[Sherrill]

I purchased a 67 Malibu and the owner told
me it was a 325hp 327 but according to the
engine code V0508DJ this is a 283 that
someone has put a Qjet on. I would like to
know in the future how to know without the
code.

 

[DZAUTO]

What is the casting number (will have 7 numbers) on the top rear (bell housing flange) of the block?

------------------
Tom Parsons

 

[RussD]

Sherrill-
I found out an easy way to tell after I got my 65, assuming there wasnt a lot of part swapping on the motor the balancer on the front of the motor will tell all the 283 balancers are puny whereas a 327 has a bigger 350 size balancer. Using this method I found I have a 283. If you look on the brightside of things with your 67, you might have the orig. motor!(DJ is the 67 283 chevelle engine code, which from your message you already know.)

------------------
Steve
64SS-327-4spd-sold to Original owner!
65 Malibu 283/PG!!!
www.angelfire.com/ca4/chevelle/
Team Chevelle Member #71

 

[Wally]

Not all 327 motors have the larger 8 1/2 balancer. In fact more had the small 6 inch, many were not bolted on, no threads in the crank.

------------------
Wally
Gold #67
67 Malibu "Small Block"
90 SS454
71 Malibu "Small Block"
93 torch red vette

 

[DZAUTO]

This is a true statement.

------------------
Tom Parsons

 

[JSL]

Wally is correct,
I have the smaller balancer on my 68 327, and it is pressed on not bolted.


Jeff

 

[elcamino]

Get the casting number from the block, the 283 and 327 are different casting.

You can make a 283 look like a 327 and vice versa. All the parts are interchangeable. If the engine has not been touched then the major difference is the valve covers otherwise its difficult to tell even for experts. The 327 covers are more boxey, have a small raised pad in the center for the decal whereas the 283 covers are plain with round corners and a uniform top.

I don't think there was any such HP rating for the 327 with 325hp?

 

[Cam]

What ElCamino says is true - except in '67 the 283 & 327 both had valve covers that had raised 'Chevrolet' in cursive writing and looked the same.

 

[SLOOPjohnB]

I had a similar problem dicerning the engine on my '67. This may sound silly, but how i found out was I wiped off the sticker on the breather. You may not have the original pan if they swapped carbs on you, but its worth a shot. A 283 will have a sticker that says 283 Turbofire 195 Hoursepower. The best way is to get the numbers from the block. Ask some of the guys here to decifer them for you. It's amazing what you can find out from those things.

------------------
John Baird
LaFollette, TN
1967 Malibu 4DR
283, 2-Speed

 

[Wally]

I think they did make a 325 HP 327, 1968 I beleive was the year, in Chevelles. I saw that here some weeks ago.

------------------
Wally
Gold #67
67 Malibu "Small Block"
90 SS454
71 Malibu "Small Block"
93 torch red vette

 

[CFR]

There was a 327ci (325hp) in 67 it came with 4-bbl. 11.00:1 engine coads EP,ER. or ES. CFR.

------------------

 

[Sherrill]

Tom, in answer to your question about the
rear casting numbers I had a difficult time
seeing it without taking the accelerator
mounting bracket off but it appears to
be B898944. You didnt say in your previous
reply why you wanted it...you got an idea
about further identification? Thanks for
the help, and thanks to everyone else who
has replied. This is a GREAT forum for a
newbie like myself! By the way is there
anything special about the heads on mine
they have a casting on the front that looks
like a triangle centered over the top of
a rectangle

Thanks
Mike Sherrill


[This message has been edited by Sherrill (edited 10-03-99).]

[This message has been edited by Sherrill (edited 10-03-99).]

 

[tom3]

This goes way back, so correct me if I'm wrong. Above the water pump, just below the intake on right side, there is a notch between a strut and a raised boss on the block. The width of this notch is different on 283 and 327. Used to use this when street racing to tell what engine you were actually up against. I can't remember how the width varies for which engine, but it is noticeable, say 1/4 inch wider. If someone with both engines laying around might check on this and clarify. Been too long, might have been on 265 to 283, but I'm thinking it (the difference) was on the 327.

 

[wpierce]

Sherrill,
I will assume the casting you provided was difficult to read. The first digit rather than a B was likely a 3. I could not come up with a listing for 3898944, but, there was a casting of 3896944 (maybe you misread the 6 for an 8) and it decodes to a 67 model 283 which came with a 2bbl stock. This would also back up the DJ engine code you previously listed and decoded as a 283. Again on the bright side, this may be the original motor..Is there a second set of #'s on the passenger side pad which coordinate with the last digits of the cars vin? #'s matching original motor maybe? Hope to have helped..
warren..

[This message has been edited by wpierce (edited 10-03-99).]

 

[Sherrill]

Warren, thanks for going to the trouble to
look it up. You are probably correct about
the number you came up with. I was reading
it with a mirror to see it under the bracket
which made it upside down and backwards. By
the way there is no other number by the front
block number, so I guess it could be a replacement or milled off?

 

[283v8]

Don't go by valve covers - my 64 Impala 283 engine has script "Chevrolet" on the valve covers - engine and covers are original.

------------------
Gotta have a Chevy !In Durham N.C.
Why is there never enough time or money to do it right the first time, but ALWAYS enough to do it over?