are they interchangeble

I paid $830 for a 38k PI Romeo motor from a 2004 Crown Vic (non police). I got a complete motor (intake to oil pan). The motor is currently running just great in my 2000 GT.

I would put a new timing set in a 150k motor before re-install.

Try Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market This is a search engine of linked salvage yards.

I would not use a police motor (unless it was very inexpensive). They spend much of their life idling. Mileage is not a good indication of the actual use of the motor. That is why the police also install hour meters in their cars (no joke). The service is done by mileage and/or hours of operation.

OK. I have read through "modular madness" at engine builder as well as George Reid's book "How to Rebuild 4.6/5.4 Liter Ford Engines".

There are notes about changes being done starting for the 1996 model year. As well as notes regarding the material the crank is made of. There are also notes about the counter weight being "knife edged" on some years/applications.

However, I can not find any notes stating that beyond the obvious difference of 6/8 bolt rear crank any Windsor/Romeo differences.

I did find notes about differences in various years of DOHC cranks.

So in 30 minutes worth of research, I haven't been able to find any reason that the 1996+ SOHC Windsor/Romeo cranks are not interchangeable (other than the 6/8 bolt thing).

Disclaimer. I am not an engine builder. In fact, other than replacing bolt on parts that attach to a motor, I have never put one together in my life. I do read a lot (and have spent the night in a Holiday Inn).

Soooo everyone knows about the differences in the main bearing between Windsor/Romeo. But the question was about the crank itself.

As long as the resulting bearings surfaces are in the same location (size, width, location) the crank wont care which block it is installed in.

Back to the original question. Beyond the differences in the number of crank bolt holes, is there any reason the cranks can't be swapped?