I need someone to decipher the engine code on a 455 thats going into my uncles 442.  The code is 32E247075.  I need to know what kind of model it came in, be it a 442, 98, whatever.

The VIN in 1972 and newer cars tells you what engine the car came with.

The number stamped on the oil filler tube is the engine unit code. The first number indicates the year the engine was assembled and the remaining numbers refer to the sequence number of the engine assembly (for identification at the engine assembly plant). This number has no link to any of the VIN data of the vehicle and does not contain any codes that identify the engine size.     The engine unit code you have doesn't tell you what model car the motor came in. What it does tell you is that it was produced in the Olds plant, it's a 1972 and it was born in Linden NJ. If you can find out what model cars were manufactured in Linden NJ, 88's,98's or A-bodys you might get closer.

The engine codes for all Olds engines will be found between the timing cover/water pump plate and the intake, directly to the right of the oil filler spout, cast into the block.  There will be a six digit number there, followed by a small number or a large capital letter.  If it is a letter (like A,B,C, or D ETC), then you have a big block of some type.  If it's followed by a number, it's a small block.  Another way to tell is to look on the heads.  Big block heads have a capital letter at the lower right or left hand side.  Again A through G that I know of.  Small block heads have numbers such as 1,2,3, - you get the idea. 

Look in that little space by the filler tube down on the block.  If it's all greasy, you will have to clean it up, but you will be able to tell what it is.  Give me the numbers and I can get you close.  Now, if you tell me what the heads are, that will narrow it further, and I can give you even a better read on it. 

It may be helpful to know where you got your number from.  Please let me know so that maybe I can use it to further idendify what you have, although it doesn't really sound right. 

Later - Bowser 

    They also had a J and K head for bigblocks. The K is a marine head so you probably wont find these. The J head was from 73-76. Worst exhaust flow of all BBO heads. Although with some porting will work just fine. It has killer low lift flow numbers though.  

if someone get on and know pontiacs . these are one motor ive got. and if someone lives in arizona i need help with rebuild and can offer one of the motors i have in exchange for services. the motors as follows\

455 odd fired olds rocket.

307 olds

350 x motor olds

400 442 olds

offensouser intake 455 motor app
  any of you know olds /pontiac will with any love for olds pont. will help a brotha in need for one of these.

   Pontiac and Oldsmobiles are two totally different beasts. Those numbers dont look like Olds numbers. They look like Pontiac numbers. And they never made an ODD FIRE  455Olds.

the numbers are pontiac sorry and they are not totally different beast. many parts are interchangable and can be used in different applications. they are different, but they are about the only consittered sister motors. they fire the opposite direction than traditional chev. the odd fire is for some reason what a  guy called the motor because the rarity of it. the heads on the block are very hard to find ,. this is what i was told. i never heard of odd fired either. he said something about people who use it for boat racing applications . i dont know. i beleive ya though. now the other thing i ve heard is the 455 pontiac super duty  in this year was called the screaming chicken. but prolly not . anyway thanks for responding . one last thing ive got several motors for anywon in arizona to help mee put one good motor together i will give them one of them . thanks again.

    Once again they are totally different. There are no interchangeable parts between them. Except maybe the pistons but then you need to use different length rods to make up the difference in compression height. And the firing order is the same as a chevy or any other GM V-8. Also they did use 455 Oldsmobiles in boats but they are the same engine except some of them used the K heads that are rare. But they arent any better than any of the other BBO heads. I know this because I am  a marine mechanic by trade. The screaming chicken refers to the hood bird on Firebirds/Trans Ams.

I agree with you.  I am not a marine mechanic but have been around boats alot.  The 455's that were on Berkley jets and other drives showed no outward differences from any other Olds big block that I have ever seen.  The only differences were in the cooling systems employed to deliver cold water either to a heat exchanger or straight off the main pump (raw water cooled).  Most of what we have around here is salt water, so anybody with a brain has a fresh water cooling system installed.

I also don't know of any interchangeable parts between Pontiac and Olds outside some of the ancillary equipment.  I think the distributors are a direct interchange, and the starter motors do interchange for most applications.  Other than that, I have never even heard of using Pontiac pistons in an Olds engine.  That's a first for me, but I won't dispute it just because I never heard of it before. 

Bowser

cool thanks for the info . i only ment exterior motor parts. the insides of motors are chinese to me . i really dont know exactly what im looking at other than a 455 pontiac 73 i got it off a budy going into armed forces . he pulled up and sayd thanks for helping me with what i did and if you buy the ticket im in . anyway handed me the keys and say the body is crap but i just built a good motor and i pulled it out of the pontiac ta and put under the counter cause the body was crap , but this motor was interesting . well i think the setting the motor on a top chopped off shoping cart was brilliant but the denting the oil pan was the killer. anyway i pulled the motor and trany out of my car and got to the berrings from the crank shaft. horrible no oiling just i didnt spin the bearings like someone asked i didnt. so the crank is scarred , and i think i should worry about the cam>? now i have a 455 oldsmobile motor new with the heads missing. need expensive . those are rare and wow. anyway will the crank be the same in both 455 pontiac and 455 oldsmobile . i dont know why just wondering . see this would be fantastic but prolly wont. anyway any more info i got the numbers in the disscussion forum . maybe give an insight to what i have .

oldsmobile and pontiac i think some buicks maybe do but the rotation of the motor are the opposite of other gm cars . motors are different in the making of parts , some years of olds used 350 in deisels and gasoline but blocks were built with a higher nickel consentraion which added strenth. then the crank was forged . you could get much more rpms and abuse  . im just getting into the pontiac things they are better built and more expensive as far as any part on those two . olds mobile puts the bow tie boys standin there. lol teasing . later

   Yeah you're right, if your in salt water you definetly want fresh water cooled!

   Yeah us Olds guys have to come up with ways of using other aftermarket parts since there isn't much out there for the Olds. You can use the Pontiac pistons with the 7" rod from the 425 or early 400. I have never done it but I have seen other Olds guys do it. The Pontiac piston has a compression height of 1.495". Of course we are talking about the 455. So with a deck height of 10.625 - 2.125 (1/2 the stroke) = 8.5" - 7" rod = 1.5- 1.495 Pontiac piston= .005. You can mill that off the block to get 0 deck.  Rod/stroke ratio become 1.65 as opposed to the stock 1.58. Cheap and easy!

   ONEFLYWHITEGUY, the Olds crank wont work in the Pontiac. I would suggest you take that engine to a professional.