FE engine/block Id

Right above the pan rail there will be 3 bolt heads and washers down each side of the block. These are the cross bolts and all 427's will have them. There were some early 406 blocks that didn't have the cross bolts but most of those had cross bolts as well.

The part number to the block will be right above the starter.

C3AE-M, C3AE-AB, C4AE, C4AE-A, C3AE-Z, C5AE-A, C5AE-E are all top oiler, solid lifter, cross bolted blocks.

C5AE-A, C5AE-D, C5AE-H, C6AE-C, C6AE-A, C6AE-B, C6AE-D, C7AE-A are all side oiler, solid lifter, cross bolted blocks.

C8AE-A, C8AE-B, C8AE-H are all side oiler, hydraulic lifter, cross bolted blocks.

A C8AZ-G is a service block with a higher alloy content.

C2AE-J, C2AE-K, C2AE-V are solid lifter, oil pressure valve relief in block 406's.

C2AE-B and C2AE-D are solid lifter, crossbolted 406's.

C3AE-D and C3AE-V are solid lifter not crossbolted 406's.

406's have a 4.13 bore like a 428. 427's have a 4.23 bore. Both 406 and 427 have 3.78 stroke, 410 and 428 have 3.98 stroke.

Also look for screw in core plugs. Most did not have freeze plugs.

Good point David, forgot to mention that.

Also, keep in mind, those numbers I gave are not all inclusive, with the way the FE blocks were cast, there's no telling what it says verses what it is. The cross bolts have been known to be epoxied on and you can put screw in core plugs in any FE.

You can't miss the casting numbers, if they're there. The date code is behind the oil filter adapter. Some 68 blocks didn't have casting numbers at all. Bore size is the reliable way to I.D. a 390 or 428 block. The 428's also had a "428" cast into the bore core bottom inside the coolant gallery, you have to remove the freeze plugs to find this, then possibly dig out any accumulated crud to see it. Casting numbers were shared with the std 360, 390, 410 and regular (non CJ) 428's.

Casting numbers ? NO, they're usually midway on the sides or toward the front on FE's. I've seen two or three different locations for the casting numbers on FE's.

1320stang said:

These are the cross bolts and all 427's will have them.

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not true. it is uncommon but there are such things as non cross bolt 427s.