Service Engines (CE coded)

[bcmiller]

I am not sure Tim. Probably Jan 69 Flint. (01 9 V). What the casting date?

[ZLP955]

I am not sure Tim. Probably Jan 69 Flint. (01 9 V). What the casting date?

J 12 8, October 12, 1968. Seems the block must have sat for some time before being machined.
I'll have to have another close look on the oil pan rail on my CE block to see if there's a similar number there to compare this one with.

[KurtS]

Asked John about CE blocks.
He confirmed they needed extra handling to remove them from the line (no heads or intake). They also had to crate all these blocks.
>"CE" engines weren't "stocked" at regional parts depots
The CE blocks were inventoried, but John means at the engine plants. I wonder if that practice continued in later years....

[Bryan302]

Purchased my CE bare block in 4/74. 3970010, B 12 4, CE3A973  96. Stamp isn't the best. Tried to upload photo but file is to big or something, it just won't take it.

Several months ago, I acquired a CE block, brought it home and stashed it in the corner.  Today, I went over the block to see what I had.  I was very surprised to find that the assembly date was before the casting date.  After comparing dates and stamps of the chart on this thread, I said, I be damn.

My new block is casting 3970010 and casting date of B.12.4.  The stamping is CE3A980 75.  I cleaned and searched the oil pan rails and found no dates.  There was numerous letters stamped at random all along the rail and webs.

jvb6648's block     3970010, B.12.4, CE3A973 96
Bryan302's block   3970010, B.12.4, CE3A980 75

So, either the worker was drinking, or there is something to learn here!

Bryan

[lynnbilodeau]

Block is cast Feb 11, 1970.   3970010 Flint block.

[bcmiller]

Thanks Lynn.

It is unknown why some blocks have all digits aligned and others don't.

The hypothesis is that some workers changed the last few digits for every stamp, but one or more different people would leave the stamp setup without the last two numbers, then stamp the last two slightly later. Someone might have thought it was a time-saving procedure. I don't know if it really was or not. This seems to be observed more often with Flint CE blocks than Tonawanda CE blocks.

[hihorse]

CE968968, 3955272, J168, 2bolt
3931063, C49 and B269

[ds1]

I have a CE 302 for my 68 Z28.   CE8874.  Casting number 3914678.  I have pics, but to large to load

[bcmiller]

You can either resize the pics or send them to me if you want me to post them.

[hihorse]

CE069394, 3963512, E79, 4 bolt
3964291, F109/F49
in a 1969 L71  Vette (sold in Canada 194379S7340XX)

[ZLP955]

This thread update reminded me that I did previously say that I'd check the oil pan rail of my own CE block, which I did do; I found some stamped numbers - but overlooked posting them. So here goes, this is what I found (picture quality not the greatest, taken on iphone rather than proper camera).
My 3956618 block, cast A 9 9, has the exact same stamp on the oil pan rail as the 3932386 block, cast J 12 8, with only five digits separating the Flint 'CE' sequence numbers (CE9A24288 versus CE9A24283).
I'm interested in the fact that both blocks also have what looks like '01 13' stamped out, underneath the '0I 9 V', plus mine also has an angled 'F' beneath this, and a misaligned '12 2' stamped over by the oil filter. Any ideas?
Near the starter motor:

Near the oil filter:

[bcmiller]

Thoughts, pretty sure the 01 9 V is January 1969 - Flint. This is based on other examples.

01 13 F could be the actual day of assembly, Jan 13 and an inspectors or assemblers mark/letter designation.

No idea on 12 2.

[ZLP955]

That's plausible Bryon, although John stated previously that CEs were done on weekends due to different handling requirements on the engine line, and Jan 13 1969 was a Monday.
Nevertheless, I don't quite understand Kurt's description above about CE blocks being inventoried at the engine plants, but based on the casting dates and presumed assembly dates of these particular two small blocks, would that mean that some bare castings were set aside from regular production, and then machined/fitted as assemblies in scheduled batches?

[ko-lek-tor]

..... John stated previously that CEs were done on weekends...and Jan 13 1969 was a Monday...

A weekend shift, on second shift, could run into early Monday morn???

[ZLP955]

Could be Bentley, I just assumed that the date stamps would roll over after midnight, but maybe it was at the shift change from night to day. Anyone know if Flint Engine assembly ran 7 days, night and day?