mystery motor

[rowingone]

How can you determine the compression ratio a motor has and is there any way to determine which cam it has? I'm
considering going to the "151" cam as the motor has headers, a holley 600 and a performer intake . . any thoughts?

 

[bossvette]

try here use the displacement calculator
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/tech/tools/index.html
you will need to know bore and stroke and head cc

 

[rowingone]

Well I do know it is a 350 . . . #3970010 . . . this number tells me what? . . and I was trying to determine the internals . . .

 

[bossvette]

that is the casting number for the block, didn't 64's come with a 327?
there should be a number stamped on the passenger side front of the block if it is not a replacement engine.
there are guys here who can tell what you have from that number

as far as telling what your CR and cam are I don't think you can do it without taking the engine apart

 

[motorman]

post the letter suffix that is stamped on the pad in front of the passenger side head. this will tell you what the orignal engine was. all bets are off if it was modified

 

[rowingone]

I cant find that number under the head . . seems to be smooth . . I know it is not the original motor but curious about the casting number . . . also are the numbers for the heads under the valve covers?

 

[rowingone]

upon closer inspection . . . the number on the right front of the block is MK08800

 

[rowingone]

OK made a little progress . . . from that casting number we can tell it is a 2 or 4 bolt 350 built between 1969 and 1980 . . when did GM start casting blocks in mexico?

 

[rowingone]

but the engine number makes no sense . . . it is definately that number . . . . odd!?

 

[WayneC]

Chances are the stamping you found is a rebuilder's code number... something like:

"Motor King #088 for year 2000"

I don't think there's any way to get the compression ratio without a teardown, because in addition to the head CC measurement and the stroke, you have to know the bore diameter and the piston height and configuration, (ie, a domed piston or a piston with large valve clearance depressions will affect compression ratio).

 

[Tom Bryant]

The "010" blocks are 350s. Complete Goodwrench replacement engines come from Mexico. I'm not sure if that applies to GM Performance crate engines or not. I doubt it.

Tom

 

[JohnZ]

Chances are the stamping you found is a rebuilder's code number... something like:

"Motor King #088 for year 2000"

I agree - it's a rebuilder's code; it's a rebuilt 350, no way to tell anything else without tearing it down.

 

[vettefinderjim]

PG meter

At the race track, the tech guys will use what they call is a PG meter. It is a gague that one uses in a cylinder. Take a spark plug out, remove the coil and inset the gague. Very similer to a compression gague. Crank the engine over. You will get a liter reading which is a result of bore and stroke. multiply by 8= the total liters of the motor.
That will tell you if it is a 350, 355, 383 etc.

As far as compression, use a lighted florascope. It is a device the DR. use and now good mechanics have them. You can look inside a cylinder as see if pop up pistons are present. Give you an idea what is there and also can check wear and blowby on the cylinder walls etc. A "leak down" gague will also help determine how much wear is on the engine.

WOW !!..........now as John said, it is easier to pull the motor and redo it to your specks. Plan ahead though, and consider trans ratio and rear end gear ratio befor you add cam shafts and high compression pistons. Consider the whole package and what you want to do.