Engine casting dates

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the WWII jeep.
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wynnski
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Engine casting dates

Post by wynnski » Mon Feb 19, 2018 12:31 am

Hello
Probably covered before, but is there a post or a topic on how to decipher the engine casting dates from the numbers cast on the sides of MB and GPW blocks?

Adrian
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twinflyer17
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Re: Engine casting dates

Post by twinflyer17 » Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:21 am

This should be useful for GPW blocks:

http://jeepdraw.com/WIKI_ENGINE.htm

Not sure about MB blocks. I'm sure someone else will direct you to the right place. I'm sure Jeepdraw as info on it somewhere, though, you might just need to dig around a bit.
Sean

GPW 108175 viewtopic.php?t=267732
DOD 4/14/43 Louisville, KY USA20371070

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Chuck Lutz
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Re: Engine casting dates

Post by Chuck Lutz » Mon Feb 19, 2018 8:23 am

There is a machining date stamped at the rear of the oil pan gasket surface that gives Mo/Day/Year....the casting date on the side of the engine block give Month/Day.....so if you have the machining date you have the YEAR it was machined and if you match that with the casting date you know when it was cast. There might be some block casting differences throughout production but these two dates should answer your question well enough to know if a block is from the same vintage as the jeep itself.

It is possible for say, a June 1943 MB to have a block date with 6-11 on it but in reality the pan stamping is 6-17-44 for instance.

Of course the engine number should tell you plenty about when the jeep it was put into was made!
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
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wynnski
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Re: Engine casting dates

Post by wynnski » Mon Feb 19, 2018 9:11 am

twinflyer17 wrote:
Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:21 am
This should be useful for GPW blocks:

http://jeepdraw.com/WIKI_ENGINE.htm

Not sure about MB blocks. I'm sure someone else will direct you to the right place. I'm sure Jeepdraw as info on it somewhere, though, you might just need to dig around a bit.
Thank you for the information. The link gives the information for the early blocks but I also would like to know how to decipher the oblong dating system that is found below the distributor hole on later blocks.

Adrian
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twinflyer17
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Re: Engine casting dates

Post by twinflyer17 » Mon Feb 19, 2018 9:41 am

Hm, that I can't answer that. Others will be able to, though. I have a late GPW block and I believe G member Fabrizio was able to tell me what the casting date was based on stamped letter/numbers. Hopefully he or another member will see this and chime in. Good luck!
Sean

GPW 108175 viewtopic.php?t=267732
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Fabrizio
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Re: Engine casting dates

Post by Fabrizio » Mon Feb 19, 2018 10:03 am

Hi!

Late gpw blocks have a casting date....cast below the distributor.

Something like A1234, where:
-A is month (a=1= January, etc)
-12 is the day
-3 is the unit of the year (3= 43, 4=44, etc)
-4 or the following are not date related.

Example:
C2941 is March 29, 1944
H1641 is August 16, 1944

And so on!
GPW #3606 “LIBBY”
"Jeep is America's only real sports car." - Enzo Ferrari

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twinflyer17
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Re: Engine casting dates

Post by twinflyer17 » Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:36 am

Thanks, Fabrizio! Was hoping you'd chime in :wink:
Sean

GPW 108175 viewtopic.php?t=267732
DOD 4/14/43 Louisville, KY USA20371070

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wynnski
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Re: Engine casting dates

Post by wynnski » Mon Feb 19, 2018 12:29 pm

Thank you all, that was the information that I was after

Adrian
GPW #106837


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