Ford Repair: FORD V6 ENGINE, wheel drive cars, rear wheel drive cars

Question
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Followup To
Question -
This is a pretty basic question.  I have a Ford v-6 engine.  It is not in the original car (in a triumph now), and I am trying to find out the size/type of engine it is.  Is there an engine number on the engine?  If so, where is it?

Thankis

pat
Answer -
Pat-

  It's hard to tell on Ford motors.  Ford's more popular V6 motors are the 3.8L and 3.0L.  My knowledge of Triumphs is limited to say the least, but the 3.8L was most popular as for rear wheel drive cars.  That's what went into Mustangs, Thunderbirds, etc.  I believe there's also a 4.2L but that was a truck motor.  There should be a part number stamped on the back of the block that, if viewing it from behind, should be to the right of the starter.  That should help you pinpoint what type of motor it is.  Also, if you know or can find out what kind of car it came out of since most cars use only one or two engines of any configuration (i.e. V6, 4 cylinder, V8).  I hope that makes sense.  Hope this helps.

Steve

Steve,

I cannot find a number stamped around the starter at all.  This engine seems to differ from the 4.3L in that the distributer is at the front of the engine and the distributer is at the rear on this engine.  I am not sure about the 3.8 L.  Could this be a 2.8 L. engine used in the Capri and some of the other Fords?  There is a number cast in the upper right side of the engine just below the right head of "23B"  Could this have some meaning?

Thanks again.

Pat


Answer
Pat-

  Well...the 4.3L engine is a Chevy motor, hence the distributor at the rear of the engine.  Like I said, without a specific part number it's hard to tell one V6 from another.  The "23B" you found doesn't tell me much. Engine part numbers use a multi-digit system.  it usually goes xxxx-xxxx-x (occassionally there's be another digit on the end and of course the x's represent numbers and letters).  The first 4 spaces are always letter-number-letter-letter.  Just look around the block and find a combination that starts like that.  Between different engines and years they change locations, but it's always on the outside somewhere.  Hope this helps.

Steve