The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Need help deciphering engine block code

I've got a starting problem going on in my '51 ('56 235 engine) that I've got posted over on the Engine forum, but I'm finding out that the distributor and gear is engine specific. I found on an old post that the stamp is down by the distributor, and that it will tell me what engine I have so I can determine whether I need a fiber or metal gear for the distributor and cam gear. I found these numbers, but I'm not sure what I'm looking at here. The # beside the dist. is 3837004 with 'GM 4' under that. There's a # over the starter, which is CON 4, J46. Then on the head is 846, 848, 850. Anybody out there that can tell me what I've got? Thanks, Lee

It really doesn't matter what year engine you have but more importantly the material the cam is made from. Over the years steel cams have found their way into later motors and cast cams into earlier motors. Match the distributor gear to the material the cam is made of not the engine.

This should put it in focus for you, complements from Dave,

http://chev235guy.blogspot.com/search/label/Distributor%20%26%20Cam%20Gear%20Identification

J - October
4 - 4th
6 - 1956

There should be another code with assembly plant code (Letter), Year of vehicle it was put in (57), then a letter with the type of vehicle.

Here are locations of codes.
Post the codes here and we will help you with further identification of your engine head & block.

Thanks, guys! Although I've now found it's probably a timing gear and not the distributor (or maybe both?), I'd still like to find out everything I can about what I've got in the truck.
Joe, that's kind of what I thought but I wanted to be sure. But I read another post on here somewhere, and the guy found out that he had different year block, head and valve covers by the numbers [and vents and cap on the cover], so I thought I'd float this question, just in case I've got a mixed breed. Thanks

Dave, I appreciate that information!

Tim- thanks, I almost couldn't see the stamp on mine for your photo # 3. Having a hard time making it out. but it looks like FI0I0H (?)I know those should be 1's, but they sure look like capital I's. The F is almost unreadable, like a soft stamp or something.

The other numbers I gave above are all from the places you showed on your pics, but the head number IS a B46, not 846. The 848 and 850 look correct though.

FI0I0H

F = Flint
10 = Month (October)
10 = Day
H = 235 in a 3000 Series Truck

This make your engine a "1957 only" engine as the 1956 engines had Unit Numbers (serial numbers) in front of the code and '57 was the first year without them and "H" in 1958 was the 348 V8 engine code.

edit...1956 "H" codes were the 265 V8.

Mike B

Thanks, Mike! That corrects what I was told by the previous owner. Now I know for sure. Lee Butcher