Engine block VIN decoding
10-27-2005, 10:02 AM
#1
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Location: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
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Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Engine block VIN decoding
Another thread rekindled a question about an engine block I have in one of my parts cars.
What I know (or at least think I do)
The car is an 83 Camaro SC, and should have no bearing on anything other than that.
the engine is from an 87, as the stamp on the block states "H" the sequense number is 211943 and I know the car the engine is from was made in Norwood OH.
I have attached a pic of the info from the block.
Can anyone tell me what car this could have come from. What really confuses me is if I calculate the Check didget it works out to be a 6 if its from a Formula, or an X if its from a Trans AM or GTA. I run the numbers at carfax and it comes back as invalid...
If you cant make out the pic its 2HN211943
John
What I know (or at least think I do)
The car is an 83 Camaro SC, and should have no bearing on anything other than that.
the engine is from an 87, as the stamp on the block states "H" the sequense number is 211943 and I know the car the engine is from was made in Norwood OH.
I have attached a pic of the info from the block.
Can anyone tell me what car this could have come from. What really confuses me is if I calculate the Check didget it works out to be a 6 if its from a Formula, or an X if its from a Trans AM or GTA. I run the numbers at carfax and it comes back as invalid...
If you cant make out the pic its 2HN211943
John
10-27-2005, 12:47 PM
#2
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Car: 1989 Firebird Formula
Engine: Internal Combustion
Transmission: Completed
Axle/Gears: ones that turn.
Hi John
The suffix code 'SFL' holds some of the key to the original application.
Checking it at http://www.chevymania.com/ shows the following:
Code| Year| CID| Vehicle_| HP| _RPO| Trans| Carb| Comments
SFL__| 87 _|305| Camaro| 190| LB-9| 700R |_TPI |
It doesn't get any more specific than just Camaro, but we know that the TPI was only available on the Z28/IROC-Z.
The suffix code 'SFL' holds some of the key to the original application.
Checking it at http://www.chevymania.com/ shows the following:
Code| Year| CID| Vehicle_| HP| _RPO| Trans| Carb| Comments
SFL__| 87 _|305| Camaro| 190| LB-9| 700R |_TPI |
It doesn't get any more specific than just Camaro, but we know that the TPI was only available on the Z28/IROC-Z.
10-27-2005, 01:18 PM
#3
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Posts: 14,235
Received 164 Likes
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119 Posts
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
interesting, the stamped number clearly states that it was for a Pontiac, by the sequense number being a 2xxxxx.
Does any one know what the first 2 indicates? is it the check didget?
John
Does any one know what the first 2 indicates? is it the check didget?
John
10-29-2005, 08:50 PM
#4
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Car: Restoring 1984 Camaro Z28
Engine: 5.0L H.O. V8
Transmission: THM 700 R4
[B][SIZE=3][FONT=times new roman][COLOR=darkblue]Kinda new here but I think that 2xxxxxx in your VIN means "made in Canada".
Last edited by Willie; 10-30-2005 at 08:55 AM.
10-29-2005, 09:37 PM
#5
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Car: 1992 GTA
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 4.10
Nah they aren't the first part of the vin, they are numbers 9 through 17. The 2 is the check digit(9th character), the H is the year, the N is the plant (Norwood) and 12 through 17 are for the production sequence. Although the Camaro site lists SFL to be a Camaro designation I still don't think its correct as John has mentioned the production sequence starts with a 2. As mentioned all Camaros started with 1xxxxx.
John is the motor a 305 TPI(F) or an LG4(H)??? I tried for over an hour to crack the VIN by using a Firebird. The only time I got the check digit to work was when I used an L69(G) which was never an option in 1987. I even tried all Camaro vin designations as well with no luck.
John is the motor a 305 TPI(F) or an LG4(H)??? I tried for over an hour to crack the VIN by using a Firebird. The only time I got the check digit to work was when I used an L69(G) which was never an option in 1987. I even tried all Camaro vin designations as well with no luck.
