TC engine block identification

[2cams70]

Anorak alert.

Assuming the engine is original to the car it will be one of the last of the pre-crossflow pushrod engines.

1. It will have 5 main bearings
2. It will have a lip type rear main seal and 6 bolt crank.
3. It will have a press in type oil pickup and no provision for rear dipstick
4. The block casting number on the rear left hand side will have the prefix 2730E if it’s a 1300cc engine or 2371E if it’s a 1500cc engine.

Note an easy visual way on pushrod engines to distinguish 1300cc blocks from 1500cc blocks is to look at the top of the water pump in relation to the deck face of the block. If the top of the block is almost level with the water pump it’s a 1300cc block. If the block is significantly higher it’s a 1500cc block

Oh - and insofar as your desire to build a 997cc screamer I can well understand. For that your best bet is a 109E 3 bearing block. That humble engine was the start of a revolution and one of the most significant automotive engines ever developed. Note the 109E block although dimensionally the same as the earlier 105E block has an improved (and lower cost) spring loaded timing chain tensioner whereas original blocks had a hydraulic tensioner.

[Ianashdown]

Thank you for the info!

The owner bought the Cortina to use the engine as an upgrade/spare so hopefully he knew what he was buying. What would XXXE number be if it’s a 1500cc?

I may end up keeping the 105E 997cc engine and just spicing it up a bit. It would be fun if not overall super fast.

I was at Mountune in LA a couple of days ago and Ken showed me a 3 bearing motor being built; steel cap, steel crank, Carrillo (I think) rods etc. it looked pretty bullet proof to me! Beautiful work!

Ian

[2cams70]

Definitely 1500cc:
Blocks with prefix 116E, 120E, 122E, 2731E

Could be 1500cc
Blocks with prefix: 681F, 701M

The “could be” 1500cc are when Ford changed their part numbering system to where it’s the suffix and not the prefix of the casting number that indicates the block height (and hence the maximum cc)

Off the top of my head head I can’t recall which suffixes apply to which capacity. The origin of the 701M block appears in fact to be as a service replacement block for the pre-crossflow pushrod engine when it went out of production as a line fit. Although very, very rare there does exist a 3 main bearing short height 701M block intended as a service replacement for the 997cc engine.

I too have a 109E 997cc short block tucked away which I’m looking for a head for. I want to keep it 100% standard and original though because of the historical significance and what it represents. It’s the origin of a huge line of fantastic engines.

[Ianashdown]

I agree with keeping things original, I try to whenever possible.

The 105E engine is not the original engine to this car we believe. It shipped with a BMC A Series, the 105E was fitted in '64 we think.

I love the idea of keeping the 105E but spicing it up a bit. I'm afraid I'd be a menace when I inevitably had to get on the freeway with all that 39HP! It already has Twin Webers so there may have been work done already internally, so if I could keep the 997cc but add a steel crank, Caps, Carrillo Rods CP Pistons do some head optimization, better breathing, new valves, springs etc, keep the very over-square architecture I think it could be fun, super light as the engine is tiny, sort of 1000cc screamers were but without some of the scream!

A lot will depend when I get into the car, just how original I will be able to make the end result. It is already a 'bastard' in the eyes of the 'authorities' as its lacking the Lotus plate.

It'll be funs whatever it is!

Ian