The engine in my recenteley accquired 1970 El-Camino is supposed to be a late 70s over the counter crate L-78. The Engine has Square Port Heads and from what i can see the Balancer has no External Weights. I believe it may in fact be what the third owner stated. The code on the pad under the Alternator is #CE J 112 515. Kind of hard to read but that is the best I can do. Any clue what this code indicates?
TIA
MIKE

It only indicate you have a Chevrolet Engine, The J indicates a partial engine of some sort, the rest are just a consecutive serial number. There is no way to tell what the engine is from this code. These were sold thru parts and were ID by a part number.

Only way to know is to tear down the engine, get all the casting numbers, mic everything and match it up to known parts.

Maybe it was a short block sold and the heads and everything else were transferred over??

Once again things don't match GM paperwork. According to the service bulletin below, there is one extra letter and too many numbers. :confused:

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/396guy/CE_enginecoding.jpg

Also, the J could stand for the model year if this indeed was GM Performance Parts crate Engine. J = 1989 in VIN year

Its impossible to use this code to determine CID and application. Like I mentioned, they sold them by part number and what is stamped was only used for record keeping when warranty use was involved.

I would say don't believe all of what people tell you when they are the seller. You never know what was done. People go to a swap meets, buy an engine based on what they are told, then embellish it even more till they have something special. When all it may be is a hodgepodge of parts put together in someone's garage over several case of beer. It always makes me wonder why they are selling if its so great? Did they only do this to make a $$. BUYER BEWARE

Don't be insulted but without paperwork to prove these claims you are at a loss to prove what they told you is the truth and the whole truth.