I know you can tell the year an engine was manufactured by looking at the VIN number or looking at the numbers stamped on the head. But, I need to know how to read those numbers stamped on the head. Any help and assistance will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Thats where you find the year

9|6 = 96

Motors that are casted as 6 month or later are put into the next production year. So if the head had 91 then a 6-11, it would be from a 92 model car.
-VTECVillain

 

doublejz;
Thanks for the help. I just received an engine swap and it seems like the engine is '99 (according to the stamping), the tranny is '95 (according to VIN number) and the ECU is OBDI (says P75 on label). I believe that 96 and above LS ECU's were PR4. Don't know for sure, but if it is, I guess I'll have to buy a conversion harness. If you have any info on the ECU situation, could you pls let me know? Anyhow, thanks for the help on the stamping. Now I won't forget for the next one. Later.

 

you could always just ask a honda dealer to run the number on the ecu, they will be able to tell you the year and what car it came out of

 

doublejz;
Thanks again!

 

so how about a h series block and tranny? are the numbers in same location and for production year? i know i have the number stamped right below H22A wondering if i can run that somehow...any ideas????

 

If it's an American motor, the block stamp can tell you the year of the engine also. All US motors will have a code like y3xxxxx where the "y" part is the year of the series of block, the "3" indicates that it was designated for the US, and then the serial number follows.

Example:
B18C1, 2300444: This GSR motor is a 1995. The B18C1 was produced starting in 1994, where almost all of them started with a "1". By this example then, a 1998 GSR block would start with a "5".

This doesn't relate to jdm motors, as most will either start with a 1 or 5.

H motors have a big year indication on the front of the motors, behind the exhaust manifold.