info on 332 and 352 blocks

[zyg z]

can anyone tell me how to tell a 332 apart from a 352

[Mike Hausner]

ZYG,
Look for "352" cast into the drivers side front (passengers side down under) of the block. This was started with the introduction of the 352 engine in 1958. The 332s were only produced in 1958 and '59. If you have an early block the best way is to pull a cylinder head measure the stroke: 3.30" for the 332 & 3.50 for the 352. Both engines have a 4" bore. The early blocks and the police interceptor engines were designed to use mechanical lifters only because they didn't have the oil galleries to supply pressure for hydraulic lifters.
Good luck
MH

[Ron61]

Been a long time but my first car was a 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 with the 332 Police Interceptor motor in it. It had a solid lifter cam and would wind out forever. Wish I could remember but there was something on the engine that the dealer showed me that would identify the P.I. engines. Not the 352 stamp as thet is on everything from the first 352 up.

Ron

[Cobaby]

What advantages might one have with a 332 in a Cobra? Please excuse my limited knowledge. Thanks.

[Ron61]

Cobaby,

About the only advantage I could see would be if you want to run a solid lifter cam the 332 P.I. engines were made for that. Most of the 352s were for hydraulic lifters unless you got one of the High Performance ones. You can still use a solid cam in them, just have to do a little work on the upper end oiling system as the solid lifters don't take nearly as much oil as the hydraulics do and you want more oil in the bottom end. It is going to be much easier to find 352s than 332s though.

Ron

[Mike Hausner]

The 332 and 352 engines would rev higher than the 390 & 427. Since the cranks rod and main journals are the same size you can swap the 332s 3.30" stroked crank for a 3.78" stroke 390 crank. With the 332s bore at 4.00" (same as the 352) you would have something less than 390 ci. The 361 & 390 bore was 4.05". You would have to use 390 rods too.