Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

I was originally guessing that my 350 in the IROC was just a run of the mill 2 bolt truck engine from something like an early 80's Suburban, since I knew the casting number of the heads.

They're the crappy 462624 heads which I don't mind at all, since I plan to eventually rebuild with Edelbrock Performer RPM heads, since they're a good head. 185cc runners, 64cc chambers, aluminum, assembled from Summit for only $559 each.

I got some good news with the block. I read that it's a 3970010 block, which was used from 1968 to 1979. 2 or 4 bolt, I'm hoping for it to be a 4 bolt, so I'm going to pull the pan in a few days.

Now with this combination of heads and block, 462624 heads and 3970010 block, if they're original, it's only possible that my engine was produced from 1976 until 1979. I think it's going to end up being an L48 from either 1978 or 1979 Corvette, which made somewhere around 185 HP and 270 LB-FT stock. I don't think it's possible that it's the earlier more common L48 since they used different heads, 462624 heads didn't come along until 1976.

With the head and block info I've given, do you guys think it could be anything besides an L48 or L82? L82 used 462624 heads too, but it's a much more rare engine, I believe something like only 10% of C3 Corvettes were optioned for the L82. I suppose it could be anything though. Since I'm junking the horrible 462624 heads, that's what I'm hoping at this point. I'm hoping the previous owner found himself a good old 4 bolt 010 block, and put junk heads on it that were basically whatever he could find.

I understand the 4 bolt doesn't have much advantage over the 2 bolt, but I want to be able to actually run it when it's rebuilt, and not have any worries. I've been planning on a forged 383 stroker kit from Eagle for a long time, but I've been sidetracked with dumping money into the Mustang.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Not sure how you jumped to the "Corvette" conclusion; nothing in the casting #s contains any such information.

Not that it would matter: the vast majority of "Corvette" engines in the years in question are exactly the same as the engines in anything else. Yerbasic 8.2:1 smogger POS with a 929 cam. Indistinguishable from a truck, Impala, Chevelle, or anything else. Identical in every detail to all those others, except that some of those and some trucks got 4-bolt main caps installed on them. Which doesn't matter for what most of us are doing here; those extra 2 bolts offer no advantage in the usage we put blocks to. Absolutely none whatsoever. Certainly nothing that would change anything about "worry". You still get to worry about all the same things THAT MATTER (such as the quality of the workmanship in the rebuild), which those extra 2 bolts don't.

3970010 is probably the single most common 350 block casting there is. Probably 40-50% of all 70s 350s were built out of that casting. There is nothing even remotely special about it.

Not sure about all this "hope" stuff. What difference would it make to THE BLOCK, what shape the sheet metal (or even fiberglass) it came wrapped in originally? Blocks have notoriously short memories when it comes to such things. Those wrappings confer no special advantages at all. No magic emanated from the fiberglass or whatever and imbued THE BLOCK with any "special" properties.

Basically, you have a run-of-the-mill 70s 350 block, with smogger heads on it. Whatever engine it once might have been, if it has been rebuilt, it no longer is; so its origin is completely irrelevant. You might just as well ponder whether the water coming out of your faucet evaporated from the Pacific or the Carribean before it ended up in the rain cloud it last fell from, and decide on its "quality" accordingly. There's simply no trace of any of that left.

Wherever your block came from, your plan sounds reasonable. Same thing all the rest of us do to old core motors. Take off the smogger heads and throw them in the trash; take out the 929 cam and trash it; improve on the notoriously sloppy factory machine work of the 70s (which I hope none of it, such as the starter bolt hole location, is so bad as to render the finished product deficient); and put back stuff that supports our own personal goals. "Corvette" doesn't enter the picture anywhere.

