Valve cover gaskets, windsor or romeo?

tecwizrd · Jul 23, 2015

I am replacing the intake on a '98 GT with 155k on it, it runs good, but I discovered a coolant leak coming from the heater hose on the back of the intake. Since these intakes are prone to fail, I decided to replace the intake. I thought why not replace the valve cover gaskets, water pump and maybe the timing cover gaskets while I have it down.

The problem I have ran into in my research is, there seems to be some misinformation about what engine came in this car. The 8th digit (X) in the vin# states I have a Windsor engine, but everything I read says they did not put that block in until '99, I have not looked at the engine further to determine where it came from, but I believe it to be the original engine. It looks like it has never been touched.

Even the thread here about the different blocks say that the Windsor engine is '99 to '01. Wonder if this car was a special build or maybe the engine was replaced, I will count the valve cover bolts this evening when I get home.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

edit: entered wrong date.

lwarrior1016 · Jul 23, 2015

Best thing to do is count the cam cover bolts. That will tell you what seal to get. If your engine is in fact stock, it will have the romeo engine.

lwarrior1016 · Jul 23, 2015

tecwizrd said:
I am replacing the intake on a '98 GT with 155k on it, it runs good, but I discovered a coolant leak coming from the heater hose on the back of the intake. Since these intakes are prone to fail, I decided to replace the intake. I thought why not replace the valve cover gaskets, water pump and maybe the timing cover gaskets while I have it down.

The problem I have ran into in my research is, there seems to be some misinformation about what engine came in this car. The 8th digit (X) in the vin# states I have a Windsor engine, but everything I read says they did not put that block in until '99, I have not looked at the engine further to determine where it came from, but I believe it to be the original engine. It looks like it has never been touched.

Even the thread here about the different blocks say that the Windsor engine is '99 to '04. Wonder if this car was a special build or maybe the engine was replaced, I will count the valve cover bolts this evening when I get home.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Also, for what is worth, my vin is also X and I have a romeo in mine. I would worry about the vin too much.