newbie ask for help

mgilbert · #1 (**permalink**) 02-22-2004, 11:46 AM

greetings, newbie here need some help. i have had my old LAE for about 15 months, finally pulled a valve/rocker cover found some castings numbers do they mean anything? big numbers 289 between cyl. 1&2 then 65 between 3&4 also small 5c29 i was told it was 5.0 but i think fire order is 302 i think i read here they are different. i cant find any numbers on the block. are they down by the starter motor? the reason why i pulled rocker cover is when i changed oil i cut oil filter open i thought looked horrible i've stalling to open motor scared to look thought it would be all nasty thankfully it was spot beautiful. this is my first post i hope i'm doing this right please excuse my typo's and thank you in advance for any help have a good day. mgilbert

Ron61 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-22-2004, 02:34 PM

Mgilbert,

Don't worry about asking questions. The numbers that you posted I am guessing were under the valve cover and I think they are the part number. As for the 5.0, that is a 302 to 307 cubic inch engine, which in your case is a 302. I am not sure what you mean by the firing order being different unless you are talking about a 302 and 351. If your engine is a 5.0 then it will be the 302 and should have that firing order. The breakdowns that I have for Ford parts doesn't have those exact numbers but there are a million different combinations it seems. Maybe one of the others will have a breakdown of your exact numbers. It would almost look as if you have a 65 engine which would be a 289 and not the 302, but the 289 would be listed as a 4.7 if you used the liter table.

Ron

mgilbert · #3 (**permalink**) 02-22-2004, 05:56 PM

ron61 thany you for reply. the numbers i'm talking about are between the valve springs on the head. i need to do another search, i think one time on here i searched for firing order and found a few one was someone had work done on motor and the firing order changed different cam. when i say 302 i mean older and 5.0 being newer style. but i think their all 302c.i. right? do i have to pull starter to find block numbers date code&casting code. i cannot believe these are old heads to say 289&65 is to obvious and the rails for valve covers are machined nice and flat. the rockers are adjustable kind on pressed in studs with comp. cams roller tips. any idea where to pick up oil temp. T or Y fitting at oil pres. sender i do not like idea of using oil pan drain plug to low for that. i have a clutch annoyance squeaks . if i ride clutch a little i goes away hyd. set up mabey start with bleed job. next winter i want to put on new front end now must. II speedway tube uppers lowers coilovers keep strut rods. i a little scared to do this looks like a simple parts swap but all of a sudden nothing lines up in a bind ride height wrong on...on...on...on... only thing i got done this winter was getting my 6'4" 225# a$$ to fit in a 90" wheel base car finally got a comfy cobra thanx again for any and all advice mgilbert

Bruce Edwards · #4 (**permalink**) 02-22-2004, 06:25 PM

You can find the casting numbers on the block near the bottom. You should not have to remove the starter to find them.
It does sound like you have an older set of heads. The early heads used press in studs with a rail or standard rocker depending on the head date. The standard rocker head has a sloted hole for the push rod like a Chevy the later rail rocker has a round hole both use the press in stud only the HP heads had screw in studs.
If they do not have 302 cast in the heads they are not 302 heads. Ford cast 289 in the 289 heads however they will work fine on the 302.
Look for a letter followed by a number on the block. C is 1960's D is 1970's and so on. The next number is the year of the casting and may not be the true year of the engine as some casting carried over.
Why are you thinking of pulling the oil pan? What did you find in the filter that has you so worried?
Unless you found some metal or old bits of valve seal you should not have a problem. If you did you have something to worry about but you should have seen a BIG drop in oil pressure as the car warmed up if not a noise when you first start it up.
When you change oil on your car remember to always add oil to the filter before you put it on to help prevent a dry start.

mgilbert · #5 (**permalink**) 02-23-2004, 04:21 AM

bruce edwards, thanks for reply. these heads have slotted holes. inside oil filter looked like rtv clumps but after pulling rocker cover the top end is very clean looks brand new not too worrid about it now. would like to put in oil temp gauge where do i put it? thanks again have a great day

Bruce Edwards · #6 (**permalink**) 02-23-2004, 04:34 AM

Most folks drill a hole in the pan for the sensor. Not to many other places you can put it.
If you do have RTV in the filter and you are sure that is what it is you need to dig in a bit more to the engine. Do you see any RTV on the timing cover or edge of the oil pan?
If you can see it all spread out the sides you will need to pull it and clean all of it out.
Just a few months ago one of our customers brought us his 70 Roadrunner 440-6 car after he took it someplace else closer to where he lives. He had some other shop replace a bad part on his car and wanted us to look it over because he was not happy with the work. When I lifted the car and look under it I could see black RTV leaking out all around the pan gasket. When I asked him about it he told me that the other shop had told him the gasket was leaking and needed to be fixed. He had told them to go ahead. I showed him all the RTV and told him we need to pull the pan and get all of the RTV out of the pan. He was not real happy about it until I got the pan off of it and showed him all the RTV that had fallen off the inside of the pan and was now plugging the oil pump screen. Saved his engine and he was happy with us and pissed at the other shop. A LITTLE RTV is ok. Give you an idea I may use 2 tubes a year on engines. A little goes a long way to much can cause BIG problems.

