which year is romero and which is windsor again? its 96-00 is a windsor 8 bolt and 01-05 is a romero 6 bolt right? or am i backwards on this?

strickly talking mustang motors not vics,lincoins,merc's.

 

i think its the other way around, but what do i know

but i got this from an AM page:
NOTE: For help identifying your block, Romeo Blocks have 11 bolt valve covers, Windsor Blocks have 13 bolt valve covers. These heads do not fit Windsor Blocks.

there is this paragraph too:
The Patriot Performance Stage II 1020 Superflow Bench 3.552 Bore Cylinder Heads fit all PI Romeo Block 4.6L/5.4L SOHC 2V Ford Motors, such as the 2001-2004 Mustang GT. They come complete, just add a set of high performance cams of your choice and you are ace

i guess the romeo blocks are in the 01-04 mustang GT

 

I believe 96-98 were Romeo, 99-00 Windsor, and 01+ is Romeo again. Also, not all Windsors had an 8-bolt crank so that isn't the best way to identify them. Basically, look for a W on the block, 13 bolt valve covers, an X as the 8th digit of the VIN (this isn't the best either but that's what FRPP says to do), or look at the mains (I believe they use dowels instead of jackscrews). Also, the timing cover uses a few 10mm bolts.

 

Man, my motor was the bastard step child when ford built it. My engine builder ordered my parts based off my vin and the fact it had Romeo valve covers. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHH! Wrong answer! It had both Windsor parts and Romeo parts. How they fit totally together was another question, but we had to mix and match. I think each year had a little of both from each plant. So check the valve covers and look for the block designation and you can also do a vin search which should tell you a direction to look.

 

windsor and romeo engines were scattered throughout the 96-00 years. To date I've never seen a windsor built motor in a 01+ car. The differences are really limited to small stuff like which valve covers and which clutch/flywheel.

Don't worry too much about compatibility. The parts that matter will fit and the little knick knacks that don't matter are cheap enough to not matter that much.

My usual method is to count the flywheel bolts and the valve cover bolts and call it either a Romeo, a Windsor or a used car (elements of both).

I've never had any issues with compatibility of windsor heads to romeo blocks... they're the same as far as I can tell. I have both sitting in the garage.

 

The VIN # thing is a myth. Wont tell you which covers you need. Just count the # of bolts on the covers.

 

8 Bolt flywheel = Windsor.
6 Bolt flywheel = Romeo.

 

wrong.

8 bolt cobra = romeo... splain that lucy.

 

let me explane.
on Mustang GT's built from 1996 to 1998 all are Romeos wth 11 bolts cam covers and 6 bolt flywheels.
1999 & 2000 Mustang GT's had Windsor engines wth 13/14 bolt cam covers and 8 bolt flywheels.
2001 to 2004 Mustang GT's have Romeo engines wth 11 bolt cam cvrs and 6 bolt flywheels. other than 1999 and 2000 the ONLY other Mustang wth a modular engine and an 8 bolt flywheel is the 1996 to 1999 & 2001 to 2004 Cobra's.

now ther is another Ford car that had different engine combo, like the 1996 Crown Vic that had a 4.6 Windsor in it wth 13/14 bolt cam cvrs and 8 bolt flywheel.


so to review:
all Windsors engines are 8 bolt flywheels, 13/14 on the cam cvrs, car and truck, doesn't matter.
all Romeos engines* are 6 bolt flywheels, 11 on the cvrs, car and truck, doesn't matter.


*except Cobras which are Romeos wth 8 bolt flywheels