I'm getting ready to swap out the original 225 in my 76 Valiant with a temp engine that I recently bought.

I'd like to know the year of the engine if possible.

The number from the plate facing upward near spark plug one is: 2658893, then right below that number it says C9

Under the manifolds, on the side of the block is this number: 2806830-6

It has an automatic transmission hooked up to it and I'm thinking about just swapping out the whole thing with the engine/trans combo in the 76. Based on the info I've provided, is this a bolt-in swap?

_________________
1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

Can anyone help me with this?

I've searched the forum and have found which numbers to look for but I can't find a posting on how to decipher them.

Thanks
Don

_________________
1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

That's an odd assemblage of stuff to have stamped in that location. That 7-digit number doesn't come up in any of the relevant-year parts catalogues, a 7-digit number isn't usually found there, and I can't imagine how there's room for two rows of numbers. Take a look near the rearmost spark plug instead of the frontmost and see if there's anything there.
That's a '68-'75 block.
That's an option, if both are known to be working well.
Unless that '68-'75 block was swapped into a '65 or earlier car (with the '65 or earlier transmission) then the answer is yes. You may want to post the numbers stamped into the driver's side of the transmission housing's pan rail.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks for the reply Dan.

I looked at the rear plug as you suggested and found the following number: 9B278487

Also...the exact same number is on the transmission housing just in front of where the dipstick tube exits the transmission.

_________________
1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

Dan...any luck deciphering this latest number that I found?

Sorry to be a pest...I'm planning on swapping it this weekend and would like to know as much as possible about exactly what the engine is in case I need to go buy a few parts for it during the swap.

_________________
1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

That's the last eight digits of the VIN of the vehicle the engine was installed in. Either a '69 or a '79 model.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Ok Dan....one last try at this...

I looked at a post from the last few days, from another guy trying to ID his engine and noticed the photo of where that number might be

So....I just went out and took another look at the block...right behind the coil, and dang if there wasn't a number there.

It is (with the spaces included): PT225R 2 3

I can't adequately express with words how pumped I am about finally getting into this Valiant and the accompanying slant motor. It's been sitting in my driveway for a few weeks while I finished some traveling for my job....and this weekend I get to turn it back into a driving car again for the first time in at least a couple decades.

It just doesn't get any better than that for car old-car-guy enjoyment.

_________________
1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

Looks like you got a 225 !

_________________
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Yep...I think that part is certain.

Anyone have any luck deciphering the last number that I pulled?

_________________
1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

It was made on February 3 of one year or another — the "P" may indicate a model year, but I don't have a breakout chart to say which year. We know it's a 225, and that it was made at Trenton engine plant (T) for passenger car service (R).

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks Dan....I appreciate the help.

When buying parts, is there a high degree of interchangeability between this 69/70 engine and my original 76 engine?

_________________
1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

Things get a little clearer (sorta) now you remind me it could be a '69ish engine. For '69, you'd expect to see on the stamping pad:

PT: Trenton engine plant
225: cubic inch displacement
R: Not supposed to be there
2 3: Not supposed to be there; should be a 4-digit date code.

So what we have here is an engine stamping that doesn't fully accord with early or late protocol. That's not totally unheard of, but it's frustrating. Anyhow, given the VIN stamping and the block casting number, it's safe to say this engine was built at Trenton and originally installed in a 1969 vehicle made at Hamtramck, Michigan. So it's a '69 engine.

Now, the answer to your interchangeability question depends on which parts you're asking about, and on the production date of your '76 engine. In midyear '76, a major change was made from a forged to a cast crankshaft. The crank, rods, main bearings, and rod bearings do not interchange. External components (manifolds, head, oil pan and pickup, water pump, oil pump, and everything else) are fully interchangeable.

Which parts do you have in mind?

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

For interchangeability, I'm mainly referring to external accessories, like the misc pumps, belts, etc.

I'm going to baptise myself by fire into the world of slants by rebuilding the 1976 engine, and as soon as it's ready I'll swap it back into the Valiant, and at that point, I'm going to want to swap all the above mentioned accessories onto the rebuilt engine.

You gotta look at it from the perspective of a guy who's been working on a 302 Ford for the last couple of years.....NOTHING interchanges on the various years of those things.....I mean NOTHING. Often there's compatibility issues on 302s made IN THE SAME YEAR!!!

It sounds like the slant sixes are quite a bit more user friendly in that department...more like a small block Chevy.

_________________
1954 Ford, Tudor Mainline
1976 Plymouth Valiant, 4 door


www.automotive-ninja.com

Yup, nice wide interchange on slant-6s. You're going to want to be careful ordering parts for that '76 engine. Post its numbers (block casting and stamped ID) so we can decode for you whether you have an early/forged-crank or a late/cast-crank engine.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.