Suffix Codes & CE replacements

[PeteLeathersac]

Off on another thread I posed this question but got nothing back. . Has anyone compared the CE motors to try and make sense of what the rest of the CE digits denote? . As mentioned previously, Fran Preve of Tonawanda told me once that the CE listing/book was tossed out years ago. . To decifer these, known warranty replacement motors would be a great place to start as it would have the best chances of being the "correct CE" replacement unit. . What I'm geting at is this....if the original motor is gone, a correct suffix motor from another Vin should be the next best thing to have but then wouldn't a "correct CE" warranty replacement unit be the next best thing....maybe even better? ~ Pete

[Mr70]

The numbers following the CE codes mean:
CE 123456
C=Chevrolet
E=Engine
1=Model year 1971
23,456th unit produced for service.If the letter "A" precedes this,it means numbers have been recycled for late production.Each unit No. was plant specific.

Unless you have authentic service records indicating the number on a replacement engine,(which I don't think they recorded),it is difficult to determine if that exact service engine is indeed it's authentic replacement.

[PeteLeathersac]

So it's only a running sequence number....nothing to note what engine this replacement is for? . How would the mfg. keep track of what engine is what without exterior tagging etc? . Would the list Preve at Tonawanda was referring to have noted each individual sequence number and what it was internally....or perhaps running numbers from # to # would be replacement for? . Thanks! ~ Pete

[Mr70]

The first digit "1" in this case would be the only indicator to the service dept.,as well as it's casting number & date.
They would reuse the Heads & Intake and other exterior ornaments from the original block.They only replaced what was damaged,so that makes sense.
I know of a few LS-6 Chevelles that were replaced with 1972 2 bolt #290 blocks,as well as a few 1969 396's camaros that were replaced with 454's.The customer/service dept. would upgrade,or downgrade in some cases with costs accordingly.
I can not comment on this list Fran is referring to.

[Keith Tedford]

Back in the late '60s a local dealer was swapping 427s for 396s when a warranty engine was needed. The story went that GM eventually caught up with them and dumped them as a dealer. I've heard other stories of such trickery as well.

[Enoch]

I restored a 69 L-89 corvette 17 years ago it was serial 4427 (hard to forget that #) and it had a 427 CE block dated july 69. It was a 4 bolt 512
Another corvette I have done was a 67 435 and it had a 72 dated 454 CE stamped block. It also was a 4 bolt block, however I don't recall the casting #.
Rich.

[PeteLeathersac]

So Keith....what you're saying is the dealer was purposely putting the 396 in place where a 427 came out (not the other way around) and how would this had been any advantage to the dealer if they ordered the motor as a warranty replacement item anyway? . Did they perhaps try this on you when you got your CE motor? . Lastly, isn't it you that gave me the Arctic EXT cyl. a few years ago? I'm here in Peterboro'!

[JChlupsa]

from the April 69 Service Bulletin

[Keith Tedford]

No. The guys were abusing their 396s to death and the dealer was replacing the 396 with a 427 under warranty. Made for loyal customers while it lasted. I'm the same Arctic Cat guy. I still have a 1972 EXT brochure. The CE engine was in our 396 car when we bought it and the original owner confirmed having dropped a valve while the car was under warranty. Our COPO car has its original MQ engine. We just took the body to a local guy after having it sit at another place for almost two years. Patience ran out. Might have it out next summer but I gave up holding my breath. We'll see.

[rpoz11]

**HawaiianCamaro**

Outstanding document!
Wish this was presented years ago!
Is there any additional service bulletins prior to and after this released document referring to any replacement issues regarding warranty(s)?