I 'm trying to find what size & year this chevy V-8 engine is. It's not the car's original motor.?

Question

Engine's currently in 64 corvette and running. The pad on the passanger's side just in the front of the head is blank, no #s showing and it doesn't appear damaged, just blank. On the driver's side to the rear of the motor just before the bellhousing the block is stamped in large letters "GM" then below that in large numbers "8970010". Any ideas?

Answer 1

This site will tell you what numbers to look for and where to find them.

Answer 2

No matter what year or displacement, no block ever came from the factory without engine ID numbers, it appears that, from your description, the pad had been ground down to eliminate them (very possibly, the engine had been stolen at some point). I am assuming it is a small block (283, 327, 350, etc.), but the following information also applies to big blocks (396, 427, 454). The number on the rear of the block is either a casting number or part number for the block - you should be able to determine what it was (originally) using an interchange manual which lists part and casting numbers. Most salvage yards have them, and will let you look for such information. Of course, this does not guarantee that the engine in your Corvette is still in that configuration. You need to check the head casting numbers (and the indicators on the ends of the heads, such as "two bumps for 2.02 valve heads" to determine the possible changes, and you can't really tell what displacement it is unless you check the crank and bore, as the small block Chevy is one of the most frequently modified engines out there. Given the "missing" serial number, etc., it seems likely that the engine was from a car that was stolen at some point in the past, and it has probably undergone modification to some level at different points in its life, so the only way to know for sure would be to disassemble the engine and check all the parts. Frankly, if it runs well and delivers performance you are satisfied with, I'd recommend just driving it. If you want to start modifying it, you really need to know what you've got, 'cause a cam that will work well with a 327 or 350 for high performance work will probably have very little torque if you actually have a 283, or low compression pistons, or small valve heads, etc. The same goes for most other components - headers with large tube primaries will work well on a hot 327 or 350, but will result in bogging on smaller engines; cast crankshafts are not good for turning over 5,500 RPM or so, forged cranks are good for much higher RPMs. The list goes on and on.

Answer 3

'pilot' assumes to much. An engine that has been 'decked' wipes this 'pad' clean of numbers.There are chemical ways to raise this number such as used to raise filed off gun serial numbers. Check the heads and belt driven accessory configuration to assess true to year specs. My '65 SS Impala had a factory 300hp. 327ci. with double hump heads with NO drilled and taped holes for bracket mounts. The oil fill was on the intake manifold at the very front. The exhaust manifolds looked like 'rams horns'.I remember the pad serial number having 'HD' in it which identified it as a 300 hp. It had a carter 4 barrel carb and ridged valve covers with a small raised pad for '327' chrome stickers. This engine was coupled to the factory 'slip and slide' powerglide auto and true to it's name would slip then grab at 60mph,barking the rear tire,when it shifted from 1st to drive. I bought this car when I was 16,back in '78,for $75 bucks from the original owner. The body looked like it was raced in more than one demolition derby but the interior and front clip were nearly perfect. I eventually parted it out and made $400 bucks on the deal. I wish I still had it.

Answer 4

engine number ( if i remember right) should be behind the intake, next to the oil pressure sensor. find it & run it thru your local chevy dealer. if that fails & you really want to know for sure, you gotta open her up. measure the bore & stroke, use this formula:
bore x bore x stroke x .7854 x number of cylinders. to help narrow it down, if the motor has gasketed spark plugs, it's likely an early motor: 283, 307, 327. if it has tapered seat plugs, it could be a late 307, 305, 350, or 400. if it has a manual trans, rule out 400. who knows? could even be a put-together.

Answer 5

well, obviously not a Ford motor. It most likely came with a 327, and maybe it still is. That or a small block 350. Only way to know is to pull a head and measure the piston dia

Answer 6

This block was shaved for racing. The heads are shaved .030-0.60 and the block shaved the same to accept the intake. Look underneath for a casting # for the yr made

Answer 7

this sounds like a warranty replacement motor done by a dealer during the warranty coverage or something like that. You know, like maybe it was raced or driven hard and blew the motor and had it replaced. most engines like that wouldn't have i.d. numbers because you could pass them off as all original.

Answer 8

The number you gave isn't a good number I think.

You can go to www.mortec.com and find all kinds of data pertaining to chevrolet v8 from 55 on, big, small, and "W"

Answer 9

read racer