OK so im trying to figure out if i have a windsor block and heads or a romeo. well the thing that bugs me is the vin's engine code is an X which identifies it as a Windsor BUT..... if you look in the oil fill hole you can see that there are cam bridge caps which every where i look says that only Romeo engines/cylinder heads have those and windsors have regular caps. and shows all signs of being a romeo head. And i think that is funny because all mustang repair manuals(Chilton's, Haynes) for this year do not list this engine code X for the 96-98 mustang's does this sound weird to any of you guys? cuz im stumped

 

all that # in the vin tells you is its a 4.6 nothing in the vin will tell you if its a R or W thats just a tall-tale, bad info.

 

IIRC the number of valve cover bolts can tell you but, if the cam caps are ladder style then it should be a romeo engine.

 

mmmkay... another queston is it true that the windsor engines are stronger than Romeo.

 

11 bolt romeo, windsor 13 bolt

 

no, not really. the Windsor do use the Cobra con-rods and full floating pistons and pins but thats its, so in that aspect it maybe stronger but not that much, I've seen plenty of both come apart

 

FRPP actual says to look at the 8th digit of the vin to see if you have a Windsor or Romeo block so you know which flywheel to get. However, I too have the X there and my engine is a Romeo. So, the surest way to tell is to look at the heads, crankshaft, or see if there is a W on the block.

 

yeah, again there is nothing in the vin that tells you Windsor or Romeo, it just bad info thats been passed around for awhile and as stated above the best way is to count the # of bolts on the cam covers, not the heads (because 2 of the bolts are on the chain cover not the cyl head). Romeo is 11 bolts and Windsors are 13/14 bolts

 

That's what I meant by the heads, also, the caps vs. girdle.

 

understand that and I wasn't pointing a finger at you even thought I quoted your post. I just had to make it clear for all the newb's

 

No problem.