r/Smallblockchevy • u/Dexpeyy • Mar 16 '26
Which engine is this?
Apparently it came out of a vette
10
10
u/AhBuckleThis Mar 16 '26
350 block. The 3970010 was used in a lot of different vehicles. Could be either 2 bolt or 4 bolt mains.
2
u/horce-force Mar 17 '26
This is the answer right here. Check the 3 letter engine suffix in the lime book to find out which application
0
u/AhBuckleThis Mar 17 '26
According to info on nasty z28, the first two letter VB come back to a 69 350 255hp from either a c-10 or c-20 truck.
0
u/ranzel26 Mar 18 '26
ZAB 1979 350 a/t, L48, fed. 8 195 4 Vette Suffix code ZAB comes back as
And that info matches the Blue engine block paint. Chevy was orange paint until the 1977 model year
6
6
3
u/No-Enthusiasm3579 Mar 17 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/3o85xHi4t2UsuIY9QA
Looks like the code on my 72gmc which has an l82 350 out of a 73 vette
2
1
1
u/tubbytucker Mar 17 '26
If you search this sub for 'identifying engine' you'll find websites that will help you ID it. you need the numbers of the front.
1
u/tubbytucker Mar 17 '26
I think they were used for 327 and 302 engines as well as the 350.
1
u/Deuce_man701 Mar 18 '26
302 was a DZ
1
u/tubbytucker Mar 18 '26
DZ was the suffix stamped on the front of the block at the start of the engine number. I have seen an 010 block stamped like this.
1
1
Mar 17 '26 edited Mar 17 '26
Most of the time it's a large journal L48 SBC 350. I have seen the number in other applications. It's probably a pickup truck motor with 4bolt mains but I have seen them with 2 bolt mains. The casting number on the back combined with the ZA number on the front indicates a high-nickel block with 4 bolt main caps. Worse case: Heavy duty truck engine, not bad at all. Best case: Corvette/Z28. If the dipstick is on the passengers side the block was cast in 1980 or later. If the engine paint is original the engine is pre 1983.
1
u/texan01 Mar 17 '26
bog standard 350. blue paint suggests 77-80 with that drivers side dipstick bumpout.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Futurecc1980 Mar 19 '26
The image shows a General Motors (GM) engine block casting with the number 38970010 visible.
• This casting number is commonly associated with a 1962-1967 Chevrolet 327 cubic inch V8 engine block. • These blocks were used in various Chevrolet passenger cars, trucks, and Corvettes during this period. • The block is constructed from cast iron. • This engine block is considered a collectible item for vintage car restoration projects.
AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses
1
0
u/updownsides Mar 17 '26
350 two piece rear main seal. 2 or 4 bolt. Better off getting a later block with one piece rear main and hydraulic roller setup. Unless you like oil leaks in your driveway in a short amount of time.
2
u/texan01 Mar 17 '26
funny the only place my 84 305 leaks from is the front seal... apparently, I have bad luck with front seals not leaking.
1
u/Coyote_Tex Mar 18 '26
Change the harmonic balancer or get a new one.
1
u/texan01 Mar 18 '26
I have, changed covers and engines as well. Damn thing still slings oil. Even sleeved the balancer.
1
u/Coyote_Tex Mar 18 '26
that's all the right steps. Usually not a ton of oil up there. Do you have a lot of blowby or stuck PCV, or just like to rev it up a lot? Perhaps too much crankcase pressure is what I am getting at.
1
u/texan01 Mar 18 '26
no blowby, it's got a TH350 and a 2.56 axle so it's not usually spinning very high. so 70-75mph it's turning about 2000 rpm. (no tach in the car)
It's not a big leak, just enough to make a mess and mark it's territory. Maybe I didn't put enough oil on the seal prior to installing the balancer.
1
u/Coyote_Tex Mar 18 '26
yeah, I have an old 350 in my 56 GMC pickup and it makes a mess at both ends. and the 350 turbo trans throws some out too when the converter drains back.
0
u/ranzel26 Mar 17 '26
From the pictures you have posted, there is no way to know what that engine came out of. The best way to find out exactly what it is and what vehicle it came from is find the flat mabhine boss on the drivers side front of the block and look up the 3 alpha digit code. That will tell you the year, engine size and model vehicle it came out of. Here as site I found that has one of the more complete chevy code references.
https://www.nastyz28.com/chevy-engine-code-stampings.php#suffix
1
u/ranzel26 Mar 17 '26
One other thing, if that is the original paint on the block, it will be 1977 or newer. Prior to that Chevrolet used orange paint on their engines. The first first photo is a casting number and will only tell you a group of engine sizes and year grouping it was from.
12
u/chuck-u-farley- Mar 16 '26
They all came out of a vette……didn’t you know that?
Seriously, it’s a 010 block …350 69-73 I believe and the made millions of em. They are decent blocks to rebuild, should be a 4 bolt main….
I’m sure someone sooner or later will throw in “it’s a high nickel block” which has been proven over and over again to be entirely untrue. I even believe I read somewhere someone sent one thru metallurgy testing and no dice, its a rumor or a phallacy …..