# F!50 Frozen all winter



## Rocky (Jun 18, 2001)

Hi Guys, I just found this site tonight along with all the others, I hope it's helpful to me. What I've got is a truck that a guy had left parked with water in the radiator for over 6 months at the beginning of winter until he and I rescued it a week ago. Let's just say I'm pretty well convinced that he's got big problems and I want to get him a good used engine to replace this one. The truck is a 1996 Ford F150 with a 302 in it. I'm wondering which blocks will work with what heads etc.. I've noticed this thing has an upper and lower intake manifold and that the lower one that bolts to the engine has bolts that go straight down into the heads, not like the old style that would have gone in at an angle. Could I get an older engine and just replace these heads with a newer style. I looked on the Jasper Engine web site and they showed a cut off for this engine as going up to '95 and started with a new series of engines starting in '96-'02. Is this because of the different style intakes. I know lots more about Chevys and I wish I had one now. I haven't actually got this thing all the way apart yet although I'm imagining the worst as this truck in addition to having 3 freeze plugs blown out had the radiator frozen enough to open up the crimped in sides of the radiator so that leaked below the 1/2 way mark. He claims he didn't drive it like that. When I first looked at it I checked the oil and it was perfect. After we replaced the freeze plugs and fixed the radiator I found it had water blowing out the #6 cylinder and after a compression check #3 & 4 on the other set of heads were down to 70 lbs. The one that was blowing water had 110, go figure. I know I've got at least blown head gaskets and until I can check the deck height for warpage and the heads for cracks I'm almost certain a new mill is what this thing really needs. Can anybody tell me what parts I can look for to get this thing back together right with all the computer related stuff hooked up etc.. Of course I don't want to spend any more money than I have to, this guy's already broke and I might buy it from him if I can make it work. Thanks for your time, Rocky


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## Rocky (Jun 18, 2001)

Well, I got one head off so far and I found a crack on the outboard side of 7 going toward 8 on the block. The heads where the gaskets go around the cylinders look like they've been moving around some. Anybody got an idea how that could happen and why? All the head bolts appeared to be torqued the same although I never used a torque wrench to check values.


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## CT18fireman (Nov 30, 2000)

Replace the whole thing. Either find a used motor or do a long block. 302 and 351s should bolt to our tranny.


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## Rocky (Jun 18, 2001)

I'd be inclined to do just that as the block is of no possible good now. I'm just thinking if I could save these heads and just bolt basically everything up to a new block I'd be ahead of the game as far a price is concerned. Like I said this guy (and me) are flat broke and he really wants to get it running again as cheaply as possible. I finally got the other head off and it looks upon visual inspecton to be fine. I think these heads are saveable if they were resurfaced and that would make it run better also. I think the problem with the head gaskets and with the heads moving around can be traced to pre-ignition or this guy getting it hot before parking it. It appeared that the water freezing problem happened lower in the block so it may not have really hurt the heads other than gaskets. I'm planning on sending the heads out for magnufluxing, resurfacing and reconditioning anyway. It's just that I've heard so many bad things about auto parts stores rebuilt engines that I'm WAY leery of them and Jasper wants $1900 which we do not have!! The only thing I can see on this block that is really any difference from an older one so far is the crankshaft position sensor. Remember this is a '96 engine. So what BLOCK years can I look for to make this work? I'm going to a swap meet week after next and there are usually some decent blocks to pick from. I'd like to be armed with as much knowledge as I can MUSTER!!! That's for you FIREMAN! Thanks, Rocky


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## Rocky (Jun 18, 2001)

I don't seem to be getting much help here. I can tell from the posting totals that most of you guys are Chevy nuts. Like I said I wish this was a Chevy, I've got lots of Chevy parts and if this was the case I'd have this thing together in no time. I noticed another thing today with this engine. I believe it has roller lifters and the retainer for the lifters appears to be just a sheet steel plate bolted in the valley. I think I could overcome any problems with that by just tapping out some bolt holes to mount the holder in place for the roller lifters. I believe the mount for the crankshaft position sensor is something that bolts on brackets for the water pump, so that shouldn't be a problem. I'm hoping. Could you guys at least tell me where I can find a book or possibly another site where there would be people more knowledgeable about the particular problem I'm having with this block. All I really need to know is if I can make an older block work with a newer ('96) block. Any response would be better than no response at this point. I'm LONELY!! Rocky


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## CT18fireman (Nov 30, 2000)

Ask in the Ford section of this forum
http://www.outdoorwire.com
Good Luck


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## Keith (Dec 26, 1999)

87 and up 302's in trucks should all use the same E7TE cylinder head. In fact Mustangs used these as well. The block in the 96 is no different than those of previous years with one exception. I believe in 1994 ( I believe) the trucks began using a hydraulic roller cam. Earlier blocks were compatible (back to the early 90's), but did not use the cam. 

As far as the heads, they could be used on any 302, just like earlier heads could be used on a late model block. If you wind up with a non-roller engine and choose to use these heads, you will likely have to use a longer pushrod to make up for the short tappet.

The best bet is try to find a 87+ Mustang shortblock, they are hydraulic roller. Use the truck cam in place of the mustang cam.


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## roorda (Jun 25, 2001)

You might want to check on crank differances for the 1996 5.0L as this is the only year ford used a front crank wheel setup on the f-trucks, This was due to the OBD2 emmision requirements. Your probable esiest and in the longrun cheepest repair would be finding a good used engine out of a simular vehicle. Good Luck


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## Rocky (Jun 18, 2001)

Now you've got me confused with the crank wheel setup stuff. I see it has a crankshaft position sensor on the end of the crankshaft. Is that what you are referring to? If so wouldn't it be something I could just take off and put back on the replacement engine? I really have no idea what you are talking about. The big swap meet is this weekend, so please explain in detail what it is you're talking about. I don't want to wind up with a boat anchor.


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