with the 255 is the oval chamber heads... no flow, choked off engine, throw them in the scrap metal bin.

[B-Man 11]

I guess a picture is worth a thousand words. Tore into it today. 255 is my guess, tiny bore, oval head ports. I guess i bought $50 worth of nuts and bolts.

[B-Man 11]

That was rude of me. Thanks for all the help. I bet the next one will be a 302! I am armed with enough information now.