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

I think you missed my point. I'm not trying to go around and say I have a "CAHVETTE MOTA" I just want to know where it's from. Not that it really matters since I'm trashing the smog heads and eventually stroking it out to a 383, but it'd just be nice to know. The 3970010 350's used in Novas, Impalas, etc, used different heads since the 462629 didn't come around until 1976. So I narrowed it down to it being a 1978-1979 L48, or a 1976-1979 L82, since my head and block combination was only made for a short amount of time, those 4 years.

No need to get such an attitude about it. I'd just like to find myself with a 4 bolt 010 block, and track down what it's from. I know they're very common, I didn't ask about that. I just wanted to know of any 3970010 and 462624 combination that were used between 1976 and 1979 besides the L48 and L82, if there are any.

Should have just gone and pulled the pan to see if it's a 2 or 4, and not bothered asking anything about it's potential origin on here. Figured it would turn into "oh it dunt matta if it's 2 or 4 bolt" when that's not even what I'm asking. Doesn't matter at all what it's from, just a matter of curiosity to me. And what I've been able to figure out so far is, either L48 or L82. Guess I'll just have to look for a partial VIN/date code when I pull it.

Anyhow, thanks!

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

And my point is, it doesn't make the slightest bit of difference where it's from. No attitude; just reality. Feet planted firmly on the ground.

Doesn't matter whether THE BLOCK started out life as part of a L48, L82, or any other motor. At this point in its life, it's A BLOCK. No more, no less. Nothing of its provenance remains. Even less will remain after its next rebuild. All of that "where it's from" doesn't leave even the slightest detectable trace. IT DOESN'T MATTER.

There is no advantage to a 3970010 block. I'm not sure why that's a big deal to you. Personally, I avoid them, along with all the other 70s garbage. Out of all the 010s I've built (a considerable number) I have yet to find any characteristic that makes it better than any other. Their factory quality control was just as bad as all the rest. They are just as prone to having The Starter Bolt Hole Problem, The Lifter Bore Problem, The Bell Housing Dowel Pin Problem, and all the other Problems, as any other casting #. They are made out of the exact same metal as all the rest, hot-rodder mythology about "high nickel" notwithstanding. Their decks are just as randomly wrong as any other block, they are just as prone to casting core shift, they wear just as much when POs drive them for 10s of 1000s of miles without changing the oil, and on and on and on. All of that stuff THAT REALLY MATTERS, is all the same. There's just no benefit there.

Just because somebody bolted up some of the worst heads there are at some point, to one of the most common blocks there are, dosn't somehow make the result "rare" or "special" or "from a Vette". I'm not sure where you're going with all this. You're chasing imaginary rainbows and uselessness.

Execute your plan, which seems fundamentally sound, and forget about all that other. IT DOESN'T MATTER.

Yes pull the pan to count the bolts, if you really care (not sure why you would, but w/e); it's the only way to know. Kind of like rear gear ratios.

And yes, AFAIK the 010/624 combo was EXTREMELY common in 70s blocks. I have thrown away literally PILES of 624s that came off of 350s, including 010 castings. Again, there's no information contained in that combination, especially since you can't possibly have any idea how it got that way.

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

Alright. You win, I lose. It doesn't matter where it's from, it's just a common POS 70's block. I understand this, before you blurted it out two dozen times. I know it's a common block with smog heads, it'd just be nice to know what it is from, even though that gives it no special abilities above being a 185 HP smogger engine.

Doesn't matter, just wanted to know, and you're not offering any information there. I love how people go off topic when they don't have an answer to the question asked.

"What's it from?" "IT DOESN'T MATTER"

Thanks. You got your post count a little higher, that's what it's all about.

camaronewbie

There's no way to tell what it's from - that's what he's trying to tell you.

The ONLY way to be guaranteed that any SBC is "from" anything is to have a factory original numbers matching car with zero miles on it and the engine still in the car.

GM made engines, put the same damn engines in everything from vettes to trucks to grandma's station wagon. The only thing you can say is that it came out of a GM vehicle. You'll never know what it came out of, there's no way to tell.

