I have a 396 CE block (warranty replacement) in a 69 Chevelle SS, I am attempting to figure out which 396 this is. The CE stamping on the front/passenger side of the block tells me it is a 69' Tonowanda block, but how do I determine if it is a 325/350/375. It has a 4bbl Quadrajet if that helps. Is there another stamping that will tell me the info I am looking for?
BTW, it has a Muncie 4 spd, I am researching that too.

Can't find out what it is.

Warranty replaced what was existing. Unless you know what that was, you are out of luck. Service engine went by part number.

All CE engines were short block, not complete engines.

Check which heads you have. If you don't have the big rectangle ports, chances are you have the 325 or 350 horse. Since you have a Q-jet, you probably don't have the aluminum hi-rise either, which would indicate you have the 325 or 350 horse.

I have been told that it is a 396/350, I am just trying to figure out for sure. I am a little confused about what you mean "big rectangle ports", do I have to remove my heads for that?

I have been told that it is a 396/350, I am just trying to figure out for sure. I am a little confused about what you mean "big rectangle ports", do I have to remove my heads for that?

The part number (casting number) on the heads will tell you what they are. It's under the valve cover. MOST ALL rect. port heads have a single round "hump" (about the size of half of a dime) on the casting flashing that runs across the front of the head. I'm talkin' about the line that's uneven, about an inch and a half below the edge of the valve cover.

A typical short block warranty replacement would reuse the original heads, intake, carburetor and distributor. All of these components would have numbers on them that would help identify the original horsepower rating(assuming that these components are original to the car).

Let us know what the numbers on the other components are.
Bruce

give us the part number on the quadrajet, if it's original that will tell us as well. If the car was a factory 350hp 4 speed the carbs last digits will be 215, if its a 325 it will be 201. JN

Ok I will have to look at the carb, and find the heads/intake casting numbers.

I know the motor is original to the car, can you tell anything from the VIN number or body tag??

Where are the carb numbers located?

Did you take the valve covers off and look for part #s?

I think I found the carb numbers, they seem to be next to the Quadrajet label. They are stamped vertical...
7029207
1180W

The intake casting number is 3931067 with a GM3 below it.

The engine id is CE953236

I have not looked for the block casting number on the rear, or the head casting numbers.

The body tag is:
ST 69 13637 KAN110526 BDY
TR 756 52 PNT
09D 02851 L

I know the motor is original to the car, can you tell anything from the VIN number or body tag??
It can't be the original motor if it's a "CE"

The 3931067 manifold is oval port and according to some literature I find it's for a 325 horse motor BUT according to the Chevrolet By The Numbers - 1965-69 book, it's for both a 350 horse and a 325 horse motor.

Original in the sense that it is a 69 warranty replacement block...most likely changed then. The motor has been with the car since that time.

Original type motor

Who knows how many times the motor could have been changed in the last 35 years or where it came from for sure.

All you can have is a probable guess since the original motor is gone.

I have the car's history back to the second owner which was in 75'. I have never been able to contact the original owner. I do know however that the motor was never changed. The coding on the block indicates that it is a warranty replacement block. That date corresponds to 1969. So I am 90% sure that the motor was replaced under warranty by the first owners dealer. All I am trying to determine is the HP of the 396. Do I have a 325 or a 350, that is all I care about. I provided the above information to help someone who knows, better than me, how to decode my car.

I think I found the carb numbers, they seem to be next to the Quadrajet label. They are stamped vertical...
7029207
1180W

Colvin's by the #'s book says that carb is for a 350CID/350HP Corvette, so that's no help. :( The carb must have been changed. The 3931067 intake is for all big block hydraulic lifter motors, 325 & 350HP. I don't think the head #'s will tell you anything either. If you want to pull the camshaft the 325HP cam casting # is 3874874, the 350HP is 3883944, once again this is from Chev by the #'s book. That's the only way I know to tell.

BillL

I would guess it's a 350 hp.
I don't think there is any way to tell from the information provided so far.

What type air cleaner does it have?
325 hp had closed and 350 hp had open element.

open element, the cam was upgraded in 92' the engine builder installed a mild comp cam...

