I would like to verify whether the engine serial number on my 72 Delta 88 matches the VIN. Where, on the engine, would I look to find the number? Thanks in advance. 72old$

 

Your engine unit number is on your oil filler tube, unless someone changed in the past 40-odd years. Page 0-3 of your cutlass service manual.

-Tony

 

Just in case, here ya go

 

The serial number is on the front left of the block on a little pad just below the left head's front freeze plug.
It should be something like 38M123456
The last 6 digits should match the last 6 of your VIN.

 

The engine unit number does not match the VIN. All 1968-up Olds motors have a VIN derivative stamped on the block. The first character of the VIN derivative matches the first of the VIN and the last eight match the last eight of the VIN. The number is stamped on a pad at the left front corner of the block.

005-3.jpg

 

Joe--Is that true of 1969 442s as well? OK I just re-read your post and it said 68-up thanks

 

It's true about the VIN derivative of all '68 and newer. The pad with the VIN derivative is hard to see on an assembled engine, with the exhaust manifold and brackets in the way. But, if the pad area is clean, and you get in there with a small mirror and a flashlight, you can see it.

Randy C.

 

Did anyone pick up on the fact that the supposed VIN derivative in the photo I linked to above appears to have TEN characters, not nine? What's up with that?

No, it's not a photo I took, I stole it from another thread on this site.

 

Odd. It looks like :
37 1Z 129581

I understand :
3 = Oldsmobile
7 = 1967...or 77..or 57,87 (?)
129581 = VIN derivative

What the heck is '1Z' ?
Super secret experimental hi-po ?

BTW..If you look closely at mine (hard to see in that pic), you'll see it was so good they stamped it twice ! Its exactly the same number....twice.

 

Yeah, that's what I read also. Olds didn't stamp a VIN derivative until the 1968 model year, so if the apparent "7" is the model year, it would be 1977. I think by the 1980s GM was using letters for the year. It could also be that the "7" is spurious and the "1" is the year. In any case, whoever set up the stamp for this block apparently was not paying careful attention - proving that mistakes DID happen.

 

Ahhh...So maybe it was a '71 and the stamper was a new guy who figured he better stamp 3 71 Z (Olds - 71 - Freemont) ...

On mine, the top stamp is pretty faint, but readable for the last couple of digits.
The stamper must've looked at it and decided to hit it again below that.
He must've hit a high nickel area at the end of the first stamp !!

 

The casting number behind the water pump will clear this one up.

 

Thanks Joe, you are 100% correct about the engine ID. number location. The number does match with the VIN and that's great! I'm curious about the "M" code in the number and what it may designate? I haven't been able to examine the block closely yet, but it appears that the block may have been painted gold. Does anyone know if the 1972 Olds Delta 88 350 block may been factory painted gold? Thanks all for your help in advance.

 

M = Lansing, Michigan as in your VIN # should be 3L67_2M546747 if its a convertible, can't tell from your avatar. The under score is the engine code letter (H,J,K,M,T,U,Vor W) ( with T,U & W designating 455 engine) and if it is a '72 350 then yes it is gold, the 455 would have been metallic blue.

 

1972 350 — Gold
1972 455 — Blue

- Eric

 

And on your engine stamp
3 = Oldsmobile
2 = 1972
M = Lansing
546747 = Production #

 

& 546747 should match the end of your VIN....