Head ID??

jscott · Jul 30, 2020

Not sure what thread I had a while back but I had copied this answer to my email: I can stick my nose in here, if the manifold is an M code 4V, what heads are on the engine? Super large ports on the M code 4V will not match up too well with 2V heads if that is what our friend has on the engine. I would suggest that he take off a valve cover and look at the date code(s) That might give an indication as to correctness to the car's build date. Do the heads have a 4 or 4* in the front top corner (left side)? It's unfortunate that Ford decided to cast the head casting numbers and ID on the underside of the intake ports where they can only be seen by removing the manifold, standing on one's head! (or use a mirror). To be honest, I'm not at all familiar with 72/73 heads which are open chamber, but this just got me curious.

I finally took off the driver side valve cover, only the 2nd time I ever even pulled a valve cover. I was, I think, pleasantly surprised to see how clean it was. There is indeed a 4 in the area questioned above, what does that mean. I also took pictures of other info as seen int he pictures, any insight to what they are? I know from a prior post that my H code engine now has a holley 750 4bbl and a M code intake, that info is here from that post.

D0AE-L is an M-code 4V intake. Date code is 1A29, January 1, 1971 so not original to your car.

jscott · Jul 30, 2020

Looking at that 0M4, does that mean 1970, December 4th?

If so I am guessing it ain't original to my '72 (although built in Sept '71)

Thought I had its original H code but with the 4. in the corner???

mjlan · Jul 31, 2020

The 4* on the corner denotes a 4V head with the larger ports and valves, so this head was installed by Ford on a 4V engine.

I think you have the date code correct.

Is it possible that the heads have been swapped onto your original short block? Can you locate the block partial VIN?

Hemikiller · Jul 31, 2020

0M4 is Dec 4, 1970, so they are 1971 model year heads. 4 in the corners of the head denotes a 4 barrel head with large ports. With that date code, there's a 99% certainty you have D1AE-GA 67cc closed chamber castings, 2.19/1.71 valves. You have a Crane stud conversion kit to run the adjustable rocker arms and some unknown brand of steel roller rockers.

The 4 dot is a handy indicator of when the head was cast, nothing more. Some think the dot indicates open chamber, which is incorrect. If there's no dot, that indicates a 1970 model year D0AE-x head, or first month of 1971 model year D1AE-GA head. (June 1969 thru June 1970). With the dot indicates a July 1970 - through 1974 model year casting and you need to see the date code, and possibly the casting number on the underside of the intake runners to verify what they are. There were also two runs of D1AE-GA heads done in 74 and 76 for pro stock racing use.

jscott · Jul 31, 2020

Thanks for the info, will try to find more numbers on it but it sounds like I have a better, but not original, engine in her then the H code her vin calls for. It is going to take a while for me to learn about these, I became somewhat knowledgeable in AMC's when I had those.