Hey ya'll I just bought another Chevelle 454, I know that the track car I have now has 4 bolt mains because I built, and I made sure that the bottom end was bullet proof for the supercharger, stroker crank and the high compression. However, this new one, I am not sure if it has 4 bolt mains or 2 bolt mains. Is there anyway that I can find out without dropping my pan, like of the cast numbers, because if I have to drop the pan I have to drop the tranny and I really do not want to.

If you check the casting numbers and then go to mortec.com you may find the answer to your question. It's a very useful website with a lot of Chevy head and block casting number information. Hope this helps.

Jeff

even on mortec you may not be sure because some castings list could be either. so you still may need to pull the pan.

Try finding a shop in your area with a flexable bore scope & stick it in the drain plug hole.
We use one with a little color monitor to look inside plug holes etc. to see whats up ;)

Or you could try getting "friendly" with you local proctologist, he will have one & I understand they are real good with em :D

hey guys its real easy just look at the block above the oil filter, a 2 bolt has 1 big pipe plug or the o.p. switch above the filter a 4 bolt has 2 big pipe plugs there, 1 for the o.p. switch and the other is just a plug. on a 4 bolt the forward plug is a inch and a half in front of the other and a little lower graemlins/thumbsup.gif
john

Originally posted by TriplblackL78:
hey guys its real easy just look at the block above the oil filter, a 2 bolt has 1 big pipe plug or the o.p. switch above the filter a 4 bolt has 2 big pipe plugs there, 1 for the o.p. switch and the other is just a plug. on a 4 bolt the forward plug is a inch and a half in front of the other and a little lower graemlins/thumbsup.gif
john That doesn't always hold true. I have a 454 block sitting here out of my '89 Suburban (still a mkIV). It's a 4 bolt block, but only has one plug above the oil filter.

[ ][/QUOTE]That doesn't always hold true. I have a 454 block sitting here out of my '89 Suburban (still a mkIV). It's a 4 bolt block, but only has one plug above the oil filter. [/qb][/QUOTE]
right and it probably doesn't take a mech. fuel pump either, because there is no hole for one (markIV,TBI)I'm pretty sure you can bank on what i said if the engine can take a fuel pump.
john

I am sure Triplblackl78 has it right but thats one I never share with the masses myself! smile.gif (Other hole was slated for an oil cooler I believe)

Originally posted by 67johnny:
I am sure Triplblackl78 has it right but thats one I never share with the masses myself! smile.gif (Other hole was slated for an oil cooler I believe) everyone needs to feel needed, a little self affirmation, you know :rolleyes: ;)

I hear ya! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

All mkIV big blocks has mechanical fuel pump mounts/bosses. I just checked mine to be sure, and it's a 4 bolt block with a mechanical fuel pump mount/boss and only has one pipe plug above the oil filter.

Originally posted by 10secBu:
All mkIV big blocks has mechanical fuel pump mounts/bosses. I just checked mine to be sure, and it's a 4 bolt block with a mechanical fuel pump mount/boss and only has one pipe plug above the oil filter. it has pump boss but the area for the arm to go thru is cast over, or is there a block off plate?
I had a 88' C3500 and it was cast there no provision for a fuel pump.i think sometimes if the engine needed replacement, the target motor or replacement parts counter engine, would come thru and need a block-off plate installed for TBI useage, late 80s early 90s

Originally posted by TriplblackL78:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by 10secBu:
All mkIV big blocks has mechanical fuel pump mounts/bosses. I just checked mine to be sure, and it's a 4 bolt block with a mechanical fuel pump mount/boss and only has one pipe plug above the oil filter. it has pump boss but the area for the arm to go thru is cast over, or is there a block off plate?
I had a 88' C3500 and it was cast there no provision for a fuel pump.i think sometimes if the engine needed replacement, the target motor or replacement parts counter engine, would come thru and need a block-off plate installed for TBI useage, late 80s early 90s </font>[/QUOTE]There was a block off plate that bolted on. I took the plate off when I pulled the engine and the area behind the cover plate is open to accept a mechanical fuel pump.

alright guys this is what i have found, above the oil filter i have a hole for the oil pressure/temperature sender, and then behind that i have a hole that is plugged with one of those square headed plugs. Please tell me that this is what ya'll are talking about. if so, thanks for the help.

I have never heard of any definitive way to tell if a block is a 4 bolt by just looking at the outside. If you need to know one way or the other for sure and be 100% sure, drop the pan...the only way IMO.