10-31-2005, 08:11 AM
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Posts: 14,235
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119 Posts
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
It was from a TPI car... or at least the engine had TPI on it when I bought the car. Everything else was from 87, so I could only assume that it was the original block that came with the intake & all.
Although the 2 being the check digit would make sence. I think it makes more sence for the 2 to indicatae Pontiac from an assembly standpoint.
After I typed all that I got my handy "Catalog of Firebird ID Numbers" and the 2 is the Division, Pontiac in this case.
The book however does not reference SFL, only SFD, SFS, SDK, SDD, D3Y, SRL & D4W for engine codes. So it still does not match...
What is funny tho I have tried to plug in the VIN for both a trans am and a Formula and it comes up as a bad vin at carfax & nada.
I guess I am curious about the original car the engine came out of.
Oh, by the way the back of the block has "305" or "5.0" clear as day I rembember that...
John
Although the 2 being the check digit would make sence. I think it makes more sence for the 2 to indicatae Pontiac from an assembly standpoint.
After I typed all that I got my handy "Catalog of Firebird ID Numbers" and the 2 is the Division, Pontiac in this case.
The book however does not reference SFL, only SFD, SFS, SDK, SDD, D3Y, SRL & D4W for engine codes. So it still does not match...
What is funny tho I have tried to plug in the VIN for both a trans am and a Formula and it comes up as a bad vin at carfax & nada.
I guess I am curious about the original car the engine came out of.
Oh, by the way the back of the block has "305" or "5.0" clear as day I rembember that...
John
Last edited by okfoz; 10-31-2005 at 08:14 AM.
10-31-2005, 10:32 AM
#7
Originally posted by razor
Nah they aren't the first part of the vin, they are numbers 9 through 17. The 2 is the check digit(9th character),
Nah they aren't the first part of the vin, they are numbers 9 through 17. The 2 is the check digit(9th character),
The first digit on the partial VIN on my '84 Trans Am is a 2 since its in a Pontiac. The check digit is an 8 in the VIN.
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11-03-2005, 01:51 PM
#8
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Car: 1989 Firebird Formula
Engine: Internal Combustion
Transmission: Completed
Axle/Gears: ones that turn.
Originally posted by razor
As mentioned all Camaros started with 1xxxxx.
As mentioned all Camaros started with 1xxxxx.
The engine in question is likely from the 111,943th Camaro built that year.
11-03-2005, 04:56 PM
#9
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Posts: 14,235
Received 164 Likes
on
119 Posts
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Fortuantely they did not have to worry about that for most years
All Pontiacs start at 2xxxxx and all Chevrolets start with 1xxxxx. If I remember right the number rolls over then the Chevy goes to 2xxxxx In some cases they would skip and go directly from 1xxxxx to 5xxxxx for example, thus why there are Chevorlets made in 1985 that have the vin 5xxxxx, they never made 500,000 camaros EVER in a single year.
Other years it appears that they were sequential but started at 1xxxxx for chevy and 2xxxxx for Pontiac.
Actually check your VIn I would bet money that your last 6 digets are 2xxxxx
Your vin should read 1G2FS21??KL2?????
John
All Pontiacs start at 2xxxxx and all Chevrolets start with 1xxxxx. If I remember right the number rolls over then the Chevy goes to 2xxxxx In some cases they would skip and go directly from 1xxxxx to 5xxxxx for example, thus why there are Chevorlets made in 1985 that have the vin 5xxxxx, they never made 500,000 camaros EVER in a single year.
Other years it appears that they were sequential but started at 1xxxxx for chevy and 2xxxxx for Pontiac.
Actually check your VIn I would bet money that your last 6 digets are 2xxxxx
Your vin should read 1G2FS21??KL2?????
John
Last edited by okfoz; 11-03-2005 at 05:00 PM.
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