Thread: 327 or 350?

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I have a engine here with roller rockers and double hump heads and looked up the numbers and so far it can be either a 302, 327 or 350... These are the numbers 3932386 M 4. The M is in a square box and then 4 after that. On Mortec site or whatever it is say's 2 is 327 and 4 is 350 but when I got this engine the guy said it's a 327 but now I don't think it is. I am not sure which is better but any info would be appreciated! Two people told me it is a 327, I have second doubts. It's got a huge double pumper on it, roller rockers, Victor Jr Edelbrock intake, nice aluminum pullies, etc etc. It was in a old Camaro that was going to be a drag car and my friend I got it from took the engine and tranny out and got rid of the car because it needed too much work. He started it one time and said that it was the first time it was ever started. Now it will be going into my 54 Chevy HT. Also should I change the gaskets on it all or no? It's been sitting for about 3 years or so with oil in it.

Thanks a lot guys!

Bolt it in and fire it. What difference does it make what size it is?

True, only difference is if in my mind I know that it's a 327 or 350 that's all. Not being a smart ass either sir!

if it was a 302 it'd say MO or DZ on the side. pull the pan 4 or 2 bolt?

Does this block have "Hexos ein Mexico" cast in it anywhere ? It could be a goodwrench engine, will have the 4 bolts but it is a bit of a lightweight casting. Usually that big M stands for a Mex made block. And it will definitely be a 350.

Then again 3932386 according to mortec, show that this was a 4 bolt casting for 1969. Have a look for some date casting numbers. And also as gasser says look at the vin code stamped on the pad in front of the cylinder head above the water pump. Passenger side head that is.

I dont see the Mexico thing anywhere but the numbers above the water pump say, K12 27FC I think that was all there was up there but I could BARELY read those numbers. I can pull the pan but that will have to wait because the motor is filled with oil and I just got off of work so last thing I wanna do is work on another engine or vehicle. LOL What do those numbers above the water pump tell me?

Looking at the suffix code FC = 235 HP 327 motor manufactured in 1969, came stock with a 2 barrel carburetor and a turbo hydramatic trans.

Mortec says that this casting number block is a 4 bolt.

What we need now is a casting date from the block, it should be raised letters on the rear of the block opposite the block casting number. It should consist of a letter a number one or two digits and a number. Another giveaway that this is a 60's block is that it will have the full distributor casting tower in the back of the block.

If you have camel hump heads on this motor they should be 186 castings and probably have the 1.94 intake and 1.5 exhaust valves in them. There should also be the 3 accesory bolt holes on the ends of each head.

I will BRB with an answer on those numbers... The top end seems to be beefed up a little bit and my friend said when they first got the motor he started it up and it had a nice big cam but nothing real huge but then again not small...

Ok on passenger side under the head it says this... 8 l 29 then like below that it has an A and below the A it says D (some kind of symbol) N...

No clue.

That above should be 8 L 29 sorry...

Ok guys, sorry for ANOTHER post but here is some more info. On the back of the engine behind the bellhousing there are these numbers... 871 it looks like, very close together, then below that and to the side a bit it says 886. Now that is on passenger side..
I took the valve cover off of passenger head and here are the numbers at the front... 3890462
D207 (below)
And then near the middle in between the front and second cylinder there is a number 13, in the middle of the head it says GM 21...

Those are all the numbers and markings on the block and I can't find anything else. Again, sorry for all the posts and I really appreciate all the help you guys are giving me. I don't know much about the numbers and decoding the blocks and you older guys have been doing it for years so I came to you first.

Okay you have some date codes there.

First for the heads on the mortec site

3890462 = Camel hump heads, made years 1966 to 1967

For 302, 327, 350 engines.

They are 64 cc closed chamber heads

Casting date D 20 7 cast on 20th April 1967

Block Casting code

8 L 29 = 29th Dec 1968

So this makes it the good solid Heavy american made block, Just hope that your cylinder bores are at .030 " over that would be good .060 " would still be okay but that would be the blocks last bore.

So there you have it a block nearly 40 years old and heads that are practically 40 years old. Old chevy iron, but still good (after checking ) use it like it should be used.

So guess it is just a 327 then? I will pull the pan later when I buy/find a new one to put on and look at the mains... Thanks a lot for that info Southerner, you've helped greatly along with everyone else too.

Should be a motor to have fun with. As I said the motor is nearly 40 years old and it's only the block that is 327, it is a late model 327 so it shares the same large bearing diameter as the 350. So there is allways the posibillity that somebody at some stage in the engines past put a 350 crank in that block. The real cherry would be if, it turns out to be a forged steel one. Anythings possible.

Know how to tell a forged steel crank from a cast one from just looking at it sitting in the block ?

CAST thin parting line on crank throws.

FORGED Wide flash marks on crank throws.

It does not hurt to look at a few things while the pan is off, Check the rods to see if they are discoloured, (BLUED ) it wont hurt to find this now as to when you start her up.... Check the oil pickup to see if it is blocked up with gunge, See how much sludge is in the bottom of the pan. Any loose parts ? Like lifter circlips the odd roller out of those roller bearing rockers, glittery oil (metal filings) Maybe pull the oil pump out and check the clearances. What ever you do.... just make sure the pump driveshaft is back in befor you drop the distributer back in.

if u dont want that 327 ya know im always here