Determining the year

[mariownd]

hey guys, im verrrry new here. but not a noob of
regals and gn's. i've built a couple regals and im 19.
but thast besides the point.
im a noob when it comes to the gn motor and
im wondering how to determine the year/model of
the motor. its not in the car. just on a engine stand.

is there a number on the block or some obv. indicator
to determine the year. i heard early year gn's turbos
arnt as good as the 86+?

is that true?

anybody plzzz help

 

[mikestertwo]

The 86', 87' blocks have a "109" cast into the side of them. They also have a raised boss in the front of the block where the oil return is for the turbo. If you go to the turbor regal website, there is a good discription of the differences.

 

[turbofish38]

There should be the last half of the VIN of the car the motor came out of stamped on a flat pad on the drivers side of the block on the bellhousing area. Here is a pic to show you where. Its hard to read but in this example the first number "4" means Buick. The next letter "G" means it's a 1986.(A=80,B=81...E=84,F=85,H=87,etc). The next letter "P" means the car was assembled in Pontiac MI. The next 6 numbers are the sequence.

 

[V6UnderPressure]

There should be the last half of the VIN of the car the motor came out of stamped on a flat pad on the drivers side of the block on the bellhousing area. Here is a pic to show you where. Its hard to read but in this example the first number "4" means Buick. The next letter "G" means it's a 1986.(A=80,B=81...E=84,F=85,H=87,etc). The next letter "P" means the car was assembled in Pontiac MI. The next 6 numbers are the sequence.

Is this true? My 87 GN starts with 1G4G. You said G is an 86?

 

[LBNJWE4]

Is this true? My 87 GN starts with 1G4G. You said G is an 86?

I think he meant further down on the VIN, I'm pretty sure they are all 1G4G., Mine is and it's an 87

 

[V6UnderPressure]

I think he meant further down on the VIN, I'm pretty sure they are all 1G4G., Mine is and it's an 87

You're right, I'm hallucinating. The 10th digit is the year.

 

[hrhoward]

What if there is no VIN ID stamped on the machined pad? The block from my '86 has one but the block from my '87 does not.

 

[turbofish38]

If there isn't a VIN stamped there than it's no big deal. A 109 block is a 109 block. Somewhere there is a thread detailing the lack of a VIN or partial VIN stamped on the block.

 

[hrhoward]

I could never find a thread dealing with the lack of a VIN. I am wondering if it could of been an over site on the line. I know there was nothing shady with the car this block came out of. I bought it in '94 and only had 36K and looked it. Completely stock, except for one new t-top panel.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

If you're asking about the two different variations of the fuel injected turbo regal engines, that's easy. If you're looking at the engine face on, as if the car was driving at you, just look where the turbo is. If it's right there on the front of the engine, where your left hand can easily grab it, it's an 86/87. If the turbo is on the rear of the engine, centered, it's the non intercooled 84/85 version. You heard right. The 84-5's aren't as good as the 86/7's. What I mean by good is, they're a bit harder to make go fast. Not to say there isn't any fast 'hot airs' out there, but just that they usually take a bit more work to get there that's all. If you're building one from the ground up, use the later engines. You'll have a bit more hair left on your head when you're done.