312 Engine Block year

[Old Redneck]

How do you tell what year a 312 Ford Engine is? When did the Spin Oil Filter start and hoe Late in years was it?

 

[dmsfrr]

I believe the spin-on oil filter first appeared on new engines in the '57 model year.
The oem filter kit was available over-the-counter from the dealer during the same time.

Here's a link to a chart of engine block casting ID numbers and photos of their three different locations...
What you're looking for are the letters / numbers just in front of the "6015".
http://ford-y-block.com/Block%20identification.htm

Externally the 312 engine blocks look identical to, and have the same casting numbers as, a 292 block.
An original 312 crankshaft will have an aspirin sized dot on the rear flange, and ECZ main bearing caps. (not EBU)
see three photos below

Another very helpful link to much more Y-block information at the same website...
http://ford-y-block.com/technical.htm

 

[Old Redneck]

This engine has a Spin off Oil Filter and a 2 barrel carb. Does that help that what in this 56 Thunderbird? I know it a 57 or later engine. Could be a 292 or what?

 

[dmsfrr]

This engine has a Spin off Oil Filter and a 2 barrel carb. Does that help that what in this 56 Thunderbird? I know it a 57 or later engine. Could be a 292 or what?

You can't ID an engine block by the various bolt-on pieces...
too many other '54 to '64 parts may also fit instead of the ones it left the factory with.

In all the years since new lots of changes could have happened. Without part or casting numbers from the various pieces you can't tell what it's built with now, and they don't change what the block is.
There were original 2bbl 292 engines in '57 T-Birds and some of the '58 to '60 312's in other models had 2bbl carbs.
Scroll down to the "Mercury" chart at this link... http://www.y-block.info/casting/intake.html

A previous owner may have changed from a 4bbl to the 2bbl carb & intake in a quest for improved fuel economy.
The original engine in a '56 T-Bird would have been a 292 or 312 with a Teapot style 4bbl carb.

All original T-Bird engine blocks came from the Cleveland foundry, their casting ID number is just above the oil filter.
On the rear of the drivers side head look for the Temp sender, the larger size is '56 & earlier, the smaller size is '57+
.

 

[KULTULZ]

To positively ID an FYB engine block, you will need the CASTING I.D., the CASTING DATE CODE, DIF or CF foundry marks and there is an assembly date stamped on the block right above the front timing over.

 

[Old Redneck]

Here the number above the oil filter. 80150. 022AE. I bought a spin oil filter or a 57 engine. It worked. My 56 T-Bird also has a 2 barrel carb.

 

[dmsfrr]

Here the number above the oil filter. 80150. 022AE. ...

All Y-block engine blocks have "6015" as their base casting number, with a letter/number prefix and usually a suffix letter, but they can sometimes be difficult to read.
I'm thinking the "80150" is actually 6015C and the "022AE' is... • C2AE ... like in the example photo below.

From this link http://ford-y-block.com/Block%20identification.htm
a C2AE block is a Cleveland foundry 292 from a '62 full sized car (the last year Y-blocks were used in cars) or from a '62 to '64 truck. It would have originally come with a 2bbl carb.

C = 60's decade
2 = initially cast for the second year of the decade = '62
A = vehicle model designation 'any/all'
E = 'engine' part category

Why I mentioned the Temp sensor a couple comments back... The '56 dash Temp gauge is a one-year-only part made to read only a '56 Temp sensor. Since the drivers side head in the engine you have most likely has the '57+ version, don't expect the Temp gauge to work correctly.

 

[Old Redneck]

Thanks I will put a temp. guage under the dash. I had to buy oil filter pliers to get the filter loose. It took all I could twist to get the filter loose. Never in my life I have seen a filter that tight.The filter was very heavy. Oil was very dirty. Have bot taken off the valve covers to see if there sludge. I wonder what year the transmission is? I have got a lot to learn about this albatross.

 

[dmsfrr]

Thanks I will put a temp. guage under the dash. ...
I wonder what year the transmission is? ...

The smaller Temp sensor bushing in the head can be drilled and re-threaded to the larger size (3/8 inch pipe thread) if you want to. I did that for the Temp sensor in the '58 heads in the '55 Bird I have so the original Temp gauge would work without having to add an aftermarket one.

If the transmission is working well, what year it is isn't overly important until it needs repair or adjustment. If it fits in the car it's most likely the one it came with.
I'm guessing it's an automatic, most of them were. There are two choices. The early 56's had an air cooled automatic, the later 56's and newer are fluid cooled.
The air cooled version has 2 square-ish rear facing vents on the bellhousing. (photo)
The fluid cooled version is most easily identified by the 2 metal tubes connecting the lower tank of the radiator to the right/passenger side of the transmission.

