The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop info needed on my 216

i have the following 5 window chevy truck s/n 3jpe20871 comes back made in 1951 series 3100 assembly plant in detroit number 20871 but i know the orig 216 was replaced, heres the number behind the distributor BD837091 what year was it made and what can anyone tell me about this engine? thanks guys

i know its not the original 216 but hoping for a 1951 engine anyone help me on this one? thanks guys

Check your casting numbers at www.inliners.org

I think you need to recheck the casting number. I just looked through my factory spec manuals and couldn't even come close. MOST casting numbers begin with three letters. For truck engines a leading "B" (making 4 letters) indicates an RPO. The next letter would be model year. That would be a J for '51. A "D" there would take you way back. If no A or B as first letter, the first letter is the year.

dbone,

I think the block casting number that people are referring to above is near the upper right side of the starter (it is a raised number/code).

The engine serial number that you have provided is the number/code that is pressed into the block just behind the distributor.

I do not know if this is at all correct, but my ID numbers book decodes your number/code as follows:

BD837091

BD = Interim-CK series 1/2 ton truck 216 engine (Interim CK series means that it could be any post WWII Chevrolet 1/2 ton truck engine that was produced from 1 September 1945 until the post-war models/engines were produced)

837091 = Production number. This seems like a large number, so do not trust my decoding.

BDA at the beginning might would indicate an Interim-CK Detroit-built 216 engine; and, then 37091 would be a more reasonable production number.

Check the block casting number (post it here, if you want opinions about it).

Tim

[this question was also posted in General Truck Talk]

I came up with the same thing, that it's a '46 engine. Stikes me as somewhat odd that someone woukd use an older 216 for replacement, especially when there are plentiful later versions to be had. Sounds like a good time to do a full pressure 235 conversion.