Went to Autozone last weekend and they looked up my engine type they asked 6 or W. I had no idea. the guy went out and looked at the VIN and said it was a W type.
what exactly does this mean?

 

W means it made in Windsor Canada. Im pretty sure its canada. Look on the drivers side valve cover there should be a code tag and a date and the place it was made.
mine is a windsor and as all windsors do, it pings

 

Then what is a 6? Is it better or worse?

John

 

mine is a 99, bought it in oct of 98, and i have never had a pinging problem

 

Actually, the correct interpretation is:

W = Romeo Engine Plant
6 = Windsor Engine Plant

Ford couldn't make this one easy either...

There are some subtle internal differneces in the two engines. Nothing that has seemed to make much of a difference (except in piston slap - only the Windsor built engines have that). For most parts, the engine plant doens't make a difference.

 

ahhh, there is ONE other difference, the 4.6 romeos get the oil leak from the head gasket where the 4.6 windsors dont.