OK, so who's good with block casting numbers?

[great white]

When I bought my 98, the PO told me the engine had been replaced with a 99.

Not being specifically knowledgeable about the 6.5 td at the time (other than my automotive background in gassers), I took that to mean a 1999. She's pretty loud on start (I'm thinking even for an IDI diesel) and quieting down after about 30-60 seconds of running, and she's got a fair bit of blowby, so I've been making plans to rebuild another engine in the not so distant future.

But, today, I felt the need to check out the block casting numbers. There's a few things done to the truck that would indicate someone in it's previous life had a bit of a schmeck (PMD relocated, high idle mod, etc) about 6.5's and I wanted to check out that casting numbers. Besides, I was under there anyways checking out my crossover pipe (sure enough, it's rotted, that's another story) so I snaked my inspection mirror up there.

I was expecting to see a casting number that ended in 506, as you would expect in a 1999 engine. I maneuver the flashlight and mirror a bit, and then the number comes up out of the depths of the darkness like titanic must have for the first explorer to find her:

10148599 (edit- some digging seems to indicate it should be 10149599, have to go look again)

599?

What the hell?

It's a 599 block.

Maybe the guy who sold it didn't mean 1999, but 599.

Someone care to give me the meaning of the rest of the casting number because I'm pretty sure a 599 block wasn't available in 1999....

Now I need to check out those heads. Anyone know where I can find those casting numbers?

How does this effect the "F" in my vin? I'm thinking the heads and block are the same, just the bolt on bits and the PCM.....

Should I be happy or p!ssed that the block is a early 90's vintage?

I'm not taking the pan off to check for cracks either....too much trouble right now and I just don't want to know....

 

[great white]

Next bit:

Date code K203

Unless I read it wrong, casting date Nov 20 1993.

So it's a 599 block cast in late 1993.

It also appears it has the late heads on it as the heads are still painted black and the block has no paint and a fine patina or brown (IE it's rusty!). The drivers side head still has the green dot sticker on it.

Hmmm......could it be possible I have a nice crack free block with proper turbo "F" vin heads?

The plot thickens...

 

[Woody35]

do you know for sure its a 1999 engine. who knows maybe it was rebuilt from a early 90's 6.5

 

[redshift96]

Next bit:

Date code K203

Unless I read it wrong, casting date Nov 20 1993.

So it's a 599 block cast in late 1993.

It also appears it has the late heads on it as the heads are still painted black and the block has no paint and a fine patina or brown (IE it's rusty!). The drivers side head still has the green dot sticker on it.

Hmmm......could it be possible I have a nice crack free block with proper turbo "F" vin heads?

The plot thickens...

If it's actually a 6.5 (as opposed to a 6.2), then it was a turbo motor in 1993. Head castings for all the turbo 6.5's ended in 567, iirc. Not sure if the NA motors used the same # or not.

The head casting number is found on a small pad just behind the #3 injector, and just in front of the #6 injector.





The date code is in the middle of the rocker galley under the valve cover.





I'm going to the machine shop tomorrow, where there are both 6.5 & 6.2 versions of the 599 block. I'll see if I can note any telltales on the outside of the blocks.

As far as good blocks go, the 599 is probably about as good as it gets without going to the AMG casting.

I just pulled the dealer-installed service replacement 1999 506 motor from my Sub. Cracked through the mains like nobody's business. Crank and heads were good for nothing but scrap. Count yourself lucky!

 

[bk95td]

It is posasible you have a 6.2. 92-93 "599 blocks could be either 6.2 or 6.5. Some people say the "599" block is the best GM block. I don't see any evidence that the piston squirters in the "506" blocks made them last any longer. On the other hand I can't say the "599"s are so good either. I have 3 with main web cracks. I think it's more on how they are driven,taken care of and alot of luck.

 

[great white]

Just to clarify what I've already said, its a 10149599 block with a casting date of Nov 20 1993.

After a bit more investigating, it eveident the PO swapped the heads and all ancillaries from the 98 block on to the 599 block.

6.2 or 6.5? Dunno. From my understanding, the only sure way to know is to pull the heads and measure the bores. I'm not doing that as long as it's running....):h

I'm going to go with it being a 6.5 because it's a very late 599 block and whoever owned the truck before seems to have had some knowledge of the breed. Can't see him swapping in a NA engine in a turbo application, given the other things I've noticed have been done to the truck.