Large log cylinder head help

Hi Guys,

I'm the new kid on the block. My name is Riley,I am 22 years old and I'm from Toronto, Canada. I have a 66 nightmist blue mustang coupe. I'm glad to be a part of the inline 6 community. My engine is on its last legs and I am pulling it to rebuild it in a few weeks. I went to a junkyard today and found what I think is a suitable large log head. Its off a 1980 mercury monarch 250. I've done my research and i have read the inline 6 handbook many times. I'm looking for clarification on the cylinder head. the casting code of the one i found is a E0BE-BB and in the handbook under the 250 CU category its says that this head from 80-82 in all ford cars is undesirable as it is a smog port head. but in the 200 CU category with the same casting number E0BE-BB off a fairmont/zephyr of the same vintage the book says it IS desirable. Could someone just let me know if a E0BE-BB casting head is a good large log head to modify and put on my 66 block. Im taking the head to a machine shop so its no big deal if there are just some smog ports that need to be tapped and plugged.

Cheers,

Riley

A big welcome to the Ford Six Site Riley! It must be a typo or miss print, that EOBE-BB casting number for that 250 six head was also used on the 200 six'es too and they both are the exact same head. This is the best of the stock Ford large log heads that you can use. But they do have a much larger combustion chamber then your orginal small log 66 head so you need to mill the head to reduce the combustion chamber size to at least match your current head or you will be giving up some power. Course if your rebuilding the engine you can go all out with a zero decked short block too for even better performance. Best of luck on your rebuild.

I run a 2V E0xxx head on my 200. Its a good head. It does have an EGR spot on the side of the intake but it can be tapped and plugged (which is recommended) or you can make a block off plate (which I did). Very nice head. Make sure to have the larger exhaust valves put in too! I did that.

bubba22349":1ch4uzm4 said:

A big welcome to the Ford Six Site Riley! It must be a typo or miss print, that EOBE-BB casting number for that 250 six head was also used on the 200 six'es too and they both are the exact same head. This is the best of the stock Ford large log heads that you can use. But they do have a much larger combustion chamber then your orginal small log 66 head so you need to mill the head to reduce the combustion chamber size to at least match your current head or you will be giving up some power. Course if your rebuilding the engine you can go all out with a zero decked short block too for even better performance. Best of luck on your rebuild.

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"...a zero decked short block ..."
if you will B running the 200/3.3,
not sure U said "I havea 200." The
4.1/250 is stroked & that makes it
an advantage for other purposes...
Like sez in tech archive above (big blue box w/crossed screwdriver/wrench) CC that head, use data to mill, measure deck, make decisions from there. Do not touch deck w/o this info. It's been around 50 yrs, who knows what has been done to it (or the head)...

Thanks to everyone for the help. Time to go get the head from the junkyard hopefully without snapping off every bolt possible. I plan on leaving the crank in the engine for the rebuild and doing a top-end/ re-ring rebuild on the engine. I plan on changing rod bearings but not planning on changing the mains. the engine has 106,000 miles on it, i dont think its been apart but looking with a bore scope the tops of the pistons are clean and the cross hatch is pristine, so maybe is has been rebuild before (1989 was the year the car was ground up restored but no proof of engine rebuild other than new paint). I'm changing the rod bearings as I'm taking the pistons out but,would you guys advise to change main bearings or just leave them since i plan on leaving the crank in? Also, from talking to matt cox of vintage inlines he says upgrading to v8 valve springs is a very good call. is there any machine work required to the head to make them fit?

Cheers,

Riley

Without being able to see the condistion of the crankshaft and bearings I would say it's a 50 to 50 chance, 1989 is a long time ago and depends on the cars use and care since then. The main bearings usally don't wear as fast as the Rod bearings, but if your going to be taking the engine out and apart anyway I would pull it compleatly down and clean the block throughly inspect and measure all the hard parts. I certainly don't have a problem in using main bearings over if they measure good but they are also quite inexpensive be sure to check that the cam bearings are also still in spec you don't want to end up with low oil pressure after doing all that work. Plus if everthing is still in good condistion you can maybe get by with just an inexpensive re-ring kit these will give you the Ring set, all the Rod bearings (and you can add the Main bearing for very little extra cost), plus it includes a full set of gaskets and seals for one low price of about $100.00 to $150.00. Add to that a set of freeze plugs, plus a can or two of paint and the short block might be compleate. Addistional parts that might be needed for the short block's completion is the cam timing chain set, a fresh cam and lifters, cam bearings, and oil pump. Did you happen to do a compression test and a oil pressure test of your engine yet! Best of luck on your rebuild.

bubba is right, OP if you are going to take the time to pull the motor out, and do a tear down as far as you are planning, it isnt much effort to go all the way to a bare block and do the rebuild right. if the rod bearings are suspect, then the mains are also since they both have the same miles on them, and the main bearings do have the tougher road in life since the main bearing journals are larger, and thus have a higher bearing speed than the rod bearings do.

Hi, as mentioned, rings and bearings are part of a normal rebuild. Personally. I would evaluate what you have before buying the parts. The rings and bearings that are on there may be fine. Once the engine comes apart you will see if there is a ridge at the top of the bore, and if the pistons have an oversize stamp, and the bearings are standard or undersize. I like to check the bearings with plasti gauge, and the piston skirt to cylinder wall with a feeler gauge.
There are books like Tom Monroe's Rebuilding Small Block Ford book, even though it is for the V8, it will show to how to measure everything and has a lot of great tips and info.
Good luck

What you read in the Handbook is just a bit confusing as I remember getting the same impression about being undesirable. It is a good head to use. Good luck with your build.

researching, measuring, IDing, etc are 1st - setting a budget is in there too. Planning is about the end of much of the process...
Decide on a budget to get the best you can.

Hi Riley, how is the rebuild going get you get the late model head? There are also a few things to improve the head some more depending on your goals and use plans for the 66 Mustang rebuild. First by all means do have a good 3 angle valve job plus back cutting. Next you can also open up the carb base some more to 2 to 2 1/8 inch from its current 1 3/4 inch opening depending on your plans for future carb upgrades or you can go to a 2V carb direct mount too. Do you plan on any head porting? Or adding a center port devider? Also look into a good Distribitor such as the DuraSpark II that Mercury 250 engine you found for the late 250 head would have everthing you need for a budget swap if it's all still there. You need the compleate distribitor, the coil, facto tort DSII ware harness and the Ignist control box ICM I can give you more info if you need it such as how to wire it up. Best of luck