hi folks. got # that doesnt match anything 2I34308

B

bullheimer

Member
Plain as day. beautiful stamp job, nice and uniform, upside down on my left as i look at it. the I might be a 1 but i doubt it . then next to it on the front of the block to my right is the VIN # 412001843, right side up. the first four numbers are stamped pretty, then the rest kinda look like the guy quit paying attention as the spacing starts stretching out.

seems pretty obvious to me this must be the original 401 engine as it is in a 62 leSabre, dist in back, blue/green, horizontally flat valve cover tops. nothing else it could be, just dont see that block id number anywhere on the WWW!

does anybody know what a good compression pressure would be all around? i only did two before it got too late, one was 170-185, next was 190-200. my tester has a slanted arrow, cant decide which end of it to use. also want to know which side of the block is #1. funny engine, neither side is ahead of the other! wouldn't that mean the heads are side specific and non-interchangeable? just learning about this car. it's my first buickmobile! it is a 2bbl tho, and the 2I is perfect for that, but i thought that was only in a casting number, not the id number. peace.
 
Cylinder #1 is on the right, passenger side numbered as follows. #1-3-5-7 right side. #2-4-6-8 left side. Do a search on this site for location of the engine #'s & codes.
 
ok great, so the right as i sit in the car. pass side. great to know for obvious reasons. Just did my compression check. lowest is 160 to 185 range. got this damned slanted pointer that doesnt give me an exact number just a range. highest is 190 to 210. both on same side of the engine. i think all my readings are within 10% 210 to 185 is a little over 10%.

so, are the heads physically different? sb
 
1960 chassis manual covers the 401.

http://www.teambuick.com/reference/library/60_chassis/

look in section 2B on page 2-7, there's a picture in the bottom right. it's not from a directly overhead perspective, but even in that it appears that the passenger side head is further forward.

which is why the #1 cylinder is on the passenger side.

standard numbering nomenclature is that the most forward piston is number 1, regardless of which side of the car it's on.

try putting a straight edge across the front of the passenger valve cover and see if lines up perfectly with the driver side cover. i doubt very much that it will.

remember, these heads are only going to be offset by the width a main rod bearing.
 
thanks very much you guys. guess i need to stop looking at my car at night.

buford, can you tell if my car is a sport coupe or not? a couple of the descriptions i've seen i haven't heard of, there are two for two door vehicles for example.
 
time delay cant edit

again, your link Buford is familiar, i must have been all around that on other pages. according to the "2I" designation, this engine is a higher c.r.:


V8
2I
401
10.25:1
424
280
2V
Wildcat 410
"Wildcat 410" text and picture of leaping Wildcat
Automatic transmission only.



amazed it would have all that torque and HP for a little 2bbl!! i am missing the original air cleaner, so can't verify by the leaping Wildcat. why would they put this mill in a leSabre. does that mean anything as far as it being any particular model? thanks again. i thought from my compression test i had a higher c.r. than 9:1. best cylinder read 190-210psi.
 
amazed it would have all that torque and HP for a little 2bbl!!


1 - Buick has always been more concerned with tq than hp
2 - the 401 Nail is, practically speaking, a big block. it's actually got a bore that's a touch larger than the Buick 430 big block. sharing bore centers with the big block, Nail cranks ( which were all forged ) have been swapped into BBBs.
3 - prior to 1972, everything was rated in SAE Gross numbers. converting to modern SAE Net specs automatically cuts the rating some ~25%.



why would they put this mill in a leSabre. does that mean anything as far as it being any particular model?

because it's a 'senior' model car. only the Skylarks and Specials got the smaller engines. all of the B-, C- and D-body cars were equipped with 401s this year.


http://www.teambuick.com/reference/years/62/62_engine_number.php
 
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