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

Not to be rude, but apparently I've done my research on this a little more. He doesn't know nearly as much as he thinks he does.

If you can't tell, why do you think there's such a term as "numbers matching" when it comes to collector cars? Partial VINs and date codes help to authenticate such a car!





http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.php

There are ways of telling. It does NOT end at "that's not an original engine so you cannot ever tell what it was originally in".....

You were correct until the other half of that sentence. How do you think they identify a numbers matching vehicle? Partial VINs. Date codes are used to give "period correct" non-numbers matching cars a bit of authenticity, for something like a restoration type scenario also.

This actually isn't even about WHAT car it came from. I asked if anyone KNEW OF any other specific 462624/3970010 combinations that were used, and implied I was looking for such combos used from 1976 to 1979. That is all. The only combinations I've found so far that used 462624 heads and 3970010 blocks are the standard Corvette L48 engine from 1978 or 1979, or the L82. The earlier L48's were used in a number of vehicles before the 462624 heads, but I believe they were used only as a Corvette base engine after 1978, to 1979. I'm not sure. I found even less info on the L82.

That's all I wanted, some insight to help narrow down the vehicles my engine may be from, only out of curiosity. Why would I want someone telling me that it doesn't matter? I'm only asking out of curiosity, that's BS. If someone doesn't have a reasonable, knowledgeable answer, then they shouldn't reply.

Guess this thread backfired due to a lack of knowledge. I'll just pull the engine and get a partial VIN sooner or later. Camaronewbie, thanks for not getting irate about it, but there are ways to tell.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Yes I know all about "numbers matching". Been knowing about it, from what I can tell, since your daddy was barely even a gleam in your granddad's eye.

"Numbers matching" implies that you have an ENGINE (known, complete, not some collection of parts scabbed loosely into a pile by a PO) that CAME WITH THE CAR IT MATCHES.

I think that's not an issue here. Could be wrong, correct me if so.

You're the only one here who is "irate". Don't accuse me of that, I'm perfectly fine with explaining to you and passing on the knowledge I've gained from many decades in this hobby. Trust me, I'm not the one trying to concoct some off-the-wall story about the origin of some random "rebuilt" collection of engine parts; there's no "irate" here. I'm not the least bit offended by somebody telling you that your fantasy is .... a fantasy.

I'm trying to tell you, at this point in that engine's life, whatever info there ever WAS in those codes, is now .... GONE. Except for a "numbers matching" situation, in which the concern isn't WHAT THE ENGINE IS, but rather, that THE NUMBERS MATCH. Again, not an issue here, I think we can all easily agree.

You have a block .... no knowledge of where it's from. It has some heads .... no knowledge of where they came from. More specifically,whether they came with that block. It's a SUPER common block, and SUPER common heads. Neither is anything special; a 185 HP 350 is not something I would brag about, personally, in spite of it having been, at the time, about as good as was available, in the environment of the time. (although that has nothing to do with THE BLOCK.... I can easily take THAT BLOCK and make it put out 600 HP, if you'll put up the money.) You're trying to inject all this "rare" and "only years this combo was available" and "Corvette" stuff into a bunch of REALLY ORDINARY old junk car parts. Not sure why. If you could tell us where you were going with this, like why it would MATTER, maybe we could help you find some other way to find out what you want to know.

But regardless, a block is a block is a block is a block is a block is a ..... It just doesn't matter what it came out of. I'm not sure how many you've ever worked with, but out of the hundreds I have, I can assure you, NOT ONE bore the slightest trace, other than a stamping code, that remained identifiable about its origin; and if it had ever been decked, even that trace was gone. IOW, a .005" cut off the deck to clean itup, and voilà, ALL BLOCKS ARE INSTANTLY EQUALIZED.

