No Engine Number???

[sixequalseight]

I just pulled the engine out of my 84 T Type parts car and I'm planning to clean it up and stick it in my 84 GN. I went to look at the engine number to see if it cam in the parts car and there's no number. Do you figure it would have been a service replacement block?

 

[turbofish38]

Every block has a casting number. Here's a pic of a 109 block with the VIN stamped on it. The casting numbers are in the same location on all Buick V-6 blocks.

 

[sixequalseight]

Ah, I should have been more specific...the casting number is there...just no serial number. That's what I was curious about!

 

[1dollardog]

Is there any evidence of it being ground off?

 

[sixequalseight]

Not at all...factory machining marks just like the other blocks that I have...just no numbers stamped into the VIN area...

 

[kh440]

very very small chance that you have a factory foul-up, but the smart money is on it being a factory replacement block.

 

[sixequalseight]

very very small chance that you have a factory foul-up, but the smart money is on it being a factory replacement block.

That's kind of what I figured, just wanted someone else to think so too...thanks for the input. Kind of explains why the engine ran so well in a car that was pretty whooped.

 

[Rat Pack]

Actually it is more than likely the original engine to the car and not a warranty or replacement engine. The replacement blocks were stamped at the engine assembly plant for use in warranty or normal parts sales. Those numbers were used to track its sale to the dealer. When used under a warranty situation then those numbers would be transferred to the paperwork for documentation for the car it went into. Same goes for a replacement engine bought through the parts department, that is how they tracked warranty information to the customer. Now I am not 100% up on the Buick engine stampings for the 80's - up engines, but the norm for the earlier ones was something like: BE4XXXXXX. This stands for Buick Engine, 4 (year: 74, 84, 94, 04) then the serial number for the engine, not a car. When an engine is used in a production vehicle, the vin is stamped by an assembly line worker just before the engine is installed into the chassis. They could have been running behind that day and it wasn't stamped, or the worker just forgot what he/she was doing. Check the cast date of the block and compare it to the build date of the car on the trim tag or door decal. It should precede the vehicle build date by as little as a day, up to a few weeks. This block would be a restampers dream for their 84 GN or T-type................RatPack.....................

 

[turbofish38]

I've pulled many a engine out of the boneyards with no VIN stampings. If it was a replacement block or motor from GM than it would have the part number or a part of it stamped on the pad. I dont think rebuilders remove the VIN either. To much time and effort I'm thinking. I'd be more inclined to think that somebody just forget to do it. Now a little trick I was told by one of my Corvette restoring buddies is that GM used some specific machining equipment on their blocks. You'd have to see how a machine shop resurfaces blocks and heads to really see what I'm talking about but GM used huge Blanchard grinders that leave a really course surface. You should see really wide swatches cut into the surface. A machine shop almost always leaves a finer pattern. Thats how you tell if the deck of a block has been machined or as in the case of a Chevy has had the block restamped. If the VIN pad on your block looks factory machined than I'd say somebody just forgot to stamp it.

 

[sixequalseight]

The number pad has the original coarse machining marks like Eric described...must be some sort of goof. I have a NOS shortblock but its buried right now...it'll be interesting to see if numbers are stamped into that block. I bought it so long ago I don't remember if there's anything there...but it's coming out soon...

 

[turbofish38]

I've got some pics I'll post later. I must have at least 10 blocks laying around and half of them you couldn't make out what VIN was stamped on them. Some were double stamped and some cockeyed and some have only half of the numbers stamped.

I never saw one stamped BE. If it was than it meant 1981 Linden NJ. B=1981(A=80,C=82) E=Linden(P=Pontiac) assembly line. Buick V-6 engines are not stamped like any thing else GM has as in the alphanumeric system used on Chevy motors. Buick did use these types of codes but on the V-6 they were printed an a litlle decal and stuck on one of the valve covers. Some of us with low mileage motors probally still have that decal on the drivers side valve cover. It's the one with the bar code on it.

 

[Rat Pack]

I wasn't talking about the production engines in regards to the BE (Buick Engine), warranty replacement and parts department short & long block assemblies were stamped with some form of identification as to what application it was to be used in. The sticker on the valve cover was for easy identification when the cars were assembled and the bar code was scanned to show it was removed from inventory. It is easier to see a sticker on top of a valve cover than to look for its code stamped on the block for the correct application. On some later model cars there were paper stickers with the stamp code printed on them and they fit in a freeze plug that was easily seen by a forklift or crane operator at the carline assy plant. Now it is possible that some of the V6 replacemet engines had a sticker in a freeze plug, because they didn't always replace a long block assembly under warranty, and rocker covers may/or may not have been on those that were complete with heads. However I doubt they would use a sticker as there had to be some permanent way of tracking the engine after it was installed, whether a warranty replacement or over the counter sale. If there are not any numbers stamped then I say it is an original engine in the car, especially if the cast dates line up. The vins were supposed to be stamped on all engines that were installed originally into a car, and as long as they have been doing that, there were some that were not stamped for whatever reason, and no manufacturer is exempt from such anomolies............RatPack...........................