GT40 or GT40P on my 96 V8?

[section525]

Okay.. I've searched all over the place for this and found out that some people claim to have 96 V8s with GT heads while others have GT40P heads. Now they way I was told to know which heads I have was to look for a "GT40" or "GT40P" stamped on the head.

This is what I found on my 96. There is a "GT" stamped in front of the very front passenger side spark plug. Not a "GT40" or "GT40P."

So before I order GT40 headers and not GT40P, can anyone tell me for sure that I do have the GT40 heads?? Thanks!

 

[LowdPypes]

not exactly sure...

I don't know your truck as good as some other may but upon installing my supercharger this past weekend, I noticed that I actually saw a P stamped in the heads just near the alternator. You might look around that area... although I am sure you will get a response from someone else.

 

[james t]

ive got a 96 and mine have GT-40 stamped on 'em. man, i dont know about yours. any way a previous owner had some engine work done?

 

[section525]

I doubt it. But maybe. Where is yours stamped?

 

[CobraXP]

A 96 should have standard GT-40 heads, not P's. The P's were not put on until middle/late '97. Easy way to tell - look on your intake. The EGR valve is mounted on the intake elbow - do you have a tube running from it to the headers or not. If you do, then the backpressure transducer plate will be mounted on the back of the upper intake also. If all you have is the EGR valve and the EGR solenoid (black), then you have regular GT-40 heads.

My 97 has a manufacturing date of Aug 96, and it has regular GT-40 heads... Before that - no P's...

Hope this helps...

 

[Spdrcer34]

I kept hearing the "Mid to late 1997" being quoted when talking about when the 5.0L went from GT40 to GT40P....well I have a EARLY 1997, build date of 10/96 and it has GT40P heads on it. Everything is Original. Even the Passenger Side Valve Covers has a paint stamp date code of 9396 (9/3/96). What is the EARLIEST GT40P equipped Explorer/Mountaineer known?







Ryan

 

[Cobraguy]

Section, who's headers you getting? I thought Torque Monster headers would fit with either head. No?

 

[techieman33]

Section, who's headers you getting? I thought Torque Monster headers would fit with either head. No?

he's had headers for a long time, check the date on his posts it's 2002

 

[Cobraguy]

Oh for God's sake. Talk about dragging up a dead horse! LOL

 

[section525]

I was still in diapers when I started this thread.

 

[james t]

I was young, handsome, and full of optimism when i first replied to this thread. Now not so much. :


To answer your question spdracer, i think you have the earliest known GTP motor. Remember this is Ford... there wasnt any real cutoff dates on production... sometimes they just used random stuff at random times. There was a change in the 97 year model but it was more of a morph rather than a change.

84 Bronco with an 8.8, 86 Bronco with a 9"- sure why not?

 

[Spdrcer34]

I'm thinking that maybe it was almost at random, kinda..

I have seen footage of a few different assembly lines, a couple from Ford (Mustang, Fseries, Ranger) and GM (Buick GN, Monte Carlo, Silverado, Cadillac), and they all have about the same set-up, and preperation for engine installation....they just do it in a different order depending on the car (full-frame vs. Unibody)

The motors are shipped to the assembly line (where are/were the Explorers built?) in batches of a few hundred at a time, and the forklift driver that delivers the motors to the assembly line is in TOTAL CONTROL of what get's brought to the line....it's the assembly line workers job to follow the script and load the right motor onto the arm that will install the motor.

So in theory, on the same day in October, 1996 the assembly line workers could have handled and installed both GT40 engines, and GT40P motors, as well as OHV, and SOHC engines.

Proof of this can be seen in just about all the assembly line videos I have seen.....especially the Mustang video. I saw them trying to figure out the logistics of getting the Supercharged 4.6L in the EXACT SAME amount of time as it takes to install the 4.0L V-6...and in the engine staging area, they had Supercharged motors, lined up next to V-6's, and the standard GT motor.

I'm thinking the forklift driver delivered the NEWLY delivered GT40P motors to the assembly line before delivering the older stock of GT40 motors. Implying that PROPER rotation of stock was not taking place like it should have been.

Ryan

 

[Cobraguy]

The motor or heads could have been replaced under warranty and they used a P motor because that's all they had. Those come complete on the crate with exhaust, accy's, etc when you do that.

 

[Spdrcer34]

I bought the wrecked 1997 X from the original owner, he bought it December, 1996. He says no major work was ever done on the Explorer, and no warranty work was ever needed. I have all the records...

Ryan