Can't identify the engine!

[Lewis]

I have searched as well as I know how and can't identify the engine in my 84 K10! The Engine ID stamped on the pad on the passenger side front reads "V0705DDM". I really would appreciate any help! Thanks.

I FOUND THE ANSWER! Someone has changed the engine. The VIN calls for a 350 and the ID # above says it is a 305 built in Flint on July 5, 1983. The PO either lied to me or didn't know it was changed!

 

[bucket]

There have been a lot of used cars and trucks sold with a "350" that turned out to be a 305. I personally have bought two of them, lol. But in both my cases, the seller had paid some doofus to find and install an engine.

Wait, no! There have been three! An '86 Trans Am, an '88 Iroc-Z and an '86 Suburban. Welcome to the club! Lol.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Add my to the list. Short version of my story, my 84 C20 was a friend of mine. He bought it in the mid-90's after having wrecked another slightly older square. He transplanted the engine, and I think the rear end into this truck. I met him in the mid-2000's and he always referred to it as a 350. He passed about 5 years ago and about 3 1/2 years I ago I bought the truck from his widow. About a year or so into ownership I looked at the block #'s, back by the firewall on the drivers side printed clear as day 5.0LG or something like that, I don't remember the specifics anymore. I was starting to suspect that it was 305 based on performance and it having ESC.

For what it's worth I think the 305 gets a bad rap, I've worked the heck out of mine hauling loads and towing my trailer, it's no power house, but it'll get the job done just the same. One thing I've found interesting about the 305 in my truck at least, there is a pass to the south of me that I have to go over occasionally and as I crest the top of the pass I'm always wide open (or close to it) in 2nd gear at about 50 mph, which is 3,000 RPM, empty, or fully load or with the trailer it's about the same.

 

[fast 99]

I traded off a commercial vehicle [C50 with a 350] to a dealer but had to wait 2 weeks for the replacement. Well, just my luck it broke a crank a couple days later. The only running engine I had at the time was a 283. Always wondered how long it took for the new owner to realize the lack of power was the tiny engine.

 

[JBswth]

Add my to the list. Short version of my story, my 84 C20 was a friend of mine. He bought it in the mid-90's after having wrecked another slightly older square. He transplanted the engine, and I think the rear end into this truck. I met him in the mid-2000's and he always referred to it as a 350. He passed about 5 years ago and about 3 1/2 years I ago I bought the truck from his widow. About a year or so into ownership I looked at the block #'s, back by the firewall on the drivers side printed clear as day 5.0LG or something like that, I don't remember the specifics anymore. I was starting to suspect that it was 305 based on performance and it having ESC.

For what it's worth I think the 305 gets a bad rap, I've worked the heck out of mine hauling loads and towing my trailer, it's no power house, but it'll get the job done just the same. One thing I've found interesting about the 305 in my truck at least, there is a pass to the south of me that I have to go over occasionally and as I crest the top of the pass I'm always wide open (or close to it) in 2nd gear at about 50 mph, which is 3,000 RPM, empty, or fully load or with the trailer it's about the same.

If you gear the rear end down ie if 2.73 now, try 3.36. That should give you a welcome boost in pulling power.

 

[SirRobyn0]

If you gear the rear end down ie if 2.73 now, try 3.36. That should give you a welcome boost in pulling power.

Ya, I've got older thread on that topic. I currently have 3.41 gearing and want to go to either 4.10 or 4.56. But my current rear end is a semi-float and I'd like to go FF but of course that requires a diff swap. IDK I really need to either do the swap or regear the rear end, but I keep putting it off as it's not a project I'm really looking forward too.

 

[JBswth]

Ya, I've got older thread on that topic. I currently have 3.41 gearing and want to go to either 4.10 or 4.56. But my current rear end is a semi-float and I'd like to go FF but of course that requires a diff swap. IDK I really need to either do the swap or regear the rear end, but I keep putting it off as it's not a project I'm really looking forward too.

You can put a 4:10 in it, but with automatic, that will be too low. I would put a 3:73 in it.

 

[JBswth]

Ya, I've got older thread on that topic. I currently have 3.41 gearing and want to go to either 4.10 or 4.56. But my current rear end is a semi-float and I'd like to go FF but of course that requires a diff swap. IDK I really need to either do the swap or regear the rear end, but I keep putting it off as it's not a project I'm really looking forward too.

Do you a 10 bolt rear or a 12 bolt?

 

[Bextreme04]

I have searched as well as I know how and can't identify the engine in my 84 K10! The Engine ID stamped on the pad on the passenger side front reads "V0705DDM". I really would appreciate any help! Thanks.

I FOUND THE ANSWER! Someone has changed the engine. The VIN calls for a 350 and the ID # above says it is a 305 built in Flint on July 5, 1983. The PO either lied to me or didn't know it was changed!

The number could be from EITHER an 83 Pontiac or passenger car or an 86 Monte Carlo according to Lime Book. The 86 Monte Carlo version is 40hp more than the 83 version. I'd look at the casting date on the back of the block to see which version you actually have. Also head casting numbers can help to narrow it down.

 

[80BrownK10]

I can't figure mine out. The number on the pad or block doesn't come back to anything in the lists. I have seen several threads with the same numbers I have and I saw some people say maybe it was a factory crate engine or a replacement? The numbers are plain as day, I have perfect vision and checked many times against what I wrote when looking at the list on say nastyz28

 

[gotyourgoat]

Count me in the club. Is there a complimentary 'I'm a sucker too' t-shirt?

 

[bucket]

I can't figure mine out. The number on the pad or block doesn't come back to anything in the lists. I have seen several threads with the same numbers I have and I saw some people say maybe it was a factory crate engine or a replacement? The numbers are plain as day, I have perfect vision and checked many times against what I wrote when looking at the list on say nastyz28

Does the number on the pad start with "CE"?

 

[SirRobyn0]

You can put a 4:10 in it, but with automatic, that will be too low. I would put a 3:73 in it.

Sorry I missed you message and was not intentionally ignoring you. No 4.10 is not to low, nor is a 4.56, but that's getting there. In 3rd gear 1.00 I'd hit 3,000RPM at 68MPH with a 4.10, with a 4.56 I'd hit 3,000RPM at 60MPH. My typical cruise speed on the highway with my trailer is 60-65, but sometimes I'm forced to go a little fast due to traffic patterns. I don't want to cruise much higher than 3K on the highway, but we all know a small block can run around 3K all day long with no issues. 70's Class C RV's on the chevy chassis rolled with 4.10's and the TH400, Dodge ran the 727 again most had 4.10's. Both my 4.10 RV's had no problem running 65MPH. Plus my truck has the 700R4 so when I'm not towing I can run in overdrive. Which by the way with the 4.10, in overdrive would make 70, 2,100RPM and 80, 2,400RPM so neither are to low with overdrive. I've got a ton of hills here and mountain passes to go over going from 3.41 to 3.73 would not be enough. Now if I was running a 454

 

[80BrownK10]

Does the number on the pad start with "CE"?

I will have to look through my pictures I took of it. I can't remember but I took pics of the front one and then the back one I believe

 

[cstew47]

You can put a 4:10 in it, but with automatic, that will be too low. I would put a 3:73 in it.

I wouldn't generalize. It depends on the tire size and whether the tranny has overdrive. I'm running a 4.56 gear with 35" tires and a 700R4. With my 383 it runs great.