chevy people question

[962porsche]

i'm doing a motor swap to one of my porsche 944's . i have a chevy 350 motor . how do i find out what 350 motor it is (casting # ) were are they ? its a cast iron block and heads with a carb . i think it came from a 1980 or 1981 camaro ? there is a place thats sells a 944 to chevy 350 motor swap kit for 1100 dollars . but they need to know which motor it is . LT1 , L82 OR L81 ? ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT !!!!

[Mark Swinehart]

Ask them.

[jadams]

Just look on the lower side of the block on the drivers side (I think) and there should be a casting number on the block. Once you get the number just do a google search and you'll likely find the answer of what it is. If it is from Early 80's camaro, it is definately not an LT1. Wanna buy a 383 stroked LT1 that you can bolt right on there?

[962porsche]

they told me( in an email ) on an iron block to look under the alternator . i see no #'s there ! i will look again at the right side of the motor . and no i have a motor i just need to know which motor it is . becouse the motor is in a s10 pick up at this time i can't see the top of the block were the bell housing is .

[breakaway500]

The numbers/letters are stamped into the blocks deck surface on the rh bank.It is not raised or cast.

[jlwhorf]

If the motor was the original engine from a 80 or 81 camaro, it would most likely be none of those engines. The LT1 designation was used twice; first in the 69 - 70 Camaro Z28 and Corvette (this is a rare and sought after engine), second in the late 80's C4 Corvette (this has aluminum heads, center bolt valve covers, and 1 piece rear main seal). The L81 was unique to the 81 Corvette only, and The L82 was the "performace" option engine for 74 to 78 Camaro Z28 and Corvettes. Regarding an engine swap, all generation 1 small block Chevy's are pretty much identical from 55 - 87, the only differences are left and right hand dip sticks ( the left hand ones enter through the block and the right hand enter through the oil pan), and long and short water pumps (Corvettes had short,most everything else had long). Note that 400's are externally balanced and used a different flywheel and balancer, all the others are internally. The gen 2 88 and up have one piece rear mains and use a different flywheel than the gen 2. The LS series is an entirely different engine. If you read to this point, Mark told you the correct location for the serial number, call a dealer and they can tell you the origin of the engine.

[962porsche]

i just put out the engine classing lt1 ,l81 l82 as an example . when i finish work today i will look were you and mark stated . 944v8s one off the places want to know becouse of the oil pan ,motor mounts and front cross member . the dipstick is on the right side . i will also need a clutch for the car its got an auto trans in it now . what is a good clutch for the SBC motors . is the 10.5 better than the 11. inch ??

[jlwhorf]

The 10.5 is lighter than the 11 at 30lbs vs. 40lbs, also they use different starters. There is a 14lb version of the 10.5 one available at the dealer for the 2 piece main engines. I don't have the number off hand but it was available in the early C4 Covettes (pre 88), it might be in the performance parts catalog but a knowledgeable parts guy could find it. Last time I checked (its been a while) they're about a couple hundred bucks. I don't have any recomondation on brand but for the street a good diaphram style (i.e centerforce) is good, for racing a borg and beck style (i.e Ram) is fine. But you know its tough to tell, I have had expensive clutches be crap, and had reman ones be good.

[CP]

The 15 pound, 10.4" "lightweight nodular iron" flywheel for the 55-85 engines with a two-piece crank seal is part # 14085720.

The 17 pound, 10" "lightweight nodular iron" flywheel for the 86+ engines with a one-piece crank seal is part # 14088646.

[962porsche]

ok i got the motor out of the s10 today . this is the info off the motor and were on the motor it was . top of bell housing GM 14010207 . in the bell housing H37 under that 509 . right side in front of dip stick tube 207 S . now how do i know if its a one piece crank seal or two piece ? there is a counter weight on the crank were the fly wheel bolts up on the crank . would that be a pre 86 motor with a 2 piece crank seal ?? from what i can find out the motor i have is from a 80 to 85 truck ,350 block , 4 main caps , low power 300 , high power 350 , i don't know what the low and high power is ?? hp ?

[breakaway500]

Look at the rh deck,very front edge,in front of the cyl head..There should be a series of numbers/letters.This is the identification number. If it's a one piece seal motor,you will see the seal carrier bolted to the back of the block,between the back of the block and the flywheel.Pretty sure the two piece seal motors have the counterweight,as you could not get a one piece seal over it. Low power,high power..won't make much difference for ordering parts.I think the higher rating was primarily better induction and exhaust.Cam might be a different grind as well. You should stuff that in the Diasio...

[962porsche]

no i like the diasio the way it is . its a light fun car when it runs . over the winter i will do the up grades to make it reliable . as for the 944 soon to be a 948 . i think that car should be quight fun with a 50/50 weight and sporting 300 hp .

[jlwhorf]

If it has the little counter weight on the crank, it is a 2 piece seal motor. The one piece motors have an aluminum plate at the back of the block that the seal is pressed into. Also the heads on the 2 piece seal motors have the valve cover bolts on the perimeter of covers and the one 1 piece have them in the center. If it has 4 bolt mains and is 80-86 vintage, I would guess that you have a "target master" engine with was GM's dealer replacement engine and they where sold as a long block only. I am pretty sure that was the only 4 bolt engine that was made during that era, that did not go into a school bus or larger truck. Also, no small blocks at that time were rated over 300 HP, and I think the big block was only rated at about 330 hp.

[962porsche]

the valve cover has 4 bolts down the center and big square exaust ports . the intack is still on so i can't see what they look like . i was told that you can tell what heads they are by the shape of the ends of the heads ( casting marks ). there are 3 triangles shapes casting marks on the ones i have . i can't find a match on line sbc head guide forums .

[jlwhorf]

Those are the later heads and came on the 1 piece seal engine or sold separately by the dealer. Did you check to see if there is small aluminum plate at the back of the block? Dose the motor have a carb on it? If it has a 2 piece block and center bolt valve covers, someone put that motor together. Take the value covers off and call the dealer with the casting numbers and they can tell you what the heads are. If they have the "vortec" heads which are a popular bolt on, the motor should make good power. As far as the casting marks on the heads, some heads have distintive marks and some don't.