Decoding Ford Part Numbers

From 3.8Wiki

This is a work in progress. Info is being compiled from a few different sources.

There are four part numbering systems of interest to us here.

Contents 1 Ford part numbering: 2 Motorcraft part numbering: 3 Ford Racing Performance Parts part numbering: 4 Ford part numbering: 5 Early part numbering:

[edit] Ford part numbering:

The first one was used from the 50's through 1998 and the second was used from the mid 1999 to the present. A particular part can have an engineering and a service part number that are different.

[edit] Motorcraft part numbering:

[edit] Ford Racing Performance Parts part numbering:

[edit] Ford part numbering:

A car may come from the factory with part numbers from an earlier year and even from a different line of car. This doesn't mean the part is the wrong one and it doesn't mean it was old left-over stock sitting around the factory. If there is no need to revise the part for a particular application then the part number will stay the same.

The early and late part numbers have 3 parts:
Prefix: 4 digits Indicates which model, year, and source the part is from Base Part number: 4 to ?? digits indicating the base part number. For example 6051 is usually the base part number for cylinder head gaskets Suffix: usually indicates the revision of the part.

[edit] Early part numbering:

Prefix first digit: indicates the decade B=1950's C=1960's D=1970's E=1980's F=1990's

Second digit: indicates the year 0=0 1=1 etc.

Third digit: indicates the model (there are multiple models per letter/number. this depends on the year and there are some conflicting sources for this) 0 = Continental (may really be letter O) 1 = Tempo, Contour, Mystique, F350, Excursion 2 = Probe 4 = 96+ Sable specific body parts 5 = Windstar (???) 6 = Topaz 7 = Explorer, Ranger 8 = Windstar (???) 9 = Aerostar A = Ford Full Size- Galaxie, Crown Victoria B = Fairlane, Torino, LTD II, Festiva, Aspire C = 60's to 70's Capri, Escort D = Falcon, Maverick, Taurus, 96 and later Taurus/Sable common parts E = Escort F = foreign/Trans Am racing, Tempo/Escort Common parts G = Comet, Montego, Monarch H = Holman & Moody HiPo parts, Medium Duty Truck J = industrial, power products, marine K= Tracer L = Lincoln, Mark VIII M = Mercury Full Size- Grand Marquis N = Ford Tractor O = Montego, Sable, Lincoln Continental P = Pinto, Bobcat, Autolite, Motorcraft Q = DEW98 Platform R = Rotunda (generic), Merkur, Contour, Mystique S = Thunderbird T = Light Truck, Bronco, Explorer U = Econoline/Club Wagon van V = Lincoln Town Car W = Cougar X = Villager Y = Electric Vehicle Z = Mustang

Fourth digit: indicates the engineering group the part is from 5 = Ford PN96/UN98 Platform Engineering 8 = Electric Vehicle A = Light Truck B = Body C = Chassis D = Overseas Product E = Engine F = Electronics G = Electronics H = Climate Control J = Autolite (67-72) Later "Ford Customer Service Division Parts and Accessories" K = Import Component L = Ford Power Products M = Performance Operations, SVO, SVT P = Automatic Transmission R = Manual Transmission S = Light/ Heavy Truck T = Heavy Truck U = Electrical and Fuel Handling V = Special Order W = Axle and Driveline X = early Muscle Parts Program, late plastic and trim Y = Lincoln/Mercury Service Parts

Z = Ford Service Parts