Be realistic instead of snobbish about all your "rare" and "Corvette" crap. answer this one question: if you knew what that block came out of, what would you do differently? That right there is the mark of "useful" information: something you can use to make a decision. If that block came out of a "Corvette", what would you do differently than if it had come out of a 74 Impala 2-bbl? If the heads came out of a "Corvette", what would you do differently compared to if they came off of a 76 Monte Carlo?

Bottom line: IT DOESN'T MATTER. If you're having trouble with that idea, let me know which word is giving you trouble, and I'll try to explain it more fully. Beyond a passing momentary intellectual curiosity, it is of no value.

BTW, I have tried to look up that code for you, to tell where the block came from; and I don't find it. It doesn't look like a factory stamping code besides: the letters are different sizes. But in case it is, T0502E would be an engine produced in the Tonawanda plant on the 2nd day of month 5 (May); suffix code E is a 68 327 manual transmission, and there is no EH or EHK that I can find. If the rest of the code is a VIN code like it should be, it's a Flint car, but the Flint plant only made Buicks; so most likely you have a part of an original stapming code that was so low on the block that it accidentally didn't get decked off, the original VIN did get decked, and the other #s are some rebuilder's shop order number or that sort of thing.

Yes your thread has backfired due to a lack of knowledge. YOURS. I'm trying to give you that knowledge so it won't continue to backfire. And that knowledge is, those codes no longer matter. Their duty is done, they are obsolete, their information no longer applies, they no longer mean whatever they ever might have meant, and now, the parts are merely to be accepted at face value. Which is to say, they are now a 350 BLOCK, and some disgusting useless smogger heads that you yourself don't even want. That's all it is now. However romantic or interesting the history of any part of it might have been, it's over, and the BLOCK has forgotten it.

Good luck! As said, your build plan seems sound, go forward with it. Put your mental effort into moving forward instead of looking back, and your project will proceed at a faster pace.

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

So that's it. You think I'm coming off as one of them "Camaro with CAHVETTE MOTA" rejects. No, I just like to research the history of things. It's just my personality, I like to figure things out. It's neat to imagine what my engine might've been in. Ya know? Maybe not. You figured it out though, I want my engine to play a role in a romantic mystery novel, and trace back it's terrific history.

I wouldn't do a single thing differently. I want to know purely out of curiosity, as mentioned previously. I don't get what's so hard to grasp about that. I couldn't care less if it were purchased as a GM crate motor, and used in a farm tractor at first, or a boat, or from a truck that was used to plow snow in elementary school parking lots. Or even if it were from a 2nd gen Camaro. However, it would be pretty neat to know, that's all I'm saying.

Yes, certainly, my lack of knowledge. That's why YOU obviously haven't paid attention to any of the piles upon piles of engines you've supposedly tinkered with. I'm not sure if you're aware or not, but there are partial VINs that can trace a block back to what it was originally used in. Although, thank you for attempting to insult my intelligence when you blatantly left out that huge detail, or just weren't aware of it.

This is pretty ridiculous. Just get back on topic or don't post in this thread anymore. I wanted to know of any other 462624/3970010 combinations used between 1976-1979, not why it doesn't matter, not your life story, nor do I want to sit here and watch you imply that you're 60+ years old. That's what's useless, not just wanting to research the history of an engine.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Yes you are right: I'm thinking you're coming off as one of THOSE, but not by intent; I think you're doing it because you lack the knowledge of how offensive it is.

Hey, if you can figure out what those random parts in that collection came out of, more power to you.

If you can figure out of what value that is, even more power to you.

Just don't expect any more power to your engine.

I'm betting you're not real old, maybe early 20s at most by the way you talk.... ever notice how, from one day to the next, you notice that you've learned stuff? That, today, you're a little smarter than yesterday, and just yesterday you learned something that made whatever you thought the day before seem kinda silly, and on that day you had found something out that had been bothering you for weeks before, and so on? Well let me ask you a question: do you think that process ever stops? So here I am giving you the opportunity to get a leg up on the process by offering you the accumulated result of DECADES of experience, going back to before those old junk parts in your collection there were BRAND-NEW; and dyou on't have enough wisdom yet (a separate thing from "knowledge") to take advantage of it? That's a shame. You know, it's ALOT less painful to listen to other people describe their own mistakes, and then avoid them, than to make all the same mistakes yourself. That's wisdom.

