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Engine Decoding Help

handloader90

handloader90

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Looking for some help on this engine.

Was told it was a 327 SBC, I don't 100% believe it.

Here is a pic of the engine code and vin on the front pad, passenger side of the block.

The last letter on there is a "J".

I got on nastyz28 to try to decode but I think I lost some brain cecelcecellcecelcecells in the process...

20180629_175059.jpg
 
I could probably snap a pic of the casting on ththe driver side rear of the block to if need be.
 
end of the crank shaft at the back of the engine . each crank stroke has its own pattern .

otherwise run the casting #'s before you buy any sbc as they all look basicly the same .

and 302/327/350 all use the same 4.0" bore block . and more and more and more . . .

NEVER take someones word for it . :deal:
 
sweetk30 said:
end of the crank shaft at the back of the engine . each crank stroke has its own pattern .

otherwise run the casting #'s before you buy any sbc as they all look basicly the same .

and 302/327/350 all use the same 4.0" bore block . and more and more and more . . .

NEVER take someones word for it . :deal:
Click to expand...
Isn't the sb400 the same too? I've been curious if I can swap my intake off my 350 to a sb400?
 
At least from what NastyZ28 is showing, any 327 will have a two character suffix code, quick scan looks like any engine 1970+ is three character?

Doesn't really matter, all minutiae, CEJ shows as one of three different 305's. I've never heard of a suffix code being wrong.

Unless going for numbers matching resto, a 350 will do everything a 327 will do, except better.
 
As noted above,the CEJ code does come up as a 305,one of three years,'78.80.and '82 with crossfire fuel injection..
I see a "7" in the prefix,that may be part of the VIN off the vehicle it was from,in that case it might be the higher output '82 CFI engine,that was the engine code for that year & model..

That casting number near the bell housing will help pin down the cubic inch size,but not a year or model of the vehicle it came in..

Chevy did switch to a 3 digit code in 1970,before that they used just two letter (usually,numbers were also used in some cases)..

Most GM engines after 1976 or so were painted blue,not orange,and it's strange this engine seems to have been red originally,its a lot of work stripping off every flake of the blue paint to make it appear to be an older engine. a 327 wont have EGR either,but the intake may have been swapped or an aftermarket one put on it..
I never heard of the cranks being different at the flywheel end before,that is good to know if there is a way to use that to identify the cubic inch and year of the engine..crank casting numbers could be used,but that requires pulling the oil pan off--which might not be a bad idea anyways,then you can see if its a 4 bolt main while it is off..

I would guess its not a 327 just due to the fact it has a 3 digit engine code,as they dropped the 327 in 1969 I believe.
 
Gotta ask, where are those numbers located?

I've searched online extensively, including NastyZ28.com and other places, but either I am looking in the wrong spots, or my engine is some sort of misfit.

I allegedly have a 350, everyone who sees it agrees, and the parts fit. Oddly, half of the plug wires I bought that should have fit are too long (OEM for an 85 K5). Other than that, I must be looking in the wrong places. (Edit to add: Previous owner didn't know year of engine or what it came out of)

So where did you find those numbers?
 
pass side block pad under alternator location . if block has been decked they will be done . or if replacement engine no #'s also .

as to plug wires not fitting i swear every time you get a set there longer than last time . . . dont go by this .
 
GoGoGirl said:
Gotta ask, where are those numbers located?

I've searched online extensively, including NastyZ28.com and other places, but either I am looking in the wrong spots, or my engine is some sort of misfit.

I allegedly have a 350, everyone who sees it agrees, and the parts fit. Oddly, half of the plug wires I bought that should have fit are too long (OEM for an 85 K5). Other than that, I must be looking in the wrong places. (Edit to add: Previous owner didn't know year of engine or what it came out of)

So where did you find those numbers?
Click to expand...
Like sweets said, but with visual cuz I had one out...

837DB8D1-DC47-432D-A677-0845C1D8B839.jpeg
 
sweetk30 said:
pass side block pad under alternator location . if block has been decked they will be done . or if replacement engine no #'s also .

as to plug wires not fitting i swear every time you get a set there longer than last time . . . dont go by this .
Click to expand...
I thought they were behind the head driver side. Where you can't see them
 
GoGoGirl said:
Gotta ask, where are those numbers located?

I've searched online extensively, including NastyZ28.com and other places, but either I am looking in the wrong spots, or my engine is some sort of misfit.

I allegedly have a 350, everyone who sees it agrees, and the parts fit. Oddly, half of the plug wires I bought that should have fit are too long (OEM for an 85 K5). Other than that, I must be looking in the wrong places. (Edit to add: Previous owner didn't know year of engine or what it came out of)

So where did you find those numbers?
Click to expand...
That's why a lot of people get wire kits to cut their own. It's what I did, but mine are still a little too long. I routed them a little creatively, plus better to long than to short.
 
No. Can be tough to see depending on what accessories and junk are there, but it's passenger side, deck surface, forward end of the block.

Casting number is at the back and hard to see.

tenderfoot said:
I thought they were behind the head driver side. Where you can't see them
Click to expand...
 
Back in the day there was like 100 different spark plug wire sets listed for particular GM vehicles--but basically there were only a few for small blocks, ,either the kind with points that went under the exhaust manifolds--or the shorter style that stay above the exhaust manifolds--then there are two others for HEI in similar fashion,long or short..but for some reason they never seemed to be consistent lengths or quality..

It was one of the hardest things,to sell someone a set of wires that fit right,and they were satisfied with..some sets went sour just sitting on the shelf,by the time we sold them,they were porus and lighting up at night like neon,or causing a skip on rainy days..

I like the Filko Mag Core wires best,the Blue Streak aramid core ones were usually junk,but being kevlar,you could practically use them to pull the engine,but as far as being good conductors or having good insulation it was a crap shoot..Autolite wires were hit & miss too..

I never cared for Accel wires,or cutting my own and putting the ends on,Taylor wires were good but expensive and most parts stores dont carry them here..Delco-Packard cable was probably the best plug wires back in the day..
I haven't bought plug wires in 15 years,but even back them I was disgusted with the cheap crap that Autozone was selling,the insulation was this as grape skins and they split as soon as you went to poke them in the wire looms..

I forgot to mention some "complete engine" replacements used under warranty were coded "CE" ,and the dealer would stamp one of the digits off the VIN to the end of the pad so as to identify it belonging to that particular vehicle..a "CE" code engine would likely have to be opened up and the bore & stroke measured to truly determine which cubic inch it is..(and that code above could be a "complete engine",you never know)..
 
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