Just got the numbers off of the engine in my '85 Z. I know its not the original since its painted chevy orange and has no smog equipment at all. Its got a reman quadrajet and looks to be factory parts and I was told its a 305.
Numbers on block above the oil filter: 43 GM 14010207
Behind the alt on machined pad: V0504tfw ccj142122
Intake manifold: 14014434
Quad: 17083204 1403FRB
Water Pump 964780

Anyone have a link to a good decoding website?

 

ccj142122 is the last part of the vin from the original vehicle.

14010207 = 80-85 350, 4 bolt from a truck

14014434 = 1981 4 barrel aluminum manifold

V0504tfw
V = Flint engine assembly plant
0504 = May 4
TFW = There's a couple of options but based on the above data, this will fit the best.

TFW = 1982 350 truck engine. Vin code M, engine classification LT9. Came in C-20 3500 trucks.

17083204
1708 = 80's
3 = 1983
2 = Quadrajet (4 bbl) Federal standards
0 = Chevrolet
4 = Automatic transmission

 

Thanks for doing all the work lol
I read that the casting number overrides the stamping pad number? How do I know which site is correct since one I checked said it was a '80-85 350 from a Corvette and another said it was a 305 from a Camaro or Impala. Also for the partial VIN Im guessing its actually CEJ since there was no CCJ. And assuming its from an 80s truck-were these engines painted Chevy orange from the factory or chances are my engine was rebuilt before it was swapped in?

 

Block casting numbers are basic. The same casting can be used in many different vehicles over a number of years. The suffix number TWF says exactly what the engine was put into.

If you want to break the last part of the VIN down.

C = Check digit for entire 17 digit VIN
C = 1982
J = Assembly plant Janesville, Wisconsin
142122 = Sequential number for that year starting at 100000

Hard to say if your engine has been rebuilt. It could have been a simple junkyard pull, cleaned up and painted then dropped into the car. Not very often will someone pull an engine to tear down for a rebuild then put all the original parts back on. You would at least upgrade the intake, carb and maybe use some reman heads. If they were going to do that, it's more common to rebuild the engine they already have unless they wanted to swap out a 305 for a 350 or the original engine was damaged somehow.

 

Right now my engines running pretty good although I dont think it has enough power to even spin the tires. At this point knowing I have a 350 am I good to start with basic mods to free up some power? I figured Id start with longtubes.

 

The stamping codes are COMPLETELY WORTHLESS for a motor that's been "rebuilt". ALl they tell you about is THE BLOCK. There is no "law", written unwritten or otherwise, that says that the heads that go back on such a motor "must" match the stamping, or that the pistons must match, or the cam, or the intake, or the carb, or ANY OTHER part. All that the stamping codes will tell you is WHAT THE BLOCK USED TO BE part of, and NOT WHAT THE ENGINE is NOW.

So here's the deal:

You have a early 80s truck 350 block. You know you have a 350. (or possibly a 383, but, a 4" bore in any case)

You have NOT THE VAGUEST CLUE what pistons they put in it

You haven't posted a head casting #

Any heads bolt to any block

Any pistons go into any block

Any intake bolts to any heads and/or any block (except of course for Vortec intakes and heads which must go together)

Any cam slides into any block

Any carb bolts to any intake with the right flange

Any water pump bolts to any block

Bottom line, all that "decoding" of the stamp, and the part #s of those external dress items, tells you NOTHING about what your ENGINE is. If you knew that the engine had come UNTOUCHED IN ANY WAY from its original source to its destination, then it would have meaning; but if the motor HAS BEEN TOUCHED, "decoding" tells you NOTHING.

If knowing what your motor "is" REALLY MATTERS to you for whatever reason, you MUST identify the pistons, heads, and cam. Those are the biggest things that varied from one "stamping" to another, and which get TOTALLY randomized during a "rebuild". Water pumps and similar bolt-on maintenance items don't matter.

Headers are a good idea but long tubes are a bunch of hassle to bite off on, BE SURE you're willing to deal with nothing but hassles over the long term.