There's a car I want to buy, the VIN indicates that it's a 305 TPI, however the owner is rather certain it's a 350. He's had two mechanic friends look at it, and they believed it was a 350 as well.. the reason being "Larger harmonic balancers"

I don't know enough to really tell on this. I need a way to see if that engine is a 350 or not... I know if it is, that it's not factory... How can I tell from looking/components? It's an 87 GTA and has vbelts... auto... I thought it was a 350 until I looked at the vin. Please respond ASAP

 

The only sure way is to get the numbers off the block, either from the pad in front of the passenger side head, the rear of the block where the trans bolts up, or on the side there is usually a 3 digit number cast there. I wouldnt bet on a harmonic balancer because I have one from an 86 305 and one from an 88 350, and I cant tell the difference between the two.

 

Pardon my ignorance. Where exactly is this, and what am I looking for, how do I look it up once I get it?

Where in front of the passenger side head? I mean.. how do I get to this to look at it? Is it up on the head itself, or under where all the blets are in the way of?

 

Ill see if I can post a pic... soon as I find it..

Its right in front of the passenger side head. It being an 87 with v-belts, its going to be right under the alternator, may have to move that to see it. The ones on the sides of the block should be readily visible from underneath. The one by the trans is by far the worst to see, its going to be behind the driver side head on a flat area there, but the later ones say it pretty simple, there is a complete GM part number (not truncated like the one on the sides) and it will also say 5.0 or 5.7. Lemme look for the pics...

Ok, first pic is the bottom, the 638 you see on the side is the last 3 digits of the GM part number for this particular block.


Second pic is the top, the top right you can see the pad where the number will be, its about in line with the top head bolts. The other number is on the lower left, straight down in the pic from the last cylinder.



Would help if I had posted that huh? LOL!

[This message has been edited by madmax (edited September 15, 2000).]

 

http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm


The number in question is on the bell housing flange, on the top of it, behind the right head. In the other post's second picture, it's at the bototm-left corner of the block right where it's sitting on teh ground. You can often see it fairly easily with a flashlight.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."