mgilbert · #7 (**permalink**) 02-23-2004, 06:08 AM

hey bruce thanks for ideas. do you think if i go with remote oil filter i could tap in oil line for oil temp sender? next weekend i will change oil check filter again. under the valve covers and the heads are so clean i think all is fine. i was expecting to find brown baked on oil, varnish or whatever that stuff is, but looks brand new i was surprised. i guess if it ain't broke don't fix it. thank you again mgilbert

Bruce Edwards · #8 (**permalink**) 02-23-2004, 06:36 AM

Some of the remote housings have a spot for a sensor. Kind of depends on the sensor you have with the gauge. If it is short you can put next to the oil pressure sender with a T or in the remote. If it is really long you will need to put it in the pan.
The pan will give you a better idea of the true temp.
No problem with the help. Any time I can let me know.

mgilbert · #9 (**permalink**) 02-23-2004, 11:43 AM

bruce, why 289 heads on 302? bump in comp. ratio, port volicity,breath better? thanks mgilbert

Bruce Edwards · #10 (**permalink**) 02-23-2004, 11:58 AM

I am not sure you have a 302. Did you get a chance to check the block id number?

mgilbert · #11 (**permalink**) 02-23-2004, 12:31 PM

bruce, probably wont have time to get to it till next weekend. my garage is kind small, work from 6p to 6a mon-fri. i'm sure i need to get it up in the air, so while it's jacked up mabey i can think of something else to do. i would love to found out it's a 289. why i'm not sure but i like old school if you know what i mean. any way mabey i can get to it sooner. can you have any advice for clutch problem? thanx again mark gilbert

Bruce Edwards · #12 (**permalink**) 02-23-2004, 04:52 PM

Mark,

As my wife and kids sometimes tell me "I am full of it" What kind of problem?

mgilbert · #13 (**permalink**) 02-24-2004, 01:10 AM

hi bruce i don't get it "I am full of it". anyway go to top and it's in the third post down a little something on it clutch madey throwout bearing? i guess no quick way to tell 289 or 302 mabey something like oil dip stick location. I don't understand why man tell me it's 302 i thought 289 are getting rare harder to find all the time so couldn't a higher price be asked? You know something I wish I had this computter before I got my cobra I had no idea the cobra community was so large. Heck within a 5 mile radius of our house i know of 5 cobras 2 ffr, 1 cr, 1 i'm not sure what company but it's chevy powered and my old LAE i would bet in the greater Kansas City area their are about 75 or more. I'll talk at you later have a good time thanks again for taking time to chat with me Mark

Bruce Edwards · #14 (**permalink**) 02-24-2004, 04:09 AM

Hey Mark I just meant that I have been told I am full of little bits of knowledge on a lot of different things. Not meant as anything else. The clutch sound you are talking about does sound like a bad throwout bearing. If you are just barely touching the clutch pedal and the sound stops with no real pressure on the pressure plate that is a sigh of a bearing starting to fail. They get a bit loose inside from lack of lube and start to rattle and squeak, load it a bit and it takes up the slack and stops making noise. The bearing will fail in this way if the free-play is not set up correctly or the driver rides the clutch.
I always have time to help out my fellow Cobra owners. No big deal. Hey I need to do something with 20+ years of working on cars and learning something's the hard way! I figure why let others make the same mistakes?

Bruce

mgilbert · #15 (**permalink**) 02-24-2004, 05:13 AM

hey Bruce I'm going to take some photos and try to get them in my gallery. Have fun Mark

Bruce Edwards · #16 (**permalink**) 02-24-2004, 05:52 AM

Mark,

If you feel the need you can call me at my shop 407-857-8587 if you need any more help. look forward to your pictures.

Ron61 · #17 (**permalink**) 02-24-2004, 06:00 AM

Mark & Bruce,

I have a 1965 Comet with the original 289 in it. If it would help I can get under it when the rain stops and see what numbers I can find. This is the two barrel version and still has the original carb on it. It is the 6 bolt bell housing pattern too.

Ron

mgilbert · #18 (**permalink**) 02-26-2004, 02:42 AM

ron61, any help would be great! bruce i may just give you a call as soon as i found out a few more things. i also having some computter problems so please don't think i'm just blowing you guys off. I got one pix in my gallery more to come if I can figuar it out again. talk at y'all soon see ya mark

mgilbert · #19 (**permalink**) 02-26-2004, 05:32 PM

hey Bruce, got a couple pix of head #'s cast in. Where the heck are the block #'s again? are they cast or stamped? I must be blind!! no luck finding them. while I was looking for #'s just above the starter rear of starter? side without gear their is a threaded hole in block nothing in it any idea? towards front of block hole with pipe plug in it is this a block drain? more pix to come. my cobra i like to call entry level ha ha Ron did you find anything on your comet sounds like a cool car see ya guy's

Bruce Edwards · #20 (**permalink**) 02-26-2004, 05:40 PM

From what I see you have a set of 289 65 heads. The casting for the block is on the side of the block and cast in to the block. It is pretty big and you should not have any trouble finding it. Sorry I did not check on one of the blocks at the shop to see what side it is on and I just do nto remeber right this moment. I do know that under the intake it will show the size cast between the lifter valley but you do not want to pull the manifold.