So now that you've basically made a fool of yourself (but don't realize it yet because you STILL haven't learned how useless those numbers are), what do you suppose you'll learn tomorrow?

Have a WONDERFUL day!!!

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

I'm not sure, what do you think you'll learn tomorrow? Do you think you'll also realize you've made a fool of yourself?

You went completely off topic. I originally asked if anyone knows of any other 462624/3970010 combinations. What sort of fool reads that, doesn't have an answer to it, then STILL comments on something in that same thread? How does such a thing even happen?.

Seems like what happened is, you think I want to brag about a weak 185 HP Corvette engine, so naturally, having the lesser car, the F body, you're offended by that. Although whatever reason that may be, since I still just have an F body too. I would be too though, I can't stand those sort of people. Matter of fact, as a joke, I replied to a craigslist ad very similar to what we're speaking of. Some guy was trying to pass off his LT1 as a Corvette engine. I asked him why it has a Corvette engine if it's a Camaro, and asked him if he has to replace it due to abuse. LOL!

Anyhow, no matter how much experience you claim to have, you're still just another guy on a forum who's going off topic, and attempting to tell someone else what's what. I haven't met you in person, I haven't seen any of your work. Those are the only sort of people I take seriously over forums.

I'll give you an example. The guy who installed my T56 in the Mustang, we met through a forum, and he turned out to be an AWESOME mechanic. Arrived in Virginia (From Delaware) at I believe 10 of 4 P.M., had my car in the shop a little before 5 P.M. as he got off work, and had a new flywheel, clutch, transmission, and driveshaft swapped in before 9 P.M. that night. Also changed the rear differential fluid. Hung out in my hotel room until 9:30 or so, then headed back to Delaware and got back in my town a little before 2 A.M. If I asked a question about Ford block casting numbers, I'd take his word on it, mainly because he would have an answer.

Not tell me that it does not matter, and to pretty much forget about it.

I hope you understand. I don't care how old you imply you are, I don't care about what you imply you've done. You're just another person on a forum, like me, except you don't have any worth-while answers. Just forget it though. I'm making some arrangements to get some help to pull the engine from a local guy I know, and I'll just get the partial VIN and go from there. You're right, it doesn't matter. Want something done right, have to do it yourself, not ask a question on a forum.

Although there are some incredibly helpful people on here. It's a shame that the sour attitude can throw off the idea of a whole website. As if anyone who reads this thread will want to ask for any help from you in the future. No. Why?

You don't have an answer, so naturally, IT DOESN'T MATTER, to you anyway. Have fun with that logic. I can only imagine if someone asked for some cam specs from you. "IT DOESN'T MATTER. NOW IT'S JUST A CAM WITHOUT AN ENGINE, THROW IT IN ANY ENGINE AND SEE WHAT IT DOES ON THE DYNO."

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Someday you'll figure it out. What sort of a fool doesn't? I think you're smarter than that though, after all you're smart enough you have a thirdgen F body, and it will come to you eventually. And at that point you'll realize, those codes DON'T MATTER. Just like you've been told. Not worth trying to start an argument, with somebody that's not arguing to begin with, over.

You've already GOT what's stamped on that block instead of the partial VIN. It's in your pic. Looks like something a rebuilder stamped in place of it. I kinda don't think pulling the motor is going to change that or tell you anything more, because that's the only place the partial VIN is stamped on it. It's GONE forever. Unless you can get hooked up with those FBI type guys that look for serial #s on guns after people file them off or somebody like that; that'd be the only way you'll get that.

