Engine Engine Indentification Number Help Needed !

[BogBossMan]

Hi—

I'm brand new to the forum, joined especially since I need all the help that I can get and know almost nothing about the Mustang II V6 engine. Plenty about the 289 family, but new to the V6s.

Was hoping that someone here might be able to help me identify my "replacement" engine that I bought for the car. As far as I can tell, it's a Cologne V6, engine number TM 6059 AA, but that's about it.

Any help at all regarding the size and such would be huge ! Came with the four speed attached, complete from carb to clutch cable at a good price; I couldn't resist. Just what I need for the car.

Thank you any help/links/etc that you can provide !

TC

 

[jozsefsz]

Since it's carbureted, there's a very good chance it's the 2.8L Cologne v6, common to the Mustang II, Pinto, Bronco II, and Ranger. Two of the exhaust chambers should be siamesed on each side, and there is a 2-piece thermostat housing at the bottom of the water pump. It would have solid lifters / adjustable rockers and a gear-driven cam. You can check the distributor to see if it has points or an electronic ignition -- if points it's probably earlier than 1976 or earlier. It's a cool little engine, but the bad news is that it puts out around 100hp on a good day. That was adequate for the lighter European Capri, but it's a pretty big dog in a II. I kept mine in my II however because I liked it, and I fabricated a turbo for it to give it a little more pep. If you post a picture, I could probably tell you more.

This is a pretty cool resource: Ford Ranger/Bronco II 2.8 liter Engines

You'll also find this forum is pretty dead. The folks from mustangii.net have a Facebook group set up that you might want to join. Log into Facebook | Facebook

 

[LILCBRA]

Sorry, I can't help with the numbers either, but I liked the 2.8 V6 I had way back when. Surprisingly, I raced a 327 Camaro and won. The guy said he just swapped his engine and couldn't believe he lost to a V6. My response was he must've done something wrong...

Just did a quick Google search with the casting numbers you supplied, it looks to be the 2.8, but I couldn't say for certain. But, to the best of my knowledge, that basic engine was used through the SN95 and S197 Mustangs, Explorers, etc as the 4.0. IIRC, it went through a slew of changes and updates as the 2.8, 2.9, and 4.0. So if you are interested in upgrading, improving power, etc with your 6, it shouldn't be too hard to find options...?

 

[jozsefsz]

You're right LILCBRA, the 2.9 and 4.0's share many characteristics with the original 2.8 Cologne v6 (same bellhousing bolt pattern, general dimensions for example) so dropping one in (4.0 is recommended as the 2.9 isn't much of an improvement) is possible. However, pretty much nothing interchanges. The 2.9's and 4.0's are all fuel injected, so doing a swap requires the whole enchilada (computer, harness, gauges, sensors, return line, exhaust, etc.) I've seen there is one pricey aftermarket carb manifold for the 4.0, which can then use one specific distributor, if you wanted to run carb'd. Truth be told, if you're going to swap, may as well swap in a 5.0. which will give you many more options and junkyards full of donor vehicles. Otherwise if you have a 4.0 donor vehicle, it might work out just fine.

If you'd like to keep the 2.8, again almost nothing interchanges from its younger siblings, so your speed parts are limited. There were some tubular headers available at some point, tough to find but theoretically they exist. There is one aftermarket intake and cam combo which lets you run a Holley 390 -- again expensive and difficult to find, netting ~160hp from what I understand. Doing what I did (custom forced induction) is a possibility as well, not easy but can be done fairly inexpensively.

Keeping the 2.8 is a labor of love if you want to upgrade it. If you want to keep it and enjoy it for what it is, it's a nice little engine. If you want to upgrade it, I think you'll find swapping it out makes the most sense.

 

[BogBossMan]

Thanks ! ! !

I like the V6 just fine no need or want to upgrade the performance, and this "new" one ought to drop right in place of the tired old one easily. Really just wanted to be sure that it was the correct engine, seems like it is ! !

 

[MustangIIMatt]

Keeping the 2.8 is a labor of love if you want to upgrade it. If you want to keep it and enjoy it for what it is, it's a nice little engine. If you want to upgrade it, I think you'll find swapping it out makes the most sense.

The 2.8 is definitely a cool engine, but it is getting VERY hard to find a lot of the parts for it.

They were made in Germany, initially for the Capri, and later in the Mustang II, certain fox-chassis cars, the Pinto/Bobcat, and the Ranger/Aerostar/Bronco II. My dad had one in his '77 Capri, but we've since yanked it and swapped in the 302 from my '76 II that I parted out a few years back.

Honestly, we both liked the mean little snarl of that V6, but clutch parts had become hard to come by without paying big money to get them from Germany (they were for the Capri, the II clutch is different), and the water outlet was rusted to the point of not being usable, and it was hard to even find gaskets for it locally, so we sourced a junkyard T5 to go with my old 302 and upgraded.

 

[jozsefsz]

Yeah I've learned to make my own gaskets with a razor knife and a sheet of gasket material from AutoZone. You can find a lot of the parts from the 1.6 and up Colognes will fit, and as you mention, the Bronco II parts sometimes work as well. Phoenix Friction now makes a clutch kit for the 2.8 II for a very reasonable price. Believe it or not the v8 II clutches are harder to find if you keep the RAD4! You're definitely right though, if you're looking for speed, reliability, ease of maintenance, a 302 H.O. and a T5 is tough to beat. Swap parts (mounts, headers) are getting a bit tough to find though. There just really isn't an easy way to build and maintain a II, other than learning to love fabrication.