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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

Carfax Says Its A 4 Banger!! Booooooo!

  • Thread starter Thread starter C_Heath
  • Start date Start date May 10, 2013
C

C_Heath

Member
Dec 31, 2004
35
0
6
May 10, 2013
#1
  • May 10, 2013
  • #1
I've looked at 2 this week. The one I looked at today is a 92 LX 5 speed, black with a 5.0 and the seller is the 8th owner. Car is nice on the computer and I am goin to look at it Monday. How can I tell it was 2.3 at birth? If if Indeed was a 2.3 I will be bummed. I want this car and I'm paying about 1000 more than I wanted too. I have not asked the owner but he said it was a v8 car but then again, he said he didn't pull a carfax when he bought it. He has spent a lot on it and from what I can tell, he not a motor guy and he had all of the work done. Gaskets, seals new exhaust etc. My question is could the carfax be wrong? Could it list it as a 2.3 because its am LX? I'm confused Thanks for the help and insight.
 

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician
Aug 27, 2012
11,606
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In the garage
May 10, 2013
#2
  • May 10, 2013
  • #2
VIN's don't lie. Compare your VIN to the following: Engine is the 8th digit in the VIN. If yours is a D, it's a 4 banger.

1981-1993 Mustang VIN:
ex: 1FABP27M7EF100001 - 17 characters

CharacterSignificanceCrack the code
1st to 3rd World manufacturer 1FA = FMC, passenger car
4th Restraint system B = Active manual seat belt, C = Active seat belts + airbag
5th Passenger car P = Passenger car
6th & 7th Body model* 10 & 26 (L,GL,GLX), 12 (Ghia), 40 (LX, LX 5.0) = 2dr notchback
16 & 28 (GL,GT,GLX,L,LX), 41 (LX,LX 5.0), 42 (LX 5.0, GT) = 3dr hatchback
27 (GLX,GT,LX), 44 (LX), 45 (GT) = convertible
8th Engine D = 4.2 2bbl, F = 5.0L HO 2bbl/4bbl, M = 5.0L HO 4bbl/CFI/SEFI(1987), E = 5.0L HO SEFI, D = GT40
9th Check digit 0-9
10th Year B = 1981,C = 1982,D = 1983,E = 1984,F = 1985,G = 1986,H = 1987
J = 1988,K = 1989,L = 1990,M = 1991,N = 1992,P = 1993
11th Assembly plant F = Dearborn, R = San Jose
12th to 17th Production number x Mustang produced
* Body style codes depend on what body style was available for corresponding year.
ex: 27 = convertible, but GLX was not used for later years, thus if you have an 88, body code = 27, it can't be GLX.
 
C

C_Heath

Member
Dec 31, 2004
35
0
6
May 10, 2013
#3
  • May 10, 2013
  • #3
8th digit is an M !!!!!!!!

Thanks so much!
 

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician
Aug 27, 2012
11,606
8,859
214
In the garage
May 10, 2013
#4
  • May 10, 2013
  • #4
 

gabi.wurst

New Member
Aug 24, 2013
4
0
2
Aug 24, 2013
#5
  • Aug 24, 2013
  • #5
hello i am new here and i have a "new " car: ford mustang lx convertible 2.3 1988. what is the ax in the nummer:
1FABP44AXJF21...! the color is white with blue interieur. is the white color the original? where can i find the original color? thanks for answering my questions.
 

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician
Aug 27, 2012
11,606
8,859
214
In the garage
Aug 24, 2013
#6
  • Aug 24, 2013
  • #6
gabi.wurst said:
hello i am new here and i have a "new " car: ford mustang lx convertible 2.3 1988. what is the ax in the nummer:
1FABP44AXJF21...! the color is white with blue interieur. is the white color the original? where can i find the original color? thanks for answering my questions.
Click to expand...
You're better off starting your own thread and ask your question there rather than hijacking a thread.
 

95BlueStallion

My assy trans to myself
15 Year Member
Feb 22, 2007
5,126
3,091
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Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Aug 25, 2013
#7
  • Aug 25, 2013
  • #7
Actually man, I prefer this than a two line new thread. The OP got his answer, why not use this puppy. Gabi, inside the drivers door is a sticker that has a lot of your vehicle info on it. Look for the paint code on that sticker (it will be a two letter code), and then google it. My car is black, and Ford's code for that is AU. I dont know all the codes, so you will have to search online. As for the VIN letters, I am clueless other than what is listed above.
 

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis
15 Year Member
Dec 14, 2010
7,784
6,938
214
SW Houston
Aug 25, 2013
#8
  • Aug 25, 2013
  • #8
mikestang63 said:
VIN's don't lie. Compare your VIN to the following: Engine is the 8th digit in the VIN. If yours is a D, it's a 4 banger.

1981-1993 Mustang VIN:
ex: 1FABP27M7EF100001 - 17 characters

CharacterSignificanceCrack the code
1st to 3rd World manufacturer 1FA = FMC, passenger car
4th Restraint system B = Active manual seat belt, C = Active seat belts + airbag
5th Passenger car P = Passenger car
6th & 7th Body model* 10 & 26 (L,GL,GLX), 12 (Ghia), 40 (LX, LX 5.0) = 2dr notchback
16 & 28 (GL,GT,GLX,L,LX), 41 (LX,LX 5.0), 42 (LX 5.0, GT) = 3dr hatchback
27 (GLX,GT,LX), 44 (LX), 45 (GT) = convertible
8th Engine D = 4.2 2bbl, F = 5.0L HO 2bbl/4bbl, M = 5.0L HO 4bbl/CFI/SEFI(1987), E = 5.0L HO SEFI, D = GT40
9th Check digit 0-9
10th Year B = 1981,C = 1982,D = 1983,E = 1984,F = 1985,G = 1986,H = 1987
J = 1988,K = 1989,L = 1990,M = 1991,N = 1992,P = 1993
11th Assembly plant F = Dearborn, R = San Jose
12th to 17th Production number x Mustang produced
* Body style codes depend on what body style was available for corresponding year.
ex: 27 = convertible, but GLX was not used for later years, thus if you have an 88, body code = 27, it can't be GLX.
Click to expand...
C_Heath said:
8th digit is an M !!!!!!!!

Thanks so much!
Click to expand...

Whoa, wait... It's a '92 (so you think) and has the M code - which according to Mike's post says its a '87 or earlier... I think someone missed something somewhere
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,259
17,943
224
Massachusetts
Aug 25, 2013
#9
  • Aug 25, 2013
  • #9
10th digit is the year code.

N = 1992


M was used on 84-86 mustangs with the 5.0, in 1987 it changed to E (d on 1993 cobra)




Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk
 

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis
15 Year Member
Dec 14, 2010
7,784
6,938
214
SW Houston
Aug 25, 2013
#10
  • Aug 25, 2013
  • #10
Mustang5L5 said:
10th digit is the year code.

N = 1992


M was used on 84-86 mustangs with the 5.0, in 1987 it changed to E (d on 1993 cobra)




Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Right, but I was looking at the 8th digit engine code in response to the OP being excited about the 8th digit being "M" and the car in question being a '92 5.0, should have been an E, correct?
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,259
17,943
224
Massachusetts
Aug 25, 2013
#11
  • Aug 25, 2013
  • #11
hoopty5.0 said:
Right, but I was looking at the 8th digit engine code in response to the OP being excited about the 8th digit being "M" and the car in question being a '92 5.0, should have been an E, correct?
Click to expand...


Correct. I guess I was directing my post to the OP to check the 10th digit and make sure the year code matches. It should have an E engine code
 
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