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So I pulled my engine out on my 72 Corvette for oil pan leak and was just curious only to find I had a 1969 302 Z28 Camaro engine! So my question is should I keep it or sale it and get a new engine?
Why would you pull the engine on your car to fix an oil pan leak?
Disconnect the idler arm, steering linkage drops, giving you clearance.
What is the engine code on the pad in front of the passenger side cylinder head?
Why did you title this thread "Engine Advance "?
.my advice , fix your oil leak and stuff it back in the vette and drive the wheels off,,,,
unless you have money to burn, you have no need for swapping the engine, save your cash and enjoy the C3,,
I would dig further into the codes. The engine pad would have a DZ for a 302. 72s had three digit codes but one of them was CDJ and one CDH and looks kinda close.
There should also be a partial vin # on the pad which should match your car. Check the block casting code and the casting date too.
Even if it is really a 302 I would change it out, they really did not have much TQ, but they did make good power between 3000 & 6500. Maybe 350HP. Your car would run much better with a 350 crank in it. and have way more TQ.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
how do you drive your car, Just to cruises and around town without showing off? If so leave it. If you want more power and this is a Z28 motor, then wait until you either have a new motor to drop in or take it out and sell it and then put the money towards the new motor. I had to do the later. If its just any old large main block then rebuild the block with a bigger crank, rods and domed pistons to get the most out of the bottom end and pick out your cam style of choice and decide on the lift you want. ITs just a matter of money
I have yet to drive it since it had so many issues I did not know about until I got it home and next day there was a puddle of every fluid on the floor.
Once you go down the road of replacing the engine, it's going to cost you double what you think. All the little things you're probably not thinking about right now. I like the idea of putting it back in and wait till you have a new engine ready to go (if you decided to replace it). Otherwise, you might get caught up in 'dreams' and it could sit around for 3-5 years w/o an engine ...while you could have been enjoying it.
If you have the VIN number on the block let me know and I will ask the admins over at the Camaro research group if the car is known, if so the short/long block would be worth a good bit to the person who owns the car, WAY more than it would be worth to you. 3k maybe 3500 for a short block maybe 5k for a long block, if the intake and carb are there and correct - add another grand. If it has a 480 distributor add another grand.
I would dig further into the codes. The engine pad would have a DZ for a 302. 72s had three digit codes but one of them was CDJ and one CDH and looks kinda close.
There should also be a partial vin # on the pad which should match your car. Check the block casting code and the casting date too.
Even if it is really a 302 I would change it out, they really did not have much TQ, but they did make good power between 3000 & 6500. Maybe 350HP. Your car would run much better with a 350 crank in it. and have way more TQ.
So many possibilities after all these years...
DZ engines are worth more than your car! This is the Z-28 engine. Believe it or not, I had a DZ in my 75 Blazer....yes! Not as much torque as a 327 or 350....but it would rev to 6500 RPM! (easily!). Driving a Blazer at 110 is a gonad shrinking experience, I'll tell you!
ME? I WOULD LEAVE IT ALONE! (You can sell it for much much more than a brand new ZZ350 crate motor costs!) If you lived in PHX I'd be camped in your driveway! Try a 'trolling ad' on Craigs..for ***** and grins....they should burn your computer down! Post it up at $10k
69 Z's are a lot of fun IF they were ordered with the correct gears and trans eg. M20's and 4.10's/4.56's...
Go from M20 and 4.10's to M21 and 3.73 and you will swear the EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ON... or someone threw out an anchor.
M21 with 3.73's gives you an effective first gear of 8.223 to 1.
M20 with 4.10's gives you an effective first gear of 10.332 to 1 --- 25% better first gear to get the mass moving!
Both of my 69 Z's had M20 4.10 combos.. all this talk about DZ's has me itching for another 69 Z.... damn it man!
Last edited by firstgenaddict; Sep 4, 2020 at 09:26 AM.
Engine advance
