Engine Block Casting Date

[Conserv]

4 hours ago, jgerock said:

Here is my other spare engine block VIN 1679747

 

 

 

 

Let me guess, Jim:  VIN 1679747 was probably manufactured in late January 1971?  The engine block, above, was cast on December 9, 1970 ("9M" in the oval frame under "70").

 

Thanks for posting yet another example!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited May 3, 2017 by Conserv

[Simeon]

5 hours ago, Son of Marty said:

Steve at one time you could order a rebuild that matched your original engine compression ratio/ head etc. I don't know if this is still true or why someone wouldn't order a TIi engine to get the higher C/R but that's just me. 

 

Presumably (and this is based more on modern experience with BMW) they would just keep robotically telling you that 'the part doesn't fit' due to what you would see as small differences and prevent you from ordering it. 

 

'You have the wrong inlet manifold. You have the wrong front cover. Your oil filter head is different etc, etc. 

[NickVyse]

7 hours ago, Conserv said:

 

Whoa, Nick!  Does the first one say October 25, 1966 ("25K 66")?  And the second is August 19, 1968 ("19H68").  I assume the ubiquitous "EB" is the foundry's name (Ford Motors, for instance, used a "CF" design for decades to denote their Cleveland Foundry), but I haven't come up with a proper name yet.

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

yep - '66 tilux and '68 1600-2

[NickVyse]

Here's the oldest in the garage - original 1600 from my NK

 

[going to have to have another look now - the 2 1600 blocks from '65 and '68 are missing the second freeze plug - the '66 2.0 has it, so perhaps it's a quirk of the early 1600s?]

 

Edited May 3, 2017 by NickVyse

[NickVyse]

Steve - you've got me really nerdy on this. The two early 1600 blocks only have 2 freeze plugs and are a very different casting:

 

 

In contrast here's an e21 1800 from 1980:

 

 

As just because it was on the deck next to the 1600 here's an 88 s14 evo II:

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2017 by NickVyse

[1936spyder]

Steve-

 

Thank you so much for the generosity of your info! I did search the forum and did find the other threads but could not find a definitive answer regarding my block. I'll take additional pics this Fri when it's up in the air. As for the 121 head, it is a bit odd as my car would have been built w/an E12 head as it was manufactured in Mar. '73, 121's being phased out late '72. Perhaps one could stipulate what replacement head they wanted when it needed to be replaced, or perhaps it was replaced w/a 121 head simply because that's all the dealer or service garage could order for my car at the time?

 

W

[Conserv]

3 hours ago, 1936spyder said:

Steve-

 

...As for the 121 head, it is a bit odd as my car would have been built w/an E12 head as it was manufactured in Mar. '73, 121's being phased out late '72. Perhaps one could stipulate what replacement head they wanted when it needed to be replaced, or perhaps it was replaced w/a 121 head simply because that's all the dealer or service garage could order for my car at the time?

 

W

 

Wends, 

 

Yes.  All of the above.  The possibilities are endless:  Some people have changed head types because they were totally unaware there were multiple types.  Some people have changed head types although they were completely aware that there were different types!  For example, some believe an E21 flows better (at least at some rpm's) than a 121, or a 121ti has larger valves than a 12-.  Others change head types because they can get a different head type for less money, as in "my buddy gave me this head for free, so I'm going to use it."  Or because they got new pistons meant for a different head.  It's already been mentioned that BMW may have changed head types on some remanufactured engines.  Maybe because it's what they had in stock.  And, truth be known, if you are changing pistons, there's not really a problem changing heads.  I wouldn't read too much into a 121 head on an E12 head car!

 

Regards,

 

Steve

[Conserv]

On 5/3/2017 at 5:24 AM, NickVyse said:

Steve - you've got me really nerdy on this. The two early 1600 blocks only have 2 freeze plugs and are a very different casting:

 

 

In contrast here's an e21 1800 from 1980:

 

 

As just because it was on the deck next to the 1600 here's an 88 s14 evo II:

 

 

 

 

This forum is getting too nerdy for me, Nick. ? I want a forum that talks about driving, not casting dates on engines!!!  ?

 

Very interesting -- at least to me -- that the early 1600-2 blocks are so different from blocks cast soon thereafter!  Does the increase in freeze plugs indicate problems with the early blocks, improvements/changes in the manufacturing process, something altogether different, or all of the above?

 

If I could just get a few hundred '02 owners to post photos of their engines...

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited December 30, 2018 by Conserv

[Conserv]

8 hours ago, NickVyse said:

Here's the oldest in the garage - original 1600 from my NK

 

[going to have to have another look now - the 2 1600 blocks from '65 and '68 are missing the second freeze plug - the '66 2.0 has it, so perhaps it's a quirk of the early 1600s?]

 

 

May 20, 1965 ("20E 65")

 

Thanks for posting these, Nick!

[saaron]

The logos look familiar.  Maybe they have a history person or records dept that you guys can accost with questions.  

 

http://www.eb-bruehl.com/?ngt=w7e0401062b1eef74417286030772188

 

Scott

[NickVyse]

49 minutes ago, Conserv said:

Very interesting -- at least to me -- that the early 1600-2 blocks are so different from blocks cast soon thereafter!  

 

 

except the 2.0 from my tilux has the 4 freeze plugs and was cast 2 years before the 1600 from 68 that only has 2. Surprised to see they cast 1600 and 2000 blocks differently.

 

I was told by someone in the UK that early 1600 blocks were the ones to use for big bore m10s of 92mm or more as they have a bit more meat around the cylinders. Anyone confirm this??

[Conserv]

4 hours ago, saaron said:

The logos look familiar.  Maybe they have a history person or records dept that you guys can accost with questions.  

 

http://www.eb-bruehl.com/?ngt=w7e0401062b1eef74417286030772188

 

Scott

 

Wow, Scott!

 

So Eisenwerk Bruehl GmbH developed and cast the engine blocks.  Great sleuthing!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[NickVyse]

not going to find much older...

 

[Conserv]

18 minutes ago, NickVyse said:

not going to find much older...

 

<img class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" data-fileid="187571" src="//d2um9aptpsgwwp.cloudfront.net/monthly_2017_05/62.jpg.c49ae2e5a6a19454c97a0387d774b743.jpg" alt="62.jpg.c49ae2e5a6a19454c97a0387d774b743.jpg" />

 

Agreed, Nick!

 

August 24, 1962 ("24 H62").  And clearly Eisenwerk Bruehl ("EB") from the beginning of the NK.  Looks like a two-freeze-plug block!  1600?

 

Thanks for posting!

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[Conserv]

So....

 

does anyone have an M10 block that:

 

1.) has a casting date located somewhere other than the right side, slightly forward of center, or

 

2.) has no casting date at all?

 

Thanks and regards,

 

Steve

 

 

Edited May 5, 2017 by Conserv