I have been guessing it is a 350, the 3rd owner who paid for the frame off was going through his files he thought it was a 396/350(that was 1992). He had the motor done too cam, head, and bored over.

just figuring what decal to put on the air cleaner, thats all

With the open element air cleaner, put a 350 hp decal. If you find a closed type air filter, buy it and put a 325 hp decal, then you have all your bases covered.

What the heck, put on a 375 Hp decal (unless it has factory air cond.) :D
That's what I put on my 350 HP and got sick of hearing people come by and say "That's no 375 HP, It has Air-conditioning" (always being sure to say it loud enough to whomever they were talking to for me to be sure and hear too)
I figured I had probably increased the HP by at least 25 but I soon removed it and put the 350 HP decal on.

Like I said I'd bet yours is a 350 hp.

Colvin's by the #'s book says that carb is for a 350CID/350HP Corvette, so that's no help. :( The carb must have been changed. The 3931067 intake is for all big block hydraulic lifter motors, 325 & 350HP. I don't think the head #'s will tell you anything either. If you want to pull the camshaft the 325HP cam casting # is 3874874, the 350HP is 3883944, once again this is from Chev by the #'s book. That's the only way I know to tell.

BillL


So I have a 350CI carb on my 396?? Is this something I should correct, is there a difference between the two??

More info, after talking to builder...the carb was a new GM replacement. I just have to check the carb to be sure about jetting. Thanks for all the help, I am going to look this info related to the carb on another post.

The biggest difference between the 325hp and 350hp engines were in the camshaft. To a lesser degree the air cleaner and maybe minor tweaking of carb settings and distributor advance settings.

Since the camshaft has been changed (major difference between factory 325 and 350) and a factory CE replacement short block (with new cam) the original hp rating of the engine is really relegated to a non issue. Since everything taken off the original engine and put onto the CE block are the same between the 325hp/350hp models the only real external visual clue is the air cleaner.

Being the engine has also been rebuilt and you already have the open element air cleaner, I don't see where anyone would have any problem with going with the 350hp sticker. If you have the closed air cleaner then a 325hp sticker would be appropriate, just use the correct sticker on the correct air cleaner. :thumbsup:

Makes sense... I have the original closed element aircleaner.

I was able to get it from the 2nd owner who did the restoration of the car, and also had the motor work done. I looked through the restoration photos and saw the guy paid to do the restoration wearing a FD hat. I tracked that guy down about 2 hours south of me. He is a firefighter who restores old cars in his workshop. He put me in touch with the owner who paid for the restore some 12 years ago.

So it was a 325HP then the motor builder freshened up the motor and installed a new cam and did some head work. So I will be buying 2 decals, one for the open element(350) and one for the closed(325). So whichever way you look at it the car will appear "original".

At least you were able to track down the info you need. Some dont get that lucky. I was actually going to ask about the cam but I see it was replaced.

I just got lucky tracking down the 2nd owner. I am still searching for the original owner, the second owner found the car in the late 80's in a barn going to hell... I am the 4th owner, the 3rd owner purchased it and just kept it looking good for the last 8 years. To freshen up the restoration I would have to pull the motor, detail the engine bay, and repaint the car.

Well I checked and I have 4 bolt mains so it again could have gone either way. From what I understand the 396/325 could be found with both 2 and 4 bolt mains. The 396/350 came with 4 bolt mains. I did notice in the photos that the car originally had the closed element aircleaner. If it was not for the 2nd owner taking those pics and passing them along, I would never have been able to tell. Not that it matters that much, but I just like to know those things.

Shoot, since nothing's original anyways I say put whatever you like on.....doesn't really make any difference at this anyways unless you're just trying to duplicate an original look.

I have an L34 396 in my '71, it has the open filter with a 402/Turbo-Jet 425 HP decal on it....mind you neither the engine nor the sticker is correct for this car but that's not an issue for me.

I figured I had probably increased the HP by at least 25 but I soon removed it and put the 350 HP decal on.

That issue cam be resolved by putting on some NOS stickers....just ask the ricer boys. ;)

CE953236=
C= chevrolet
E= engine
9= 69, most likely
the rest are warranty tracking numbers, IIRC.