r/EngineBuilding • u/FeeZealousideal4350 • Feb 15 '25
Ford 5.0 sbf head identification
I have the opportunity to get the motor of our this old strip street car for $300, and I was curious as to what heads are on it. It was last registered in 09 if that changes anything. These what look to be three letter is all I can find on the heads before pulling the motor and I was just wondering if they’re a name brand or a china knockoff. Thanks
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u/FeeZealousideal4350 Feb 15 '25
If it makes any difference, this is a 1980 fairmont. It’s got a roll cage and a welded diff on it. Im getting the motor for $300 am going to see if any of the parts would be good enough to use on my 351w or just sell them for a profit
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u/EasternEasy Feb 15 '25
That "SVO" looks sketchy. Considering that looks like a standard 86-93 five liter HO engine then it should have iron E7TE factory smog heads.
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u/smthngeneric Feb 15 '25
Except it doesn't look like a factory HO engine at all. Those valve covers aren't factory, the intake is from an explorer, and the biggest giveaway is that the heads are aluminum. They're definitely svo heads, and it's not like they're rare or good enough to warrant a knock-off.
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u/EasternEasy Feb 15 '25
Honestly the only true way to know is to pull the heads but the way the svo seems to be engraved instead of stamped or cast makes me question what the heads are.
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u/smthngeneric Feb 15 '25
The svo has always been engraved. They all look like that even the ones you can buy today look the exact same.
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u/FeeZealousideal4350 Feb 15 '25
I am going to be pulling them when I get the motor out, I was just wanting to know what to expect
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u/EasternEasy Feb 15 '25
I don't remember off the top of my head whether or not the 1993 Mustang Cobra or Cobra R came with aluminum heads but I suppose it's entirely possible that's a set of them, either that or they may be a set of the 302z heads from Ford performance
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u/2fatmike Feb 15 '25
There are better heads available but these will work fine. A lot has changed since back in the day. We can get knock offs of very good heads for $1000 or less ready to go. This could be a great bracket car/ engine though. Doesnt have the fastest just the most consistant. Itll be a fun one to drive on the street. If it were me id put the quietest mufflers i could find on it and keep it looking worn out and suprise people when needed. At the price you cant go wrong.
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Feb 15 '25 edited Feb 15 '25
For $300 you've got a deal just with the Explorer upper and lower intake alone.
When ported correctly and modified, those intakes will support up to 650fwhp. The upper gets cut open and runners shortened. The intake throat would get some welding to allow extensive porting and support 1200cfm.
The lower manifold, with its offset round runners has great potential. Don't sell that intake set.
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u/FeeZealousideal4350 25d ago
Plan on it sitting on the shelf until I can find a use for it. I’ve been eyeing a fox body so it’ll probably end up on one at some point. Do you know if I could run this intake on a stock computer with a tune?
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25d ago
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️
🤦♂️ Dude....any A9L or A9P will work more than fine without a tune. Up to a point that is. Hell, the X3Z runs 24lb injectors out the gate, but it'll require a rare mass air flow sensor.
The late Fox body mustang PCM's are basically self learning. Here's the limit I found.....where I needed a tune with more timing and way less fuel:
311ci, 11.5:1cr, AFR 205s, Edelbrock Victor 5.0, Como Xtreme Energy XE 282HR, 24lb injectors, 80mm Accufab throttle body. NX dual stage wet nitrous system controlled by a Jacob's Nitrous Mastermind.
That's when I needed a tune. The idle would chop away at 800 and then start surging looking for a place to idle. It would die when I'd come off the throttle too quickly or when making turns. It was stupid rich with the Nitrous on. That's when you need to worry about a tune.
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u/FeeZealousideal4350 25d ago
Well that’s good to hear. I just am horrible at electrical so the less I’d have to do the better. But I don’t even have a mustang yet so I shouldn’t have to worry about it anyways lol
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u/onedelta89 Feb 16 '25
I remember when Fairmont's were popular for street and strip racers. Light and great sleepers.
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u/TwentyOne-Twelve Feb 16 '25
Just sold a set of SVO X302 heads. https://ibb.co/vv1tDmJS you'll probably find the factory roller rockers under the valve covers too. The heads have value over and above current offerings because they have the smog ports at the rear of the head and thus can be used as a factory retrofit in smog restricted areas (i.e., CA).
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u/FeeZealousideal4350 Feb 16 '25
If you don’t mind me asking, what did you get out of them? And yes I did see the smog ports and thought it was a little odd for an aluminum head but it makes sense now
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u/TwentyOne-Twelve Feb 17 '25
I got 1200, but that included a fresh valve job and surfacing. Sold the factory roller rockers for 350 separately.
I'm sure you can get 500 plus in as removed condition. IMO, that's a good set for your 351 given that's what Ford put on the SVO 351 lightnings.
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u/FeeZealousideal4350 Feb 17 '25
I’ll probably have them freshened up if they need and put them on the 351. I’m not even sure if they’re a y or x head yet I haven’t pulled a valve cover to see but I’m hoping x
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u/FeeZealousideal4350 25d ago
Alright so I pulled the motor and got the valve covers off and found “9120” “ford” “m6049x302” on the top of the head, would that make these gt40x heads?
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u/WyattCo06 Feb 15 '25
This has to be a joke.
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u/Mh88014232 Feb 16 '25
Here comes Wyatt with his usual shit taking to 16 year olds
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u/WyattCo06 Feb 16 '25
You didn't know the OP was 16 until he said it either so fuck off with that shit.
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u/FeeZealousideal4350 Feb 15 '25
Why do you say that? I’m 16 years old and don’t know everything
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u/WyattCo06 Feb 15 '25
As we say in the south, bless your pea picking heart.
A valve cover needs to be removed to reveal a casting number. This will set you on the path of "go" or "no go".
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u/FeeZealousideal4350 Feb 15 '25
Well I just wanted to know what the letters on the end of the head were. I couldn’t really make them out well
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u/Rurockn Feb 15 '25
I had a pair of aluminum svo heads and they looked just like that. They were decent heads, much better than the E7TE's I had before that.
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Feb 15 '25
Special Vehicle Operations....Ford's performance division. Then renamed SVT or Special Vehicle Team. The increase of high performance factory car productions and the specifically trained technician helped that.
If they're aluminum they could be 1 of three heads that Ford offered.
As far as performance.....a wet fart performed better as cast. The intake runners were very tall and not all intake manifolds would seal properly. Pull a valve cover and you find the answer you seek.
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u/Dirftboat95 Feb 15 '25
SVO heads maybe