l am buying a '73 Mercury Cougar. The car runs and is all there, although it needs a lot of TLC. There is a huge looking engine, 351 c.i.d. stuffed under the hood, with a skinny little two barrel carb sitting on top. l was wondering if there was an easy way to identify the Cleveland vs Windsor engines.

I will do the google bit too, but l was wondering if you folks had any tips or tricks. Thanx.

Cleveland or Windsor designations should be stamped on the engine ID plate. Perhaps its encoded into your VIN?

look on the engine block its self and you might wanna check the data plate to see if it came with the 351 windsor or 351 cleveland

Check out this link .

351 C. has 8 valve cover bolts, fuel pump bolts are vertical, while 351 W. are horizontal

The cleveland and M series engines had a flat spot on the valve covers where the oil fill hole is. Windsor engines didn't. If it is not a windsor, it is probably a 351 modified. (taller block height than a cleveland, but very similar otherwise)

The Cleveland radiator hose goes to the block and not the manifold, also true about the fuel pump bolts being vertical and 8 bolt valve covers..

we have some good links about id'ng these in our links