Agreed on the coolant flow... Back to the covers... The upper cover has no F/P mount and has a E8 casting number, not much chance it was ever used on a '79 to '85 Stang as all those except for the '84 and '85 automatics were carbed and used a cover mounted F/P... As I said all these were used on reverse rotation 5.0 and no doubt orig as neither the Bird or LSC had been tampered with, VINs on blocks matched cars(yes I look at these things)... I still have the LSC engine and untill a couple weeks ago, had been in my '88 T-Bird since '99 using it's original lower cover pictured... It was originally a 4cyl Turbo Coupe, the LSC and 5.0 Bird were used as parts cars to convert from the pressurized half motor... Going a bit farther I don't see how the cover port shape makes much difference anyway, the back cover on the three water pumps I have all give this configuration once bolted on...
If it has an E8 casting number then it was used on a Crown Vic/Towncar/Marquis 5.0. I used one just like it on my 89 Ranger's 5.0, it came off an 88 Crown Vic I used when I first did the swap. The one on my Comet's 331 is the earlier version with the blocked off fuel pump boss (I covered the opening with a chrome block off cover) The port shape did not change, the orientation of the ports did. Look at them again, they're reversed compared to the earlier style covers, this revision accomodates the reversed flow of the impeller turning in the opposite direction, the reverse pump on the std cover had to make a sharp turn for the coolant to enter the port, it basically pressurized the coolant to force it to flow into the block. At some point the T-Bird and LSC's had a weird hybrid FEAD setup in the mid 80's, using a combination of flat belt and V belts. I ran across this in an 84 T-Bird (I think it was that year) that I was going to use as a donor for my Ranger swap. I'm not sure when they went to the serpentine belt/reverse rotation FEAD. I am positive about the Mustang's FEAD info. That info came straight from Ford's 5.0 Mustang book. I also had at one time a wrecked 88 or 89 LSC here, It had the reverse rotation cover and pump FEAD. I think at one time or another I had in my possesion nearly all the different versions of the small block timing covers, I still have some pics of two, the right is a C9OE cover, the left an E7TE cover, this is the one used on the 87-93 Mustangs and the 87-97 pickups and vans. Ford made the switch in 86, so there's yet another version out there with the reversed coolant port layout. I used to have pics of every cover I had, but since lost them.
I've heard that some of Chebby's later small blocks used a reverse flow setup, where the coolant does flow backwards thru the block.
Gotcha, none of my covers are like the E7 cover you pictured, guess I'll check with a couple buddies to see if they have one... Interesting the LSC and Bird covers are std rotation, both those used a single serpentine belt with CCW rotation...... Apparently the blue cover from the Mustang engine had a different origin... I bought that engine from a guy who built it and then sold the car...
Well, since Ford used a reverse rotation pump with the std rotation cover for 7 years in the Mustang, it's not surprising it would be used in other applications. Even after they introduced the revised cover for the 86 Stang and pickups. They've done some strange things in production. It wasn't until the last years (from about 89-on) that they somewhat standardized the FEAD, but even then there were 4 different setups used (SN95, Explorer, Pickup/van, Crown Vic)
Dad thanks for all the info, I appreciate it and hopefully helps other members in the future... I do want to apologize to Mr Smith for jumping into his swap thread, at this point we need to put it back on track... Tom
Not a problem, I've always been intrigued by the many changes to the FEAD ove rthe years and it wasn't until I dismantled many 302's over the past ten years and bought the 5.0 Mustang book that I totally understood it all. There was a lack of info on the 79-2001 5.0's specs and different parts until that book came around. All you'd find was bits and pieces here and there, lots of it wrong. One thing I have learned over the past 35 years working on Fords was to never say never when it comes to what Ford did on the production line. There are always anomolies. They've never been afraid to use up parts stocks on the line.
