fungus mungus

This question has come up time and time again and there has never been agreement on this, so I thought I'd put this to rest. Yes, engine block casting numbers (the 7-digit number under the engine code) can be traced back to a VIN.

If you call a dealer, they'll tell you that it can't be traced. If you show your local police a block number, they'll give you a blank stare and ask you for a VIN. Even most state troopers that pull you over for speeding aren't able to do it. But most state police offices (at least the CHP) have a VIN officer that has access to resources that allow him or her to cross reference an engine block number to a VIN. It's unclear to me if it's a set of books or an electronic resource. I suspect it's an electronic resource.

To have one checked, you need to call the state police and ask to speak to a VIN officer. No one else will be able to look up the block number. As I said before, if you call a dealer, they'll tell you it can't be traced. If you call the state police and just ask, they'll probably tell you they can't (or don't) do that. You have to ask to speak to a VIN officer.

Many VIN officers want you to bring the motor in, but if you're checking out a motor before buying, this won't be an option for you (not to mention how much it would suck to buy it, bring it in, and have them take it away from you). If you tell them you are considering buying an engine and want to check the block number to see if it's clean, they should do it for you. They can do it in a few minutes. If it turns up clean, you're in the clear. If it turns up stolen, you'll be asked many questions.

Just a word of warning if you're buying a pre-96 swap and think you're in the clear because there's no VIN on the motor. While the state trooper that pulls you over for going 66 in a 65 zone may not be able to look up that block number, he or she may call their VIN office buddy to check out that number while you cool your jets.

Oh, and I also learned something else about block casting numbers...they almost always start with a "1". If they start with a "0" (as the one I was looking up did), it's a replacement block, thus not associated with a VIN.

fm

egb18c5

this info i didn't know about

but anyway, regular cops in my state haves access to check those numbers which sucks. some states might get away with it. they go hard over here lol

boosted k20

Autocrimes in NY, seen so many cars get taken away due to stolen motors. Autocrimes in NY is no joke. u get send straight to jail if you have a stolen motor

fungus mungus

When I wrote this, I was thinking pretty California-centric. That info is not available to anyone in CA but designated CHP officers. In other states, your mileage may vary. But my original point remains the same...do your homework and get your block numbers checked before buying. They ARE traceable, no matter what anyone else says.

fm

94EG8

Hmm, interesting. I find it weird that cops even look at this stuff. I've been pulled over like 6 times and i've never once had a cop ask to see under the hood or even bother to see if the VIN on the registration matched the car.

jmaze

Since I bought my vx new in '94, i have the original window sticker. it has the VIN and on the side it has the engine block number. So when a vehicle is stolen, the engine number that belongs to that VIN shows up as stolen. It was just a matter of finding out who has that info.

ToyotaLover

good info. Now if the number has a "3" in the beginning does that mean something else?

fungus mungus

What engine block are we talking about?

fm

ToyotaLover

Obd2 gsr

.dave

Heard the same thing from a detective at the Philadelphia police department.

Local sheriffs (back in western NY) had no idea what I was talking about though.

double wishbone

Great info, thanks for contributing.

ILoveMyHonda.

Ok, I have been having some trouble finding out if my block is clean or not. It's a 95 GSR block so no VIN tag. I tried going to the dealership, local police stations and I've called the state police with the engine block casting number and not one person could help me. I read what fungus mungus wrote about talking to a VIN officer, so I called up the state police again and asked to speak to a VIN officer and they had no idea what that was and basically told me they couldn't check the number on my block for me. I tried calling the CHP, even though I'm not from California, to see what they would say. I called 26 CHP departments and asked to speak to VIN officers. Some weren't there at the time, some said I would have to bring the block in for them to check it and wouldn't help me over the phone. I finally found someone that would run the number and when he did, he said it came up with a bunch of results. He said they put that number on a bunch of different engine blocks, so there wasn't really a way to trace it back to a certain VIN. He said to look for any other numbers on the block that could maybe be traced. I found a 10 digit number in the cut out section on the top left of the block right next to the #4 cylinder. Not sure if everyone has a number there though because I looked on my other GSR block and B16 block and there were no numbers there. Anyone have any ideas about that number? If it's suppose to be there? If anyone else has numbers there? Here's some pictures so you know what I mean. You have to look close to see the numbers.

fungus mungus

Now this is really interesting, because a guy I know at the local Honda dealer told me the same thing your VIN officer told me...the block casting number appeared on multiple blocks and couldn't be traced back to a single VIN. I was ready to take his word on that and stop my search, but I felt that due diligence was in order. When I found a VIN officer that was in the office (it took several calls to different offices before I spoke finally with one), he never let on that a block number might appear in several chassis. Whether he knew this or not, I don't know.

What I find troubling is that there are people on H-T that claim to have had block number run only to find their block was stolen (and summarily confiscated). If a given block number is associated in multiple vehicles, how can a number be run, be pinned to a VIN that was stolen, and then be confiscated? Surely they cannot do this based on circumstantial evidence if the block number turns up multiple matches (and only one of those matches turned out to be stolen)?

My original statement is, essentially correct...a block number can be traced back to a VIN, but may need amendment: a block number can be traced back to multiple VINs.

I wonder if these block numbers were stamped every day (or more likely every week), such that all the models made in a certain week would have the same number? I suppose that could very well be the case. I wonder if they always did it that way, or if there are time periods where the block number and the VIN had a one-one relationship? That might explain a single block number being associated with a single VIN that happened to be a stolen car.

It would be interesting to go to a dealership and look at the window stickers of several cars and compare the block numbers to see if there are duplicates. Not a sure way to tell, as there is no way of knowing for sure if these cars were made on the same day or even the same week. But if there are duplicates, we'd know for sure that current models have duplicate block numbers.

But to answer your question about your block and the mystery number stamped by piston 4, I have no idea what that number is. If your other blocks don't have numbers there, I would guess that it's not a traceable number either.

Also, it seems to me that you have done the best you can to assure that your block is clean. If your state police cannot determine that your block is clean or stolen, why go further with it? The scenario I envision is that you get pulled over for some reason, they pop your hood, don't see a VIN, can't look up the block number, and let you go (or give you a moving violation ticket and then let you go). While I commend you on your thoroughness, unless you're planning on moving to CA, I think calling the CHP was unnecessary.

Also, that number stamped on your block, even if it were traceable, wouldn't matter in a hood popping...a cop isn't going to pull your head off to trace the block.

fm