Will these fit?

[nobies25]

My uncle has just called and said he has two 95 or 96 302s. I want to rebuild one stock and replace mine. The other I want to take my time and build a mean motor. Will these bolt up to my AOD? The second will have a 4 barrel carb and intake.

[Tiggie]

Yes, they will bolt to your AOD. The CFI isn't gonna like 'em though, but it will physically fit.

[gadget73]

All 302s are physically interchangeable. Might need to change brackets and stuff to use your accessories but the block itself will definitely work. Only thing you have to watch is the earlier ones used different balance weights on the flexplate, but I think that was like 1982 and older or something. The 85 and 95 motors will interchange with no fuss or bs. What did those come out of, a truck ?


And before someone wants to go and get technical on me, I should say that all 302 Windsor motors are interchangeable. The rare Boss 302 is a different animal and uses some different parts.

[OVERKILL]

Well, technically the BOSS is still a Windsor, it's just a 4-bolt block with Cleveland heads on it

[nobies25]

Yeah they both came out of trucks. What about the cfi won't be happy? What kinda heads are on those? Thanks for all the info.

[1987cp]

Head ID might be easy. On the '96 motor at least, the first-generation GT-40 head is identifiable by three vertical ridges on the front of the heads and the letters "GT" on a doodad on the side. I've got some pics in the Yahoo Photos album below ... just hope the link works correctly. Don't be fooled by the blue paint and '79 valve covers; the motor pictured is a '96 Explorer motor. Head casting number is F3ZE-AA; they're not original to the motor but they're exact replacements of the originals.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/mcwest79...60762363193278

The comment about CFI is just pointing out that centrally fuel injected cars can have big issues if the motor is much different than stock. Later sequentially injected cars experience some of the same issues if modified, which is part of why my '87 now has a carburetor.

For '95, I think most 302s were still using E7TE heads, which is the same one used on the Mustang GT starting in 1987. Presumably someone else has more expertise than I do about what was used on trucks - I don't even know if a 5.0 could be had in an Explorer that year, nor what was being used in F-series pickups. If you take the heads off and post the casting numbers you find on the underside, folks on here can tell you more than you want to know about them.

[OVERKILL]

Head ID might be easy. On the '96 motor at least, the first-generation GT-40 head is identifiable by three vertical ridges on the front of the heads and the letters "GT" on a doodad on the side. I've got some pics in the Yahoo Photos album below ... just hope the link works correctly. Don't be fooled by the blue paint and '79 valve covers; the motor pictured is a '96 Explorer motor. Head casting number is F3ZE-AA; they're not original to the motor but they're exact replacements of the originals.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/mcwest79...60762363193278

The comment about CFI is just pointing out that centrally fuel injected cars can have big issues if the motor is much different than stock. Later sequentially injected cars experience some of the same issues if modified, which is part of why my '87 now has a carburetor.

For '95, I think most 302s were still using E7TE heads, which is the same one used on the Mustang GT starting in 1987. Presumably someone else has more expertise than I do about what was used on trucks - I don't even know if a 5.0 could be had in an Explorer that year, nor what was being used in F-series pickups. If you take the heads off and post the casting numbers you find on the underside, folks on here can tell you more than you want to know about them.

It wasn't only the GT that got the E7's, it was ANY 5.0L Mustang, which also includes the LX.

The E7's were a truck head, borrowed from the truck parts list for use on the Mustang because they were better than the E6's. The E7's were used on the F-series Windsor motors up until the engines were replaced with the mod motors.

Explorers received the 302 starting in 1996. The first iteration had internal EGR passages in the intake, making it the most desirable. They also had the plain-jane GT40 heads with GT stamped in the corner and the three bars across the fronts. These were borrowed from the Mustang Cobra parts pile, as the ones for the 94/95 Lightning had 1/2" head bolt holes due to the 351W.

Somewhere in 1997 (though there have been reports of some late 96 ones having them too, but vice versa) they switched to the P heads and the intake without internal EGR.........

[1987cp]

They also had the plain-jane GT40 heads with GT stamped in the corner and the three bars across the fronts. These were borrowed from the Mustang Cobra parts pile, as the ones for the 94/95 Lightning had 1/2" head bolt holes due to the 351W.

Somewhere in 1997 (though there have been reports of some late 96 ones having them too, but vice versa) they switched to the P heads and the intake without internal EGR.........

Say, you might know ... what are the exact differences in the F1ZE 5.0L Cobra head, the F1ZE 5.8L Lightning head, and the F3ZE (other than bolt-hole size, of course)? I've read that the F3ZE used larger chambers, and I've noticed that F1ZE's seem to command a good buck, but that's about all I know.

Speaking of which, for general information I forgot to mention that the GT40 heads lack Thermactor passages. For nonemissions guys like me, that just means you don't have to plug the little holes in the back of the cylinder heads when you eliminate the air-injection system.

[OVERKILL]

Say, you might know ... what are the exact differences in the F1ZE 5.0L Cobra head, the F1ZE 5.8L Lightning head, and the F3ZE (other than bolt-hole size, of course)? I've read that the F3ZE used larger chambers, and I've noticed that F1ZE's seem to command a good buck, but that's about all I know.

Speaking of which, for general information I forgot to mention that the GT40 heads lack Thermactor passages. For nonemissions guys like me, that just means you don't have to plug the little holes in the back of the cylinder heads when you eliminate the air-injection system.

My GT40's and the Cobra GT40's and I believe the Lightning GT40's all have thermactor passages....... It's the ones for the Explorer that don't......... And even then, it may only be the P's that don't...........

[1987cp]

My GT40's and the Cobra GT40's and I believe the Lightning GT40's all have thermactor passages....... It's the ones for the Explorer that don't......... And even then, it may only be the P's that don't...........

I did not know that; I'll take that as an important characteristic of the F1ZE casting. My F3ZE's certianly don't have them; I got very confused when I went to plug 'em and they weren't there.

People talk about the old D8OE's having particularly big bumps for the air passages in the exhaust ports, and I know the E7's are still noteworthy; how big by comparison are the bumps in the Cobra head?

[OVERKILL]

I did not know that; I'll take that as an important characteristic of the F1ZE casting. My F3ZE's certianly don't have them; I got very confused when I went to plug 'em and they weren't there.

People talk about the old D8OE's having particularly big bumps for the air passages in the exhaust ports, and I know the E7's are still noteworthy; how big by comparison are the bumps in the Cobra head?

Unfortunately, I don't know. Just the holes are there on mine, the heads have been ported, and so the bumps no longer exist.

[nobies25]

I looked at the heads today on both only have one raised bar on them? One has 11hg on it? I don't remember what the other head has on it? My uncle said that when he went to put the plugs from his old motor into the new his plugs where to small? I am still learning about all the ford stuff and thanks for all the help.