Is there a way of identify what year a LT5 engine is by external visual features? I have located a supposed "crate" engine and would like to determine what model year the engine is. Thanks in advance for any insight that can be provided.

 

Part number?

EGR presence or absence

EVAP fitting for 90 compared to 91-95

Look at the number sequence on the back of the head and cam cover. Low number early motor, high number, later motor.

 

Ok, If the engine is in the crate, will I be able to see the part numbers? Which engines had the EGR and which didn't? What are the visual differences in the Evap fittings? Will I be able to distinguish a 90 from a 91 from a 92 etc. Sorry to be so vague but I don't know much about the LT5's other than I know what one is when I see it.

 

'93s had EGR. The '90 had some differences in vacuum lines I believe on the driver's side of the air horn. I seem to recall on the passenger side there's also a difference with '91+ having some extra line and some plastic bracket that holds it in place near where the small coolant line comes out.

For numbers, check this out: http://zr1netregistry.com/ZR1_vin.htm

Definitely post some pictures and people will be able to tell you what you've got. It seems to me most of the brand-new crate motors are '93 motors, but I could be wrong about that.

 

Thanks. I don't have it yet. I'm going to an estate auction on Saturday and that is where the engine is. Is there a big difference in the value depending on what year it is? If so, what is the average price range?

 

there is a crate engine for sale on the registry , it inc, clutch bellhousing air conditioner pump alt, power stearing pump, and wiring. for 11,500 i believe the crate engines are 93s which are 405 hp . hope this helps

 

Bless your heart


Good fortune at the auction !

 

I believe this is correct. That's what the local Chevy dealer was selling a few years ago, and they all had the same thing on the "shelf".

 

If it's an original crate engine those were 93 and up 405 hp.

 

Follow up to my previous post. Went to the auction. The auction company had misrepresented horribly about what they were selling. The engine turned out NOT to be a "crate" engine at all. It was a very used up GM Tech engine with pyrometers sticking out of everywhere. It was seized up and wouldn't turn over. The air horn on the throttle body was broken and from the other obvious damage, it appeared to have been tossed in a dumpster at some point in time. It sold with a blue tag ZF trans with an unknown history for $2550.

 

Damn that is one hell of deal it could have been a early LT5 from the dark testing days

 

When you go to an auction you should know what you are looking at. The motor wa snot seized. Show me someone that can turn a motor over that has the plugs still installed and I call them a lair. The throttle body was not broke just the air horn. The pyrometers arn't much of a big deal, they are only in the plenum and can be filled easily. The blue tag was for an lt1 that was NOS. And it all went for $2300. The funny thing was it was a 93-95 plenum on a 90-92 motor.

 

I don't know if it was an early early motor but definitly a test motor. It seemed to be testing emissions because of the plenum having the egr opening.

 

Ok, I'm not here to get into a pissing match. When I go to an auction, I expect that the auction company will have been at least a little bit honest with the description of what they are selling. When I saw it, I knew what I was looking at thanks to the responses here and PM's sent to me by other forum members. It wasn't even close to what was described by the auction company when I called and talked to them days prior to the sale.
I didn't say the throttle body was broken, I said the air horn was. Read what I wrote. I didn't try to turn the engine over myself. Another person that was there said they had tried the previous day and it wouldn't. I didn't care. At that point, it didn't matter.
I found out after the auction was over that one of the bidders was there for the purpose of shill bidding on the stuff to raise the price. Whether it sold for $2300, $2400 or $2550 didn't matter to me. It wasn't as represented and I wasn't bidding on it so I didn't pay that close attention to the final sale price.
The ZF may have been NOS but if it had been stored correctly, it wouldn't have looked the way it did.
In the end, I didn't have to drive far so the sale was entertaining and it wasn't a complete waste of time and gas.

 

I've turned plenty of engines over that still had the spark plugs installed, there's no reason somebody couldn't. If you're using that as the reason, you've either never tried or didn't have a long enough breaker bar. Hell, I've turned them over with a 3/8" rachet with a long handle. Why do you think GM sells a tool to "lock" the flywheel on LSx engines when trying to tighten/loosen the crank bolt? If the engine couldn't be turned, it was seized...plain and simple. I've had seized engines before too, I know the difference.

 

What i meant was by hand with the spark plugs in and without any tools. (just using their bare hands)

Guys at the auction were trying to turn it over with their bare hands. Those same guys thought that the spark plugs were out of the motor. They didn't even look.

Anyway...The motor does turn over.

 

So I take it we are talking to the high bidder and new owner of an LT5?

If it can be made to run, the air horn can be replaced...you got a hell of a deal!