I sure wish I could somehow get you to get it, it's a dead-end line of inquiry. Even if you could find out what it came in, what dealer sold it, who bought it, and you could go talk to that person and they could remember ever act of every time they ever opened the hood, it would inform you not the slightest about what it is NOW. But someday you'll realize that; until then, rant all you want and the rest of us will just chuckle at your youthful impatience, like we do little children screaming at their parents in the grocery store about the candy or sugary cereal they want but can't have, and pity their embarrassed parents. Pretty much the same thing.

And of course, proceed with your plan. Sounds like a good way to go. Forget the codes, accept that you have a 350 like any other 350, build it up like you want it, and enjoy it.

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

Yes father! I'll forget all about these silly codes, and not worry about anything. I am 4 years old, and you know all.

I know what it is now. It's a 70's 350 with 462624 smog heads that are junk, and most likely does not make over 200 horsepower. I know this. What you're not getting is that it's only a matter of curiosity, nothing serious, nothing that would affect what I'm going to do with it.

I'm junking nearly everything except for the block. Stock crank is going, stock rods are going, stock pistons are going, not sure if it has an OE cam or not, but that may stay if the lobes look alright. And lastly, well technically first, the junk smog heads are going. So no matter what it came from, I completely agree with you there, it will have no impact on what it will become. In your opinion, that means it doesn't matter at all what it's from. However, some people like to know these things. That's all.

I seriously hope you understand it at some point. I only want to know for the sake of curiosity, not because it has any impact on what it possibly is now, or what it will be. I'm not going to say that many more times. Just stop trying to make it more complicated than it is.

What are you, some 30 year old who has done a few oil changes, now you wield all knowledge? Would you like people to refer to you as "big poppa"? Get real. It was a question of other 462624/3970010 combos, not me asking for your opinion. The sooner you realize that, the better. As of now, all you're doing is bickering about things that I do NOT care about, or that do NOT relate to my question. That's it.

May as well ask to close this thread. Most likely within 15 minutes you'll reply with more non sense about how it doesn't matter, as if I want to read that.

vetteoz

iTrader: (13)

So if you have the 3 digit engine ID code from the block pad ,you can identify exactly what chassis, Hp , trans ,and accessories that combo had

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

I don't imagine it touches on the subject of any accessories of any type from what I've read, but that's about what it boils down to. Seems like pretty much just the basics. Date, plant, chassis, transmission, HP, etc.

http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.php

I'm no expert on this, just reading what I can find from what seem like reliable sources. I figured it'd be neat to get some help with figuring out what other cars my engine could possibly be from (462624 heads and 3970010 blocks were only together from 1976 to 1979 from what I've researched) so I figured with a small window of time such as only 4 years, it'd be easy. But now it's just turned into an annoyance.

vetteoz

iTrader: (13)

The one block casting # as noted by your link above may have been used for many years for many different combos

The 3 digit suffix code is a more precise identifier of the origins of the engine.
The suffix code can also show carb/ intake type , A/c ,oil cooler , Ca or export car, in some cases
Some online listings are more complete than others
Exp
http://www.nastyz28.com/gm-chevy-cod...s-suffix-2.php

'89 Corvette for example
Same block and head numbers , same TPI intake , all had A/c
Engine suffix code
ZRA: Man w/ oil cooler
ZRB: Auto
ZRC: Auto w/ oil cooler

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

That's some pretty useful information, thanks.

I arranged for a friend to have it pulled in 2 weeks or less, so I'll have to tear down the engine after that and see what went wrong. It had a very bad knock the last time I tried to turn it over in late 2009 or early 2010. Not sure what happened really. All I can do is hope that a rod didn't let go and score a cylinder wall too bad, it turning out to be a 4 bolt block would just be a small bonus.

I may just let it sit for another year with the engine pulled, and buy a truck. I've been wanting a 2003-2007 5.9 Cummins for a while.

