Ford Fairmont Engines by Year

The Fairmont introduced Ford's Fox platform for 1978, the basis of the 1979 Mustang. It used the 2.3 four, the 200 six and small V8s. The Mercury Zephyr was its twin and the Granada its upmarket relative.

Pick a year to see every engine offered that model year, with its code, rated horsepower and the trims it came in. Each engine links to its full specs.

Jump to a year

Fox (1978–1983): 1978 · 1979 · 1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983

Fox (1978–1983)

1978 Fairmont engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.3L / 140 inline-four	88 hp net	All (standard)
3.3L / 200 inline-six	85 hp net	All (optional; early wagon standard)
5.0L / 302 V8	139 hp net	All (optional)

1979 Fairmont engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.3L / 140 inline-four	88 hp net	All (standard)
3.3L / 200 inline-six	85 hp net	All (optional)
5.0L / 302 V8	—	All (optional)

1980 Fairmont engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.3L / 140 inline-four turbo	—	Sedans and Futura coupe (optional, automatic only)
2.3L / 140 inline-four	88 hp net	All (standard)
3.3L / 200 inline-six	—	All (optional)
4.2L / 255 V8	—	All (optional, automatic only)

1981 Fairmont engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.3L / 140 inline-four	88 hp net	All (standard)
3.3L / 200 inline-six	—	All (optional, automatic)
4.2L / 255 V8	115 hp net	All (optional, automatic only)

1982 Fairmont engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.3L / 140 inline-four	86 hp net	All (standard)
3.3L / 200 inline-six	—	All (optional)

1983 Fairmont engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.3L / 140 inline-four	—	All (standard)
3.3L / 200 inline-six	—	All (optional)

Working on one of these engines?

• Engine displacement from bore and stroke
• Static and dynamic compression ratio
• Which camshaft for your build
• What size carburetor
• Horsepower to torque at any RPM
• Torque converter stall speed

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