I would check with your local scrap man

 

yeah,those things are junk,they put those in the mustangs instead of the 302,for a year or two,and they only made like 140hp.You will be alot better off,and a lot happier with a 302,there's plenty of them out there!

 

It's not destroked....it's smaller bore -- 3.68" X 3.00" stroke. Because of the smaller cylinder bores I don't believe the other heads will work....although with a creative machine shop and lots of money, anything is possible.

"In 1980, an urgent need to meet EPA CAFE standards led to the creation of the 255 in³ (4.2 L) version, essentially a 302 de-bored to 3.68 in (93.5 mm). Rated power (SAE net) was 115-122 hp (86-91 kW), depending on year and application. It was optional in Fox chassis cars including the Mustang and corporate cousin Mercury Capri, Thunderbird, Fairmont, and standard equipment in the Ford LTD. Poorly received thanks to its dismal performance and mediocre fuel economy, it was dropped after the 1982 model year, and is considered one of the worst modern Ford engines."

Just drop a 302 in the Zeph....

 

Ewwwwww more then just a crank..... sounds like what we used to call a "boat anchor" back in the day. Although if a 390 was a boat anchor, then the 255 being so small might only be a dingy anchor!

Thanks

Tommy D

 

It's comparable to the 305 Chevy. It's a turd.

 

It's a much bigger turd than the 305 chevy. It shares a characteristic with it though; bad valve shrouding. Can't be avoided with the small bore. 305 makes a decent DD motor at least, with decent torque; the 255 sucks in every way imaginable. All you need to know is that it's not worth even thinking about. No aftermarket support ot nothing. 302/5.0 bolts right in its place.

 

Yeah, that motor is all but junk IMO. The block is considerably weaker than the 90's 5.0 also. That engine is not a performance engine at all.

I am sure there are things you can do to make it a bit better. However, your best bet is to get a junkyard SBF and drop it in. An explorer engine with the GT-40/ GT-40P heads is a good cost effective option.

 

I am with everyone else . . . I took one apart as someone put one in a 66 falcon I bought as a parts car.

The only thing worthwile in that whole motor is the crank (hollowed throws) and even then you have to find a factory stock guy to buy one.

The heads to me look like 289 heads with pedestal mounts. Kind of a cross between the 60s and the 80s. Those were the second set of heads I learned to port on and they actually can go pretty big but the valves are so small it probably isn't worth. It literally took an hour to do an exhaust port because the thermactor hole is freakin huge. It looks like a second valve stem guide.

Again, if you can do it, just throw in a 302. I kept the rods (generic C8OE 302 rods) and the crank.

 

Ok... you guys ready for this???

I left the seller voice mail telling his basically to sell the car to somone else. Went so far as to mention the 255 killed the deal.

He called me back <nice guy> and went on to tell me this 255 has a 4V intake and carb on it.

Has/does anyone make an aftermarket intake for the 255? Most * in the cats say NOT for 255 V-8.

I'm starting to wonder if in this cars lifetime it got a 302 swapped in the 255s place.

Anyway to tell for sure, sort of tearing it down?

Tommy D

 

I'm starting to wonder if in this cars lifetime it got a 302 swapped in the 255s place.

Anyway to tell for sure, sort of tearing it down?

Tommy D

Look at the casting numbers on the block and look at the intake for any id. If the block was cast in the wrong year to go in the car it's probably a 302.

 

In this case, being unique has no benefits. As you can see, parts are scarce, engine is anemic at best, and there are cheap 302s with proven builds taht will give double the WHP for a reasonable price. Dont get swindled into a bad decision that will cost more to deal with and you will regret.

 

i built one that had 475 hp, ..lol..i did i mention that when i woke up my name was skippie:rofl:

 

Guys.... going WAY off topic here.... please.. if you can help me identify the 255 vs the 302 chime in... otherwise....

Thanks

Tommy D

Thanks Hack.... any idea where to find the casting numbers??

He has the "orig" intake as well. I wonder if it's stamped 255 or the likes.

 

Can anyone confirm the 255 intake is not "solid" like a normal SB ford.. meaning it has a valley pan??

That would be a very easy way to tell buy just opening the hood.

Tommy D

 

If it's got a 4 barrel intake on it, it's almost certainly aftermarket. Most of those have a part number or description on it. You could go take a look and do some research on the intake. I'm pretty sure the 255 was never offered with a 4 barrel.

If he has the original intake, it might be identifiable as a 302 deal also.

It would be hard to believe a 255 could have lasted this long, they were horrible motors.

Steve

 

I really never figured out why intakes say "not for use on 255s" because the one I had, had a D7 2bbl intake on it. Maybe thats what they came with but the only casting the block and heads have is E0SE. Its on the block and on the heads. If the exhaust manifolds were off you could probably tell if it has 255 heads on it. The ports are small, and again the thermactor is huge, looks like a second valve guide/volcano.

The biggest thing with bolting on an intake is that the intake port on the E0SE 255 heads start out as small ovals. Its smaller than a 1250 by a lot all the way around the port, but especially on the sides as it curves in and looks like an egg. The ports are also relatively long too for a windsor head.

I was interested about the intake situation too when I still had my 255, the heads on the outside are exactly the same as any other SBF windsor head. I measured the head and its the same length/width/depth as a generic E7.

 

There were some companies that made 4 bbl manifolds for the 255, like Offy but, there were never any factory 4 bbl 255s.

P51C

 

intake



if it still has the stock intake it will not look like a 302 intake, it been a long time since i mess with one but there is a very noticeable difference in looks, seems like it has more of a round intake track instead of the rectangle on on a 302, if you know 302's and you look at this one you will know your looking
at a different set up as it that noticeable

 

if it still has the stock intake it will not look like a 302 intake, it been a long time since i mess with one but there is a very noticeable difference in looks, seems like it has more of a round intake track instead of the rectangle on on a 302, if you know 302's and you look at this one you will know your looking
at a different set up as it that noticeable

I remember this as well, it has an oval port and it has a cut out at either the back or the front where the 302 intake would be solid.

 

I owned a white with red interior .."king cobra" type mustang II

if the air conditioning was turned on, it would not acellerate enough to go up my hill..

I also believe that one year they made an "indy-pace-car" out of that piece of QuaP...

 

If anyone plans on getting rid of the 255 crankshaft I'll take it.

 

or I might.

 

But I believe the King Cobra had the 302 in it, not the 255. It was anemic for sure, but not as anemic as the 255. The 255 serves as a great reminder as to what happened when car companies tried to hit CAFE requirements and emissions requirements with carburated engines.... EFI and electronic engine control systems are a wonderful thing.

 

that is right,the king cobra/cobra 2's had 302,as well as the 79 pace car edition(but most of those came with the turbo 2.3) I did some checking,they only made those boat anchor 255's from 1980-1982,and not too many in 82,so check your casting date which will either be on the side of the block,or the back of it

 

Ive got a 255 in a Tbird and if you pull off the valve covers, it has 4.2 cast in the head.

 

streetfalcon,
You have a P.M.

Thanks
Jeff

 

just put a flat head in it an call it a day

 

under the valve cover, the 255 heads say 4.2l.

 

Hey streetfalcon,
Nice to meet you and Thanks for the crank.

Jeff