OlWeldinrig.  See if this info helps with reading Ford intake manifold, engine block, and cylinder head date codes . . .

Click the link below.

http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/FindPost129425.aspx



NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

The first number is the year with the next digit being the month.  The month digit is typically a letter with A being January and M being December.  But I've found numbers in place of letters at that location so there is some inconsistency going on at the foundry.  The remaining digits would indicate the day of the month.  Depending upon the head casting, the date code can be found either on the exhaust side of the heads or in the rocker arm area.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

my 1957 ranchero has eczG heads,no core plugs. 1.9 intake valves.is a 292 can't find cast #on block,it was .30 over on the 292 bore. has lots of grunt no leakes burns no oil,dura spark 2 sign. this car was from the us.

I was curious to how to read the date codes on the heads.It is likely very easy but does anyone have this info?
Dave

Joe.  You might want to check the casting numbers on the heads.  ECZ-C heads were supplied with and without the end core plugs in 1956.  I’ve even come across an unmolested 1956 engine that had one of each.  As a general rule all 1955 heads had core plugs in their ends but the change to non-core plug heads occurred during the 1956 model year run.  It’s still possible to have a 312 bottom end with the top end being off of a different Y.
 
As far as identifying the short-block as a 312, the casting numbers on the block will help but those numbers are not definitive as some of the 292’s shared the same casting numbers as the 312’s.  The 5/16” dot on the flywheel flange is very good indicator of the crankshaft being a 312 but be aware that there are 312’s out there that have no dot on the flywheel flange.  And then there are the 312 cranks that are in 292 blocks with just a minor amount of machine work.  Even checking the bore size is not definitive as any 292 bored to 3.800” or more can be confused with a 312 bore size.  The ‘ECZ’ on the main caps is the best identifier for the block itself being a 312.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

The serial # indicates what it was originally. As I recall P indicates 312. My first wife had a nice '56 Vicky that was a 312 car. The car was much nicer than she was. She's long gone as is the Vicky. Wish I still had the Vicky glad the wife is long gone. To me the car is worth more with the P serial #. The 312 can be replaced. Can't change the serial # and the fact that it's an original 312 car.  312's are less common but there were a lot out there. Know of at least a half dozen in my small town back in the day.

Not to steal this thread, but the freeze plug in the head is new to me. I've been away from Y-blocks and into flatheads for several years and there is much more support and info about them now as compared to then so I'm still learning. The heads in my '55 have no freeze plugs on the front face of them. Does that mean that they are later heads? Any info to identify them while on the motor is appreciated. I was told by the seller that it is a 272" and it has ECG casting behind the valley pan/next to the distributor.

 EDIT: I should have Googled it first. I found a site listing casting location and numbers. These heads have ECZ-C on them and could be from 7.6 CR to 9.0. I suspect the former. 

Joe JDC.  OlWeldinrig and Carl are correct.  EARLY '56 FoMoCo y-block heads had the 'freeze plugs' or 'soft plugs' like those used on '55 vintage y-block cylinder heads.

I got tripped up on the early '56 cylinder head bit, also, in an earlier posting.  Paul2748 in Midland Park, N.J. set the record straight for me and who I was writing to at that time.  Getting information right is what all of us want and need.  IF this is the biggest error Charlie has ever made, he's way ahead of me and many others of us here.   

Joe, I share your skepticism that the '56 you're looking at has a 312 in it.  Most '56 312s were installed in Mercurys and T'-Birds.  Some '56 Fords did have 312s, but many more came equipped with 292s or 272s.  Like you, checking the crank flange or the casting numbers on the main caps between the two hold down bolts is the best way to know for sure.  As you likely know, the 272 and 292 main caps are marked EBU while the 312 main caps are marked ECZ.

Hope this helps!  


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Depending on location 56 Canadian heads had the frost plugs in heads.I have a couple "C" heads with plugs and a friend with "H" heads with plugs.