Engine manufacture date??? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Devins-step · 07-15-2010, 01:23 PM

Hey guys a little help here please. My 1970 GMC/Chevy has a later model 350engine in it. (has elctronic ignition). How can I tell exactly what year it is?
Thanks

Tink · 07-15-2010, 01:35 PM

I'm pretty sure you can 'decode' the engine ID stamp on the front of the block - in front of the passenger's side cylinder head - unless the block has been decked, then the number would be gone. There are some websites (mortec) that have the information on the ID numbers.

**john** · 07-15-2010, 02:00 PM

Heres a site to decode your suffix#.
http://www.nastyz28.com/decode.php The mortec site seems to be down.

Devins-step · 07-15-2010, 03:10 PM

Thanks guys I will give it a shot!

storm9c1 · 07-15-2010, 03:36 PM

I have a Chevy casting numbers book at home. If you can't find them online and if you post the numbers from the front and back of the engine, I can look them all up for you.

Longhorn Man · 07-15-2010, 04:23 PM

electronic ignition can be swapped into an original motor... so therre is a posibility that it's original still.

raycow · 07-16-2010, 06:39 AM

The stamping on the front of the engine gives you the month and day only. The same suffix code can be used for multiple years, so it is not a positive indication of the year of manufacture. For the year you need to look at the casting date on top of the block to the rear of the intake manifold. This is most easily done with a mirror and a light.

Ray

**GMCPaul** · 07-16-2010, 07:14 AM

Casting Clock
On some Saginaw blocks, intakes and exhausts a "clock" was cast into the block. The clock is a circle of 10 dots, one dot for each hour of a shift (usually 10 hour shifts). An arrow points to the beginning of the shift an another dot outside the circle indicates what time of day the cast part was made.*
Casting Date
Small block casting date is located on driver side rear of block on flange forward of bellhousing. Big block on the right side of engine above the oil pan rails.

Casting Date Example: A087 - ( = Month, 08 = Day, 7= Last digit of model year (1967)).

Month: A = Jan, B = Feb, C = Mar, D = Apr, E = May, F = Jun, G = July, H = Aug, I = Sep,*
J = Oct, K = Nov, L = Dec

GMCPaul

07-15-2010, 01:23 PM	#1
Devins-step Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seffner, FL Posts: 55	Engine manufacture date??? Hey guys a little help here please. My 1970 GMC/Chevy has a later model 350engine in it. (has elctronic ignition). How can I tell exactly what year it is? Thanks

07-15-2010, 01:35 PM	#2
Tink Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: VA Posts: 1,337	Re: Engine manufacture date??? I'm pretty sure you can 'decode' the engine ID stamp on the front of the block - in front of the passenger's side cylinder head - unless the block has been decked, then the number would be gone. There are some websites (mortec) that have the information on the ID numbers. __________________ 69 Chevy C10 88 Sierra 02 2500 Suburban And too many S10s to list!

07-15-2010, 02:00 PM	#3
john member #16 Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Yuba City Ca. Posts: 3,618	Re: Engine manufacture date??? Heres a site to decode your suffix#. http://www.nastyz28.com/decode.php The mortec site seems to be down. __________________ john http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showgroups.php board vendors http://www.flickr.com/photos/1745471...7602865984234/ Last edited by john; 07-15-2010 at 02:01 PM.

07-15-2010, 03:10 PM	#4
Devins-step Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seffner, FL Posts: 55	Re: Engine manufacture date??? Thanks guys I will give it a shot!

07-15-2010, 03:36 PM	#5
storm9c1 * That's interesting * Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,772	Re: Engine manufacture date??? I have a Chevy casting numbers book at home. If you can't find them online and if you post the numbers from the front and back of the engine, I can look them all up for you. __________________ Tom Chevy by day... 1969 Chevy C30 Rollback Tow Truck -- 383 stroker, 4L80E 2011 Chevy Caprice PPV 9C3 6.0L 1995 Chevy Caprice 9C1 1994 Chevy Caprice 9C1 #3 1995 Chevy Caprice Wagon #2 1995 Chevy Impala SS Mopar by night... 1969 Dodge Charger 1972 Chrysler Newport 2dr Hardtop (27K miles) Plus others...

07-15-2010, 04:23 PM	#6
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: Engine manufacture date??? electronic ignition can be swapped into an original motor... so therre is a posibility that it's original still.

07-16-2010, 06:39 AM	#7
raycow Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA USA Posts: 2,454	Re: Engine manufacture date??? The stamping on the front of the engine gives you the month and day only. The same suffix code can be used for multiple years, so it is not a positive indication of the year of manufacture. For the year you need to look at the casting date on top of the block to the rear of the intake manifold. This is most easily done with a mirror and a light. Ray Last edited by raycow; 07-16-2010 at 06:49 AM.

07-16-2010, 07:14 AM	#8
GMCPaul Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Rockville,In. USA Posts: 3,722	Re: Engine manufacture date??? Casting Clock On some Saginaw blocks, intakes and exhausts a "clock" was cast into the block. The clock is a circle of 10 dots, one dot for each hour of a shift (usually 10 hour shifts). An arrow points to the beginning of the shift an another dot outside the circle indicates what time of day the cast part was made.* Casting Date Small block casting date is located on driver side rear of block on flange forward of bellhousing. Big block on the right side of engine above the oil pan rails. Casting Date Example: A087 - ( = Month, 08 = Day, 7= Last digit of model year (1967)). Month: A = Jan, B = Feb, C = Mar, D = Apr, E = May, F = Jun, G = July, H = Aug, I = Sep,* J = Oct, K = Nov, L = Dec GMCPaul __________________ Secure Online Catalog for-GMCPauls Truck Parts Email- GMCPAULS@GMAIL.COM



Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.