engine and drivetrain Engine Block Castings/date Stamps

[bahllr]

I have a block that I want to use to build an engine.  It was given to me (pistons,rods, crank, block) and told it came from a 74' 2002.  However, when I look at the casting marks on the side - I see on that says 17L72 .  Not sure if that means it is a 1.7 L engine from 72'.....or something else.  I think it also has B8 cast somewhere as well.

Does anyone know how I can validate if this motor was in fact from a 2002 before I start sourcing other components for it?

 

[M3M3]

look for a circle with a number in the middle and a bunch of dots around the outside. think it is on right side of block.  that is the date code.  number of dots is month of production, number is year.

[jgerock]

72tii engine block (stamped "72")

 

I think this means something else - 

 

1971 engine block (stamped "70")

 

Of course the VIN stamped into the block above the starter mount will I.D. the exact date the engine was built.

Edited June 22, 2013 by jgerock

[Conserv]

 

Of course the VIN stamped into the block above the starter mount will I.D. the exact date the car was built.

So what is the VIN stamped on your block, on the boss above the starter? 7 digits

Steve

[bahllr]

Thanks for all the thoughts.  I have some of the same markings on my block (including the round set of numbers above - 321111987.  Not sure what that means.)

 

The VIN stamp is : 2586808.  I tried looking it up at realoem.com but it came up as an invalid part number.  Does anyone know how to look up the block VIN?

[Emyers]

Thanks for all the thoughts.  I have some of the same markings on my block (including the round set of numbers above - 321111987.  Not sure what that means.)

 

The VIN stamp is : 2586808.  I tried looking it up at realoem.com but it came up as an invalid part number.  Does anyone know how to look up the block VIN?

Real OEM give this info:

 

You Have Selected: 05/1988 E30 318i Sedan M40 Europe Left hand drive Manual Production Code: AJ51

Earl

74 02Lux

02 M Roadster

72 Volvo 1800ES

[Conserv]

I use the VIN decoder published by the Club BMW Clasicos Columbia, and I believe it's pretty good and dependable (but I have no explanation as to why Real OEM comes up with a different answer).

 

http://www.bmwclasicos.com/vin.php

 

 

Putting in 2586808, I get:

 

2002 USA (LHD) model with manual transmission

 

1972 model built between January and December 1972

 

 

Steve

Edited June 21, 2013 by Conserv

[Conserv]

I tried looking it up at realoem.com but it came up as an invalid part number.  Does anyone know how to look up the block VIN?

 

 

 

To be clear, the "block VIN" is the VIN of the car in which it was originally installed.  It's not a part number or a VIN different from the car's VIN.  If the engine's number doesn't match the car's number, the engine has been changed.

 

Steve

Edited June 21, 2013 by Conserv

[bahllr]

I wish it was easier to find out where your block came from....if it is a 72 bmw 2002 block - great.  It will work for my build...if it is an 88 318i - then good thing it was free....but back to the drawing board.

 

Below are pictures of the castings I was referring to. If this gives anyone any other thoughts - I'd appreciate hearing them.

[Honolulu]

Realoem appears to use a decoder based on later (post '84 or so) VINs and is useless for earlier 7-digit VINs.  That's just the way it is. There are other decoders that can handle 7-digit VINs.

 

As above, the stamped VIN on the block originally matched the VIN on the steering column pad, and the VIN stamped on the fender.

[Conserv]

I wish it was easier to find out where your block came from....if it is a 72 bmw 2002 block - great.

There is no reason to doubt the Columbian club's VIN decoder: it's a 2002-specific decoder and it's never given me an answer that is inconsistent with the other available facts.

If you still doubt this, somewhere in this forum -- I could find it easily in the earlier version -- is a table that shows, at least for U.S. models, the ranges of VINs by year. And Mike Macartney's book, BMW '02 Restoration Guide, page 209, shows the same result as the Columbian club's decoder.

There's no need to come up with an alternate plan!

Steve

[02Les]

I wish it was easier to find out where your block came from....if it is a 72 bmw 2002 block - great.  It will work for my build...if it is an 88 318i - then good thing it was free....but back to the drawing board.

 

Below are pictures of the castings I was referring to. If this gives anyone any other thoughts - I'd appreciate hearing them.

2586808 - 2002 (US) manual gearbox built December 1972.

Thus, your block came from a 1972 built ('73 model) 2002.

Edited June 21, 2013 by 02Les

[bahllr]

Thanks so much everyone for helping me figure this out.  If this is any indication of how awesome the people on this forum is, I'm excited to spend more time here and learn from the group!  Thanks again.  I'm moving forward with getting other parts to make this build happen!