Calling all BBC Experts

[cliles]

I have posted in various places regarding whether or not my "new-to-me" 454 is a Gen V or Gen VI or some sort of bastard offspring of the two.

I am not asking whether or not to debate that. All I would like to know about this engine, is do you think that this engine is Gen VI enough to have Mark IV heads installed with the "special" gasket. I offer you these photos and the casting number 12550313.

 

[bigred81]

The motor you have was a crate gen v motor so you will need to run the special head gaskets and should have a fuel pump boss on it to. Hope you plan to rebuild it it has a lot of bearing material in the lifter gallery.

 

[cliles]

Oh it will be rebuilt. I wanna make it badass, which sounds like it will require bigger oval ports or rectangular ports. That is why I am trying to figure out if older heads will fit.

Back to the question at hand. So you are saying this block will fit mark IV heads?

 

[nvrenuf]

I don't know enough about the gen V or VI's to identify by the deck surface or coolant passages. From the pics I've seen the front of the VI looks different because of the new style cover.

Can you get pics of the front also?

 

[JDNobodi]

The coolant passages don't look any MK IV I've seen plus there is bosses in the middle of the lifter valley.
I also believe the MK V also have the one piece main seal.

 

[cliles]

I don't know enough about the gen V or VI's to identify by the deck surface or coolant passages. From the pics I've seen the front of the VI looks different because of the new style cover.

Can you get pics of the front also?

It has a six bolt aluminum cover like the Gen VI, do you want a picture of that or with the timing chain cover removed?

 

[cliles]

The coolant passages don't look any MK IV I've seen plus there is bosses in the middle of the lifter valley.
I also believe the MK V also have the one piece main seal.

It definitely has the one piece main seal.

I guess I know that it is at least a gen 5, it has a lot of the gen 6 and beyond fixes, so it may even be a gen 6. But the really question is the second coolant passage modified enough to accept Mark IV heads with the special fel-pro gasket?