# Identifying this engine?



## rnldmdmb (Jul 26, 2009)

I just bought a 1967 firebird. The owner said it used to be a 3.26 and he dropped a 400 in. I'm not too sure that the engine he dropped in was a firebird engine but, i'm sure it's a GTO. I searched some of the numbers online and I came up with this.

1970 9799068 400 STANDARD 4BBL GTO
1970 9799068 400 400 4BBL AND RAM AIR III 4BBL FB
1970 9799068 400 FB 4 BARRELL (STD & RAM AIR III)

It must be a GTO right?

I looked at the engine and wrote down any type of letters and numbers I found, this is what I came up with:

637009
YN ?

GM A 9799068

0258

Firing Order 18436572

D258

3219

7054901

1840


I just need help verifying this please I can't tell which would be my specific engine, Thank you in the future.


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## Koppster (Jul 27, 2008)

Check your block cast and engine codes again. I can't find a 9799068 in any of the databases (Pontiac Power, Year One, Wallace Racing). 

I can find your engine code YN but the only 400s it aligns with are 73 B Body and their casting codes are not even close to yours, all the other YNs are 326s and 350s (might be one 301).

Pontiac Power

I believe the number you posted is from your intake manifold.

This link will tell you where to find your block cast code: Engine I.D. and Codes

Block cast + engine code (YN) will enable you to tell what you have.


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

Isn't the B body Bonneville/Catalina???...
Bill


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Koppster said:


> I believe the number you posted is from your intake manifold.


:agree


The casting number for the block is on the distributor pad with the date code for early 67 and before, and behind the #8 cylinder below the head for mid year 67 and later.

9799068 is an intake maniflod casting number for 70,


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## jpdog357 (Feb 27, 2006)

The motor unit number above the YN in this case, where does it relate to the PHS documentation for matching numbers.

Thanks,

Jason


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

jpdog357 said:


> The motor unit number above the YN in this case, where does it relate to the PHS documentation for matching numbers.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jason


For verifying matching numbers(for late '67 on), you want to use the motors vin located below and compare it to the vin of the car(last 6 digits. on PHS it's listed as the "serial number").


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

silversport said:


> Isn't the B body Bonneville/Catalina???...
> Bill


Yes, including Grand Prix........


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## jpdog357 (Feb 27, 2006)

68greengoat said:


> For verifying matching numbers(for late '67 on), you want to use the motors vin located below and compare it to the vin of the car(last 6 digits. on PHS it's listed as the "serial number").


So what is the top number? I have looked at this all online and its confusing.

Thanks,

Jason


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

68greengoat said:


> For verifying matching numbers(for late '67 on), you want to use the motors vin located below and compare it to the vin of the car(last 6 digits. on PHS it's listed as the "serial number").


:agree

On the early 67 blocks the number on the front of the block with the letter code is listed on the PHS billing history as the engine unit number. This number was not used prior to 67.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

05GTO said:


> :agree
> 
> On the early 67 blocks the number on the front of the block with the letter code is listed on the PHS billing history as the engine unit number. This number was not used prior to 67.


As far as the engines "unit" number. Is that number used on a specific block, or, did they use the same unit number on multiple blocks? If the unit number is specific to one block, in one car, and it matches the "unit" number on the PHS doc would it be considered a numbers matching block? If that is true, then without checking, the engine vin number "will" match the vin on the car. Correct? I just happened to see the unit number on the PHS doc and thought that could be another way to determine numbers matching. Unless they used the same unit number on multiple blocks in multiple cars. Is this making sense?:willy:


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

68greengoat said:


> Yes, including Grand Prix........


thanks 68greengoat...:seeya
Bill


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

68greengoat said:


> As far as the engines "unit" number. Is that number used on a specific block, or, did they use the same unit number on multiple blocks? If the unit number is specific to one block, in one car, and it matches the "unit" number on the PHS doc would it be considered a numbers matching block? If that is true, then without checking, the engine vin number "will" match the vin on the car. Correct? I just happened to see the unit number on the PHS doc and thought that could be another way to determine numbers matching. Unless they used the same unit number on multiple blocks in multiple cars. Is this making sense?:willy:


It is my understanding in the first part of 67 Pontiac used the engine unit number as a serial number to identify the specific block, In mid year 67 they changed the location of the casting number from the distributor pad to behind the #8 cylinder and added the last part of the vehicles VIN to the front of the block as illustrated in the above post. I believe they stopped using the engine unit number that was stamped on the front of the block with the letter code.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

05GTO said:


> It is my understanding in the first part of 67 Pontiac used the engine unit number as a serial number to identify the specific block, In mid year 67 they changed the location of the casting number from the distributor pad to behind the #8 cylinder and added the last part of the vehicles VIN to the front of the block as illustrated in the above post. I believe they stopped using the engine unit number that was stamped on the front of the block with the letter code.


I always thought it was matching vin/vin(post early '67). The unit number idea just happened to cross my mind.... Thanks....


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## rnldmdmb (Jul 26, 2009)

I dont understand any of this. I am still unable to identify the size and year of my engine! I've checked the back of the distributor pad and the back of the 8th cylinder coming up with no numbers. What does this mean?


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## rnldmdmb (Jul 26, 2009)

Can some please shed some light on my dilemma?


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## gto_rider (Aug 10, 2009)

dude you have any pics? i gotta 67 firebird as well with a 400. mine came out of a 78 trans am. so keep in mind it could be a later year. make sure you never sell that. first generation (particularly 67) are hard to find.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Did you ever look for the v.i.n. next to the timing cover. Runs vertically, 9 characters? Also, look for the displacement on the side of the block. You'll need to crawl under the car. They will be raised numbers. They started casting them in '68 for 428's, '70 for 455's and 350's and '71 and later for 400's.

FYI: In 1977, only the 350 and 400 c.i.d. engines remained. A new 301 Pontiac short deck engine joined the line-up along with some other "corporate engines", such as the Olds 403 and the Chevy 305. The Pontiac 400 block was cast with revised motor mount bosses, and will only mount in late Firebirds or Grand Prixs. The blank casting number for the 1977-79 400 is #568557. The 301 can easily be recognized by the lateral oil filter location. In other words, the 301 oil filter sticks straight out, unlike other Pontiac blocks which are attached to a housing that aims the oil filter downward.

Check this site out for code locations.

Pontiac Engine Codes

Here's all the YN coded blocks

YN A-body 69 350 265 Powerglide L-30 1x2 9790079 2 AC int seat 30 
YN A-body 71 350 250 Powerglide L-30 1x2 481990 2 
YN A-body 74 350 170 Turbo 350 L-30 N 1x2 488986 2 
YN A-body 65 326 250 Powerglide L-30 1x2 9778840 2 
YN A-body 66 326 250 Powerglide L-30 1x2 9778840 2 
YN A-body 67 326 250 Powerglide L-30 1x2 9786339 2 
YN A-body 68 350 265 Powerglide L-30 1x2 9790079 2 
YN B-body 73 400 230 Turbo 400 L-78 T 1x4 481988 2 
YN B-body 73 400 230 Turbo 400 L-78 T 1x4 481988 2 
YN B-body 71 350 250 Powerglide L-30 1x2 481990 2 
YN F-body 71 350 250 Powerglide L-30 1x2 481990 2 
YN F-body 74 350 170 Turbo 350 L-30 N 1x2 488986 2 
YN F-body 75 350 175 Manual L-76 E 1x4 488986 2 
YN F-body 80 301 140 Turbo 350 L-37 W 1x4 525934 2


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