Generally speaking, all 454s from 1970 - 1972 were 4-bolt mains; all 1973-on (except crate engines) were 2-bolt mains. Tall deck truck block 427s were all 4-bolt mains. No doubt there are some surprises when people open up a smog motor and find 4-bolts, but as a broad generalization the above rules hold true.

well it is not an original chevelle 454, i believe the guy said it was a truck motor. and is a new not refurbished motor...he just did not remember if it was 2 or 4. and he does not have the build sheet for the motor

Originally posted by SuperchargedChevelle454SS:
alright guys this is what i have found, above the oil filter i have a hole for the oil pressure/temperature sender, and then behind that i have a hole that is plugged with one of those square headed plugs. Please tell me that this is what ya'll are talking about. if so, thanks for the help. super do you know or have you seen the casting number yet, and if it's a 4 bolt there will be three holes in the same vicinity, the one most to the rear right near the bellhousing is for the clutch rod pivot ball, then one dead center above the filter and then another a bit forward and down a half inch or so,
john

the two holes i was talking about are about an inch apart right above the filter...it is an auto so would there be another square headed bolt in the hole for the clutch too? or is it just the pivot point for the linkage, and left open? i do not have casting numbers but i can get them...oh and all, i put Hi-Jackers on my racing chevelle...wow, i would recomend those things to racers, they are great, i can adjust them where i need them(about 110 psi right now) stiffens the back end just right to hold them meats to the ground!!!

It's a 4bolt. The third hole is threaded bolt size for ther clutch pivot ball. Todd if you have a 4bolt MK-4 without the oil cooler holes it a new one to me.

Originally posted by Mike Feudo:
It's a 4bolt. The third hole is threaded bolt size for ther clutch pivot ball. Todd if you have a 4bolt MK-4 without the oil cooler holes it a new one to me. Do I need to take pics of this thing or what???

I too thought this block should have the oil cooler fittings above the oil filter being it's a 4 bolt, but it doesn't. I have a bbc book that clearly states all 4 bolt blocks had the cooler holes...I spoke with my machine shop about it and he also confirmed that that isn't always the case.

Todd,
No need for photos, I have seen this also.

Well, I may have to eat some crow here this morning. Here is a quick pic of the block i have sitting here.

http://www.qis.net/~geislert/block1.jpg

For some reason, I didn't remember seeing the second small pipe plug. I personally don't see that small 1/8" or 1/4" pipe plug being able to support the return flow of an oil cooler. The other plug is 1/2" pipe I believe which is the pressure out port, many times used for a gauge.

This engine had a factory oil cooler which was plumbed to/from 3" high cast aluminum sandwich adapter plate which mounted between the block filter pad and the oil filter itself.

I guess the book I have is kinda misleading. It states that all 4 bolt blocks had two ports for oil coolers..which I myself can't see the small port being enough to flow the needed volume of oil.

I have a Dec 1990 casting date 4 bolt MK IV block. I believe this to be a service replacment block as they were making Mark V motors for the 91 model trucks for regular production, and all the other parts were 86 vintage.

This motor also had the sandwich between the filer and boss, but the two extra pipe thread fittings are along the pan rail, underneath where you took your pics.

I had took some pics of my motor, I will check to see if any show those holes.

I have my oil pressure and temperature gauges on the smaller front one (the are on a t adapter so i could use both) i can not really see the side on my motor due the the big ole headers, i can see the senders and the big pipe plug is barely visable from the bottom side of the car, i can not see the 3rd hole...but i am sure it is there somewhere.
clayton

on another note, the plug that i can see is dead center about the oil filter and the gauge senders are about and inch forward of that plug.

I would remove Timeing cover if front cap is 4 bolt the rest will be.

Originally posted by David Gonzalez:
I would remove Timeing cover if front cap is 4 bolt the rest will be. you know the old guy who said"you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink it" I give up... graemlins/clonk.gif graemlins/clonk.gif

i am inclined to believe it is a 4 bolt, i have 3 holes...on in the center of the filter, then one in front of that for the senders, and then behind the center one near where the bellhousing would be(for clutch) thanks for ya'lls help...i just wanted to know cause i am goin to build this up as a street car with about 600-700 hp and i wanted to figure what i could get and start figuring what i am goin to do to it(parts list) but i did not want to tear the thing apart because i want to drive it until the last possible second...just might have to break out my racing chevelle during the build up when the new one is in the shop getting bored and getting the deck done graemlins/hurray.gif !! wonder what the cops would say to that...lol... graemlins/angry.gif lol...thats only if they try to catch me...haha, oh and one last question...i have a 4.5" stroke and 4.250 bored planned for this motor...maybe even bigger...what do ya'll think about this comination? i know i will still have to use 104 octane with about 12:1 or 13:1 compression...what do ya'll think would be some potential problems...i know my other chevelle had many over heating problems for a while...what do ya'll think about that four corner intake i have read so much about...

10secbu,My 454 looks just like the one in your picture and mine is a 2bolt.If you can get your hands on the HP book 'CHEVROLET POWER MANUAL'written in 1994 and look on page 105 you'll see the oil cooler hole is much bigger than that 1/8 inch plug on ours.Hope this helps.Al

the small furthest plug on mine which i have my senders on are not 1/4in. it is more like 3/8's or 1/2 if i can remember correctly when i had to pick up the addapter for them, and the big pipe plug is deffinetly 1/2" and i think a little bigger.