Continental engine casting numbers

[Steve in MN]

Does anyone know what the casting numbers on the lower right side of the block mean. I figure the f400 means flathead 4 cylinder. Are the rest of the numbers just like a serial number or do they refer to a date somehow? Thanks for you help

 

[Anonymous-0]

F400 means it is a F series engine. F has nothing to do with flathead. Those engines at one time were very popular in lift trucks and in that application alone there are several different blocks. The F-400 series include the 124,140 & 162 cubic inch enginesw. Later the 162 became the 163, same bore and stroke diferent cranks blocks and heads. The F series was also made in several different 6 cylinder sizes. I can think of 4 other series of Continental L-head (flathead) engines with different letters the B, N, M & Y models plus others in earlier time frames. Does that help? Casting numbers do become important such as on water pumps. There are probably a dozen different water pumps for F series engines. More questions? J.

 

[JDemaris]

I've got one that I've never been able to make sense (the numbers, that is). It's an F162 - but I only found that out by process of elimination with parts that fit.

Engine number tag reads:
Continental EPS364, #284200
Cylinder-head casting # is:
F401A363

I had someone tell me the EPS stands for "equipment power source" - but I contacted that company and was told it's not their numbers.

 

[Jeff-oh]

If your talking about the cast numbers on the lower left. i.e.

Z120-A-### in a Ferguson TO-20
Z120-A-### in a Ferguson TO-30
Z134-A-### in a Ferguson TO-35/F-40
G185-A-### in a MF65 gas.

The number represents the engine displacement in Cubic inches.

i.e.
Z120 = 120 cu. in. displacement
G185 = 185 Cu. in. displacement

Etc.

 

[Steve in MN]

Mines a f163. Casting no. is F400A 6078. I'm just trying to figure out how old it is and what it came out of. It's painted light bluishgray, maybe a worthington air compressor? Did anyone ever see a list of engine serial numbers from Continental? Steve

 

[Jerry/MT]

Jeff, you had a typo. Z129-A-#### is a TO-30.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Not sure what the 6078 would be? Contact the company that still builds them: wisconsinmotors.com or others that sell parts for them like continentalengines.com or montesequipment.com F163 replaced earlier F162 and used on lots of equipment like forklifts,compressors, generators, road construction specialty equipment, Lincoln SA-200 welders and the list is far too long to even try to list them all here.

 

[Anonymous-0]

That does not work for an F-model. I had a call one time in the machine shop He had a question on the crank for a ZD engine. Z diesel. My brother-inlaw had a Continental 6 cylinder diesel around 400 cubic inch on a water pump. They are not real common either.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You know I have run into 2 fire departments one not too far from here that have x military F model engines. Could that be one of them. I will call my Continental buddie but he is probably in Florida for a couple of months. J.

 

[JDemaris]

This is on a Fairbanks-Morse 18 KW genset - Model B15A-204. It was bought new around 1960 and was the backup electric unit in our local school. Never got used - other than a fire up once a year to make sure it ran. When it got removed from the school, it sat outside in a field for two years and got water in it. When I bought it the valves were stuck. I pulled head, fixed the valves, put a new head gasket and it's now basically a new machine. It has a distributor ignition - Prestolite 1BT 4501A , takes a NAPA - Victor #1634 head-gasket, and I had to buy a couple of exhaust valves part #s 211-1473 and listed for an F162. Carburetor has an electric choke - which I guess is needed for the autostart function.