RedOctober

Hey all - I'd like to get some help decoding my engine numbers.

Here's the scoop:

I bought an '88 with no engine/tranny.I decided to build up engine from scratch. As such, I bought a used bare block from a local engine shop.

I have been to Mortec and such, but many assume you have cylinder heads or know the original vehicle it was in.
I'm lookin' to identify as much about this block as possible (date, other than 87-95, would be nice), but I don't have much to work with. Here's what I know (i.e. - what can be seen):

350 4-bolt main
1-piece rear main seal
Roller cam capable
Casting number 14093638
Other numbers on the block:
GM 5.7LG SGI (drivers side, rear, just behind cylinder #7)
IO98 (about 2 inches to the right of the above number when looking from the rear)
638 (printed upside-down on either side of cylinder banks)

I am attaching 2 pictures. One is the rear numbers except casting, the other is a picture showing what I ended up doing with the block

Here's what I'd like to know:
What year is it?
What types of vehicles was this engine in?

Thanks! J

1991L98G92

Get your suffix code from the highlighted area in the picture.

example: V0112CLJ

The CLJ is the suffix code. The V0112 is the date code. Go to this site:

Chevy Engine Codes Menu

and look up the suffix code. It will give year, engine size, transmission, HP rating, fuel system, and vehicle type.

The site also breaks down the date code.

RedOctober

Sweet - thanks man.

I checked there, and I'm still a little hung up:

The suffix and date code are very hard to read (see attached pictures)

The best I can tell, it reads:

V091 TPK

Which confirms a few things, but leaves a few things unanswered:

V = Flint, MI engine plan
09= September month (this matches the month code of "I" on the back of the block)
1?= Unknown - not sure if there is supposed to be another number or not. This does not match the date code of "03" on the back of the block.

The other problem I found is that there is no TPK listed in the database you liniked to. I wasn't sure of the letters at first, but on a hunch, I found this site, and it seems to have answered the dilema - it's an 1989 truck engine.

Because the engine is dated coded to Sept. 1988, that would make sense, correct?

Thanks - J

1991L98G92

I saved that link. And being the suffix code starts with a "T" shows that it came from a truck. It also looks like there is another number possibly a 3 or 8 in the blank spot which would make it the 13th or 18th day. There has to be another number there. I'd say the "TPK" is probably right. At least now in the future you'll be able to trace the suffix codes.