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Hey ya'll, I hope ya'll aren't getting tired of me.
I finally got around to cleaning enough grease off the engine to check it's numbers. My vehicle vin is registered to an L82, the car is a 74.
So... I attempt to check the vin ID on the engine block. Well it looks like the engine has been headed and the area where I should be finding a vin is clean metal. (Should I expect the engine to have been strokered?) I'm pulling the oil pan this weekend after I look up some guides on how to move the steering components in the way.
Anyway I get nervous and go to the back end...
My engine casting number is 14016379 which does not correspond to the L82 from 1974. It corresponds to both the L48 and L82 from 1979. WHAT? So I guess the best way for me to see what is REALLY in there is to pull the oil pan (which I had plans to do anyway) and see if it is a 4 bolt or 2 bolt main block. Is there anything else I should look at? I haven't found a good diagram of where to look for the VIN on transmission. I think we're fairly certain the car may have been in a wreck at some point.
Photos attached:
14016379 engine block casting...
Date casting F279 for June 27 1979
Nothing for a vin.
EDIT: Pulled the valve cover off.
I have 333882 heads which do not match a 1979 block...
At least these heads likely came off an L82.
Cylinder head casting 333882
Last edited by Masonwader; Oct 24, 2016 at 12:21 PM.
Hi Mason,
Nothing at all on the pad where you looked for the VIN?
In addition to the VIN sequence stamp there was a stamp indicating at which engine plant the engine was assembled, the date it was assembled, and in what 'configuration' it was built.
You need to clean it really well to see if there's any hint of stamps.
Don't use anything abrasive on the pad because that might remove the last vestiges of the stamps.
Often when an engine has a complete rebuild or it's performance is upgraded the block is 'decked' which remove some iron from the blocks top surfaces. The process generally removes the stamped information too.
From the few engine compartment photos you've posted I'm seeing some aftermarket parts which would need to be identified in order to get some idea what the engine currently is.
Decking in itself doesn't mean the engine has been stroked.
Regards,
Alan
Hi Mason,
Nothing at all on the pad where you looked for the VIN?
Normally a good way to determine what your present engine started life as is to to look at the stamp pad on the block located just forward of the right side head.
The stamped information there will indicate at which engine plant this motor was assembled, when it was assembled, and in what configuration.
The pad will have an additional stamp which will indicate the type of vehicle it was first installed in.
Once you determine what your engine was originally you can then begin to see what's been changed.
Regards,
Alan
Yes, i've checked the right cylinder area around the water pump extensively. Only thing else I can do would be to remove the mount for the A/C compressor. From the pictures I've seen online, I'm fairly certain that the VIN has been lost when the head surface was machined. I posted a picture of where I believe it should be. I've read that there should be another VIN stamp near the oil filter. That area is dirty as all get out. I'm going to continue degreasing the engine this weekend. I have a big exam in neurology this Friday that I have to study for... It's really bugging me that the numbers aren't matching up because I was told it's parts matching.
At least the engine block casting number tells me it's a corvette block. From either an L48 or L82. Not sure how to tell except by looking at the bottom end when i pull the pan.
Last edited by Masonwader; Oct 24, 2016 at 01:14 PM.
Hi Mason,
I modified my post while you were posting.
I'd missed the fact that you'd found the pad. Take another read.
I'm unaware of a stamp on 350 engines near the oil filter… maybe on later engines that I'm unfamiliar with?
Regards,
Alan
...I've read that there should be another VIN stamp near the oil filter...
Originally Posted by Alan 71
...I'm unaware of a stamp on 350 engines near the oil filter…
Stamping near the oil filter is an alternative location and was not to be used unless the assembly line worker could not get a legible VIN derivative stamp on the engine pad. It may have occurred, but it would have been rare.
The first three or four days of 1970 production used the alternate location near the oil filter, but they reverted back to stamping the engine pad before assembly progressed too far.
Sorry Mason, but if neither of the stamps are visible on the block pad, in all likelihood the block was decked.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Oct 24, 2016 at 03:29 PM.
The L-82 heads should have pushrod guide plates. I had the same situation with mine being a swapped out block. I wound up getting a 78 L-82 4 bolt block and starting with that. Ive been meaning to post the progress with my project but have been busy doing the work!
Hi Mason,
"… where to look for the VIN on the transmission."
The transmission is stamped on the main case passenger side flange just in front of the tail extension.
The vin derivative stamp is there and also a stamp that indicates when the transmission was assembled and it's ratio.
Regards,
Alan
Engine was swapped, what do I have?