Nicelysedated

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm sure someone will) the 010 and the 020 blocks had higher nickel content making for a smoother casting flow which was less likely to have hot spots in the casting and was cast slightly thicker then other 350 Gen 1 blocks. I have had a few 010 blocks and they all were easily punched to .060" over and maintained plenty of wall thickness.

2 bolts are good to 500+ hp. If its a huge concern you can have a 2 bolt modified and put splayed main caps on. Pricy if its worthy to you.

AlkyIROC

Nope. If you look behind the timing chain cover, you'll probably find 010 or 020 cast into the block. This usually refers to 1% and 2% nickel content. Just about every 010 casting block has those cast into the front of the block.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Re. the "010 020" myth that just won't die:

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showth...ght=010+nickel

It'd be a good idea for us all to help lay it to rest, instead of helping spread it.

flrtin1

"In the end, if you have a 60's block with these stamps, there is a 95% chance that it is what you think it is."

Than quote is from the "foundry guy" in link you posted......95% seems to be more than a myth IMO

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Read what he said:

Then some more stuff you chose not to quote, about 70s blocks and how it DOESN'T APPLY to those.

IOW, applying what might well be true about 60s block to 70s blocks, is a mistake.

Considering that out of all the 350 blocks that have been produced, less than 5% were produced in the 60s, that means, that the notion that a 350 block CANNOT be depended on for those makings to be accurate; and if it was produced after 1970, they MOST CERTAINLY are not.

flrtin1

I knew what you were getting at.......lol just felt the urge to stur the pot some....but it is also good to know all of the background info also just incase you happen to have a old 327 laying around .

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

Well, less than 2 weeks later like I said, it's pulled. Started around 1 P.M. today and it was out at a little after 3 I think. Also had the fenders and front bumper pulled off. Me and a friend started tearing down the engine at a little before 10, finished at a little after 11. 11:45 now my time.

Anyhow, I thought a rod let looose which was causing the knock. Nothing. Don't know what it was, but all of the cylinder walls are fine, and it turns freely by hand. I also got pretty happy when we pulled the oil pan and saw 4 bolt mains. So I may actually build a 383 now. Don't know yet.

None of this actually matters, but I just felt like typing something after today. Felt like a lot was accomplished. Engine, trans, and driveshaft pulled. Manifold and heads pulled off, figured out it's a 4 bolt block. I'll be able to sleep good tonight.

Thank you Mr. Sofa for telling me that it doesn't matter. I couldn't care less now that I see I have a decent 4 bolt block.

gwarren007

iTrader: (1)

Good to hear you are making progress!!

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

You hadn't mentioned knocking noise before (in this thread, anyway). Sources I've seen:
- Mechanical fuel pump
- Bearings (rod, main, cam)
- Accessories
- Wrist pin (could be the pin, rod, or piston)
- Loose torque converter bolts

(For the record, and for what it's worth, the thread title said "casting #'s. As sofa so thoroughly pointed out, everything you can know from casting #'s can't tell you what you were asking. The VIN pad stampings may have told a little more, but you never posted those #'s. And, VIN pad stampings are not the same thing as casting #'s.)

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

Technically I was asking if anyone knew of any other 462624/3970010 combinations made between 1976 and 1979, and what else they were used in.

That turned into sofa believing I'm another one of those "Camaro with CAHVETTE MOTA" people, which I suppose is offensive. But believe me, I wouldn't jump on that bandwagon unless I had a worthy engine. LS1, LS6, LS7, LS9. Which ultimately lead to him attacking my reasoning for wanting to know in the first place, and ended up with this being completely off topic.

Might have been loose torque converter bolts. The torque converter was very easy to get off with just a regular ratchet. Anyhow now I wish I had a truck to haul it off to a builder in my area. To have it washed down, magnafluxed to see what I have to work with, then machined for a stroker crank.

This is not good. I'm on the verge of ordering up an Eagle stroker kit and a set of Edelbrock former RPMs, or making myself continue saving.