Guys, I need help Id'ing this engine ASAP.

I understand that it might not be possible telling whether the main caps are 2 or 4 bolt short of dropping the pan, but if anyone knows any tricks of the trade that I don't I'd really appreciate it.

So, heres what I got for the casting number:

3970010 - Which tells me this is either a 350, 327, or 302. From what I've gathered, we're looking at a 350. The year code beside the casting number is K10, which from what I've read should indicate the block was manufactured on November of 1970? But all the info I've read on this gives a different story from every site. Someone please clear the turmoil on the K10...



Next up is the engine VIN code:

K07-04-CMR - Which should tell us that this block was manufactured in Catherines. Ontario on the 4th of July? But according to the info on the K10 it should be November? To even further complicate this is the fact that CMR suffix was only used in either 74, 78 or 80. Someone please clear this up as some incorrect information is being spread on how to read the K10 part.

Is there any way to tell how many bolts the main caps hold short of dropping the pan?

 

The casting date tells you when the block was cast, not when the engine was assembled. It doesn't matter either way, though, the blocks are all the same. 3970010 is probably the single most common 350 block ever made.

 

I only need info on the block itself.

Any way to tell what year this is or how many main caps?

 

K = St. Catherines, Ontario assembly plant
0704 = July 4
CMR was used on a couple of different engines. One was a 305 in 1980 but the 010 casting will eliminate it as a 305 engine.

There is no CMR code for a 1970 block but the 010 casting was used for many years. It's probably the most common casting.

Choices are a 1974 350. Came with an automatic transmission. 145hp, 2 bolt mains. Found in A-body cars.

Or it's a 1978 350 that came with a manual transmission (is there a pilot bearing in the end of the crank?). L82 4 bbl, 4 bolt main, 220 hp available in Corvette and Z28.

The only way you're going to know how many bolts are on the mains is to pull the pan.

In the end, it's still just an 010 block. 2 and 4 bolt blocks are just as good.

There should be another set of numbers similar to 181100001. The second digit it the year code.

 

Without going down and looking on my camera, I can remember that second set of numbers your referring to beside the VIN number began with 1414...

 

It doesn't matter what year it is, every year is exactly the same. It has 5 main caps, the only way to tell how many bolts are holding each cap on is to look.