engine ID

[impala]

Hi:<BR>Here's a question for you numbers guys.<BR>I'm trying to ID an engine in a 65 F85 Cutlass.<BR>The number on the front of the right cyl head is W38967. The casting number on the front of the block is 394417 3. The intake casting is 390327 and the VIN is 338275Z112430.<BR>The engine have a Q-jet but I would like to determine if the engine is a 330 or a 400.<BR>Any help would be appreciated.<BR>Thanks,<BR>impala

[rocketraider]

Two things are tipping me off that it is a 66 engine, not a 65. First is the QuadraJet- 1965 still used the 4GC Rochester 4 bbl. The W prefix code doesn't show up in the 65 books, but it does show up in 66 as a 330 cid. The #s also had a suffix letter to ID the engine's innards. No suffix indicates originally a 2 barrel 9.0:1 compression engine. E & W suffixes would indicate an Export low compression engine, L means 9.0:1 4 barrel engine, and G is a 10.25:1 4 barrel.

[impala]

I looked in an old Motor's auto repair manual and it shows a W prefix on the engine code as a 400 for 65 but the same W code a 330 for 67! <BR>Could it possibly be a 400? Was the 400 put into the 442 only or could the manufacturer have slipped one into the F-85 Cutlass?<BR>Are there any easy ways to determine engine sizes on these Rockets?<BR>Thanks,<BR>impala

[Ron of Chicago]

Hi Impala, I hope that this will help you. According to the American car ID Numbers Catalog it says:65 V cde is a 400 only in the 442 option. 66 W code 330 CID 250 H/P 9.0:1, 2bbl.67 W code 330 CID 260 H/P 10.25:1 2bbl.No other years had W codes but several had V codes.