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Block Casting Help.

Old Jun 2, 2008 | 01:02 PM
  #1  
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Default Block Casting Help.

I have tried to find the origin of this block using all my sources that I use when trying to help other people but I can't get a hit on it.

Can any of you shine some light on this block casting number from the front pad?

CE3N55093

Thanks,
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Old Jun 2, 2008 | 01:43 PM
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Durango boy,

John Hinckley can tell you exactly. He is a member of the Camaro.org and NCRS.org discussion boards.
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Old Jun 2, 2008 | 02:34 PM
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Originally Posted by FrankVincent
CE = Chevrolet Engine (essentially, a counter engine)
3 = probably 1973, but will depend on the casting number/date
N55,093 is the sequence number from that particular engine facility

What is the casting number and casting date?? They usually help with deciphering these numbers.

Well that was the mystery, cause the casting number is 3970010, which according to Mortec, can be a:

1969 4 bolt 302 from a Z28 Camaro...or a...
1969 2 bolt main 327 from a truck...or a...
1969 - 1980, 2 or 4 bolt main 350...

The date code is JUST a 3, so I got no help from that either.

Does that mean anything to you guys?
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Old Jun 2, 2008 | 03:46 PM
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Originally Posted by FrankVincent
"the date code is just a 3" ... is that the casting date as located on the rear passenger side of the block behind the distributor??

If yes, you have a replacement block from 1973. It's not from Flint, as their CE sequence numbers were 20,000 to 49,999, if I remember correctly ... so maybe from McKinnon or Tonawanda or ??

2 bolt or 4 bolt??

Yep it's just a 3, right next to the arrow with the circle of dots, and just on top of the driver's side top bell housing bolt casting.

It's a 2 bolt main block.

Also, I had heard that if the engine has a square plug in an oil hole in the front of the block, just above the timing cover and off to the passenger side just a bit...that it was a flint engine. Is that not correct?
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Old Jun 2, 2008 | 05:06 PM
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If there's no casting date in the 'normal' location it's probably a McKinnon block.
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Old Jun 3, 2008 | 08:03 AM
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Originally Posted by FrankVincent
The circle of dots is a time clock. The 3 is the conveyer. Directly opposite that, on the passenger side, behind the distributor is the casting date. It would look something like B243

Okay, the date code looks like B233. It was on the passenger side, where I didn't even bother looking. I assumed the 3 was in the date code location.
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Old Jun 3, 2008 | 08:10 AM
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B233= Casting date February 23 1973, most likely a Flint block.
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Old Jun 3, 2008 | 08:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Mike Ward
B233= Casting date February 23 1973, most likely a Flint block.

Thanks Mike, so is it true about the small square oil plug on the front of the block? That any engine with that plug just above the timing cover, is a Flint engine?
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Old Jun 3, 2008 | 08:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Durango_boy
Thanks Mike, so is it true about the small square oil plug on the front of the block?
Not sure if that rule is 100% correct. I used an easier 'rule'. Flint blocks have a single digit in the year, Tonawanda used two digits.
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Old Jun 3, 2008 | 08:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Mike Ward
Not sure if that rule is 100% correct. I used an easier 'rule'. Flint blocks have a single digit in the year, Tonawanda used two digits.

Oh I see, you mean the CE - 3 - N55093 of the front pad number.

Assuming the 3 is because it was a '73, does this mean a 2 would be '73, 5 would be '75...yata yata?
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Old Jun 3, 2008 | 08:34 AM
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No, I meant in the casting date. Yours is B233. A Tonawanda block cast the same date would be B2373.

The 3 in your CE code is almost certainly for 1973 as Frank Vincent said.
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Old Jun 3, 2008 | 08:44 AM
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I understand now.

Mike - Is there an online location of how to read and decode the pad number and date code? I'd like to learn how to decipher the codes.

Thanks.
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Old Jun 3, 2008 | 09:23 AM
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This is fun, okay, here's a set of numbers from a 400. I found the block casting, but still don't know how to decipher the date code of the pad code.

T10140SA

3951511

J12-72
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Old Jun 3, 2008 | 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by FrankVincent
J1272 = October 12, 1972 casting date (cast in Tonawanda)
3951511 = 400ci - 1970-73 - 4 bolt - Some replacement blocks had 2-bolt main caps
T1014 = Tonawanda October 14, 1972 engine build date
OSA ... there is no OSA suffix code . I suspect it is really CSA.
CSA = 1973 400ci Impala 150hp LF-6 TH400 2bbl carb



http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm
http://www.chevymania.com/partsid/su...fm?block=small

Sweet, thanks.
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Old Jun 3, 2008 | 10:44 PM
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I have a CE block also that starts CEA could never find out what the A stood for. It was cast in Feb 1971
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