The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop New guy from Canada confused about GMC engines

Hi. Thanks for veiwing my first post. I just bought a 1950 GMC that was built in Oshawa Ontario and sat in a barn in Saskatchewan for 35 years. I am trying to figure out the engine size and if the truck I purchased still has its original engine. I think in Canada GMC's used Chev 216's instead of the 228 that was used in the US trucks. Can someone confirm this and then tell me how the engine code on the ID plate translates to the numbers on the block.Thanks.

Hy 72b4idie, it would appear that most Canadian light GMC trucks were Chevrolet powered, however I have a Canadian 53 GMC with a hydramatic and a GMC 228 engine. The GMC engine has a head where all the head bolts are at the same height, and the head is a plain rectangular shape, The Chevrolet engine has the head bolts at different heights, so the head is scalloped around the shorter head bolts. If your engine has not been replaced over the years then the number on the plate should be the same as the number stamped into the block just to the rear of the distributor, hope that helps.

Thanks. That helps a lot. I spent the night searching the forum and found lots of great info. Should have spent more time doing that in the first place but my registration wasn't complete and I felt like I was stealing all your expierences. I am looking forward to making more friends in the Stovebolt world. Regards, Gary

GMC engine serial numbers start with the displacement, so if your engine doesn't start with 228 or another common GMC displacement then chances are its a Chevy engine.

Hy Guys, actually In Canada GMC 248 engine serial numbers seem to start with two letters.

3B,

Do those two letters (if present) give information about a GMC engine that came from the factory with some combination of non-standard cylinder bore and/or non-standard crankshaft journal size(s) (rod and/or main)?

Tim

Hy tclederman, the letters seem to be a standard serial number prefex for Canadian 248 GMC engines, they don't designate anything special that I'm aware of, and they don't have 248 after the letters, hope that clarifies.