Here is a link to some specific transmission ID info for '55 / '57 T-Birds...
https://www.ctci.org/fordomatic-transmission-identification/
(the lower half of the page applies to other / later transmissions that may fit)

... I have got a lot to learn about this albatross.

Albatross? I've got one too. It gradually gets better.
.

 

[KULTULZ]

I wonder what year the transmission is?

See chart below -

 

[Old Redneck]

No coolant lines going from Transmission to Radiator. So must be correct. If I give you the vin can you tell information about the T-Bird? It automatic. . P6FH246958

 

[dmsfrr]

... If I give you the vin can you tell information about the T-Bird? It automatic. . P6FH246958

The first letter, "P" is for the engine it left the factory with, a 4bbl 312.
Most of the car specific info is on the second line of the firewall data plate.
Here's a link to a decoder...
https://www.ctci.org/decoder/

I liked it better when all the info was on the same page but they changed it, so here's the second page...
If you click on the chart you get a larger image.
https://www.ctci.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/print03.jpg

If you don't like switching back & forth between pages here's one all on the same page...
http://www.tbird.org/DataPlate/cdata.htm
.

 

[Old Redneck]

OK That a big help to understand this creature that I have here in my position. I got this car from my twin Sister and Brother-in law. They has the T-Bird for 25 years and only drove it a couple of times.He had Power Steering added for her but she did not care to drive it. Its a sharp T-Bird red with wire wheels. Chrome is super nice. It has Cont. kit also, Skirts, and both tops.

 

[dmsfrr]

OK That a big help to understand this creature that I have here in my position. . . . I got this car from my twin Sister and Brother-in law ... but she did not care to drive it. Its a sharp T-Bird red with wire wheels. Chrome is super nice. It has Cont. kit also, Skirts, and both tops.

Here's a link to a T-Bird information website I like. It has side-by-side pictures of the first three years, original colors, trim, options, engines, etc.
http://www.portholeauthority.com/thunderbirdETC/indextb.html

They are a small car, not the easiest to get in and out of with the top on. Even with the standard telescoping steering column the position of the large oem steering wheel feels more awkward than newer cars.
Fyi, smaller reproduction steering wheels are available for '56/'57.

 

[Old Redneck]

That a big help. You are a long way from me. I am in Pa. South of Pittsburgh. I am in the process of restoring a 32 Ford, 3 window coupe. All my cars are original. This T-Bird Is something new for me. Being a Flathead guy this is a bi change. Never in my dreams ever own a Corvette. A 63 Split Window. We got it humming. Not the T-bird as yet. Here a picture of my 32

 

[paul2748]

You really cannot ID a Yblock from the outside. 292's and 312's for 56 and 57 used the same casting (engineering) numbers on the blocks. Only sure way is to look inside - the connecting rods have different numbers (ECZ for a 312) or measure bore and stroke. There is a dot on the flange of the end of the crank, but that is not a sure thing although most 312's have it.


The VIN plate has a code for scheduled build date. May or may not be the actual date, but close.

 

[dmsfrr]

You really cannot ID a Yblock from the outside. 292's and 312's for 56 and 57 used the same casting (engineering) numbers on the blocks. ...

Yes 312's have the same block casting numbers as 292's from the same year.
But the casting number prefix does tell you the year(s) the block was cast for, and the related displacement(s).
If no 312's were built with that year engine block designation, it isn't a 312.

Lacking a good photo, the block number for the 'known non-original' engine in this particular car may be C2AE 6015C,
a '62 to '64 number that was only made as a 292.

That said... if a previous owner was particularly determined a 312 crank can be cut down for a 292 block & make a 312, but it doesn't happen very often.

http://ford-y-block.com/Block%20identification.htm
.

 

[KULTULZ]

That said... if a previous owner was particularly determined a 312 crank can be cut down for a 292 block & make a 312, but it doesn't happen very often.

This is done as the 312 machining protocol weakens the main web. The trick is to cut down a 312 crank to fit a 292 main saddle, especially a 292 block 1959/ as the main cap holes were extended further into the web.

Machining was very poor on the 312.

 

[Old Redneck]

Here a few pictures of the 56 in my garage

 

[KULTULZ]

The only way to determine if a car has the correct engine (numbers matching car) is to use the BLOCK CASTING ID NOS along with the BLOCK CASTING DATE CODE and the ENGINE ASSEMBLY DATE (stamped) if found.



In this case (56/57 312), the SUFFIX will be more able to determine which model year (along with casting date) the engine came out of. This with other components also.