Questions and Answers

Ford Taurus Engine Block Identification Q. Vince, Thank you for consistently answering my e-mails. This time how do I tell the engine is a 1996 or 1997 without the car and VIN. Where on the engine block is the model year written? Mohammed

A. The model year is not on the engine block. An engine block is cast at least a year before it is machined to become an engine. And that block may go in, for example, a 1995, 1996 or 1997 vehicle.

It's not so much the block that makes it for a particular year vehicle, but rather the cylinder head and manifolds. As for the Ford Taurus, all the 3.0 liter SOHC, DOHC and Flex Fuel cylinder blocks for Ford and Mercury 1995 to 1998 were the same.