Engine block codes?

MrTube

MrTube

Well-known member
Is there any way to tell what year an engine is from? Any codes, or things to look for?

Ours has a 28-29 goose neck so now i'm curious if the entire engine was swapped from an older A. If it was will this cause any other confusion down the road?
 
The "SERVICE BULLETINS" is probably the best source for all the engine details about changes and when they occured.

When you get the correct water outlet, then the top hose will also be straight in line to the radiator inlet. Nothing else that I can think of should matter as far as what year engine is powering your Model A, except for the 1928 multiplate flywheel.

The 1928 also had the oil pump removal plate on the oil pan, but that won't matter.
 
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Most A's were titled by the number on the side of the block, which matched the frame number when it left the factory.

Things get hairy when someone swaps an engine somewhere along the way, and doesn't re-number the "new" engine to match the title...

There's a serial-number > production month / year chart somewhere around here, as well as in that " Holy of Holies", the Judging Standards.

If the serial number on the block has seven digits, it's '29 or later.
 
Of course if the engine was rebuilt it quite often has a new number from the engine builder which has nothing to do with year of manufacture.
 
Contained on my website are two things. First is a chart where one can determine the date of stamping of the engine when it was completed at Dearborn. This only works IF THE ENGINE NUMBER PAD AND THE ORIGINAL NUMBER ARE ON THE BLOCK...IF IT IS A RESTAMP, FORGET IT.

The second item is contained in the engine block data. This is a "guide" to go beyond the original stamped engine number (or if the original engine number is gone) by looking for specific things on and within the block itself. This will give you a approximate date of manufacture of the block in question.

Pluck
 
Steve Plucker said:
Contained on my website are two things. First is a chart where one can determine the date of stamping of the engine when it was completed at Dearborn. This only works IF THE ENGINE NUMBER PAD AND THE ORIGINAL NUMBER ARE ON THE BLOCK...IF IT IS A RESTAMP, FORGET IT.

The second item is contained in the engine block data. This is a "guide" to go beyond the original stamped engine number (or if the original engine number is gone) by looking for specific things on and within the block itself. This will give you a approximate date of manufacture of the block in question.

Pluck
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Looks like on the block just below the head on drivers side I see a pad with *A2967167* which according to the list on your website suggests it was made sometime in 1930. Interesting. A 1930 engine with a 28-29 gooseneck in a 1931 A. :D
 
Who knows how many goosenecks have been broken and replaced on that engine in the last 80 years. Maybe the only gooseneck they could get their hands on when they broke the last one was a '28-'29.
 
Larry, very good point.

However what i'm wondering now is, is it even a 1931? It could easily be a 1930 with the radiator shell from a 31.

What year did they stop using the electric wiper? Ours has one and I don't see any place where a vacuum line could have been run previously.
 
With a set of judging standards or the Ford Service Bulletins you could analyze your various parts and try to identify whether the majority is 30 or 31. Some differences are the front radius rod, front brake actuating arms, dashboard, emergency brake cross shaft, splash aprons and running boards, indented firewall mid 31, shocks and arms. These items all changed at various times throughout 30/31. This would also provide some engine insight as well.
 
31Tudor said:
With a set of judging standards or the Ford Service Bulletins you could analyze your various parts and try to identify whether the majority is 30 or 31. Some differences are the front radius rod, front brake actuating arms, dashboard, emergency brake cross shaft, splash aprons and running boards, indented firewall mid 31, shocks and arms. These items all changed at various times throughout 30/31. This would also provide some engine insight as well.
Click to expand...


Respectfully this is all good if in fact it is a car that has never been restored before and in its original condition. What we do not know if it has been put together with a part here and a part there or used what was available for a replacement.

Pluck
 
I understand your point, however, I was thinking that he would be able to see where most of his parts fit helping pin down what year it was or by changing a few parts here or there he could make it a certain year. The car seems to be a mix of parts.
 
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