Help Decoding my Engine code.

[OUTFXD]

Defore doing any actual engine work , I decided to verify which engine I had. The Pad was Rusted over (The entire engine was covered with Rust.... film? The engine looks newly painted with a weird rust film that just wire brushes off, Further reinforcing the belief the car was intentionally "Patinaed" )  I wirebrushed and sanded it  but still cant make out the first few digits. 

 

Firstfigit  kinda looks like a Hand drawn F  followed by... 55? 

 

Would someone with better Eyesight/Knowledge of Engine Codes help me?

 

Thanks in advance!

[desoto1939]

the first three digit is PF15 then 171915  So the P15 would also refer to the Plymouth P15 model  So if you have a P15 car then this is a correct engine for the appropriate year that a PF15 would have installed.

 

Rich

[OUTFXD]

Ahhh thank you! and yes, She's a P-15!  I still cant make the numbers out.  I guess its time to get my prescription checked again.

 

Thanks again!

[Plymouthy Adams]

that should be P15 where the one is the letter I and then a STAR then the serial number....followed by another STAR

[OUTFXD]

Its weird.  doesnt look like ANY of the pictures in the "Identify your flat 6" thread.   The P looks like a hand scratched F  Then there are a kinda muddled 15.  Where the star should be there is a  very defined dot then the second series of numbers.  They are NOT lined up on the same plane or at the same Vertical angle.  It looks for all the world like the digits where stamped in one at a time by hand.

Edited December 4, 2021 by OUTFXD

[Bryan]

My engine,  where the block was replaced in 1949 a year after he bought the car .

[Plymouthy Adams]

a proper and factory display of stamping

 

 

...the letter I is the number 1 and the stars are definitely in place and all is pretty much dress-right-dress...I will not even try to entertain the why and wherefore of the OP's engine pad and manner it was stamped

[Sniper]

Some states use the engine number as the VIN, Texas is one.  When an engine is replaced under warranty that number needs to be stamped on the new engine.  If a used engine is put in place of the original the title needs changed, I recently discussed this issue with the powers that be here as verifying the VIN is an annual inspection requirement and I am building a 230 to go in my 51.

 

My guess is that the OP's engine was replaced at some point and very poorly stamped.

[greg g]

Here is another take.  In the picture to the front  of the number pad is a raised circle casting. In that raised circle is the head of a rivet.   That rivet in my experience usually placed there by a rebuilding service.  So several things can be in play.

 

The engine was swapped, the pad ground down and the present number which might or might not echo the original engine number was stamped by the rebuilder.

 

The engine started as a bare block sold unstamped by Chrysler to a national rebuilding chain.

 

The engine came out of a wreck and some previous owner ground and restamped the number that was on the ownership documents.

 

Engine swaps were common maintenence procedure when cars rolled around 70k miles.

 

There is a copy of the original engine usually factory stamped into the frame rail, drivers side rear over the axle.  Pull the wheel grab your powered wire wheel and see if you can find it.

 

Another tell tale can be weird color paint, Chrysler used silver but Jasper painted their rebuilds a dark blue green, Sears and Roebuck used red, western Auto were redish orange with a blue cylinder head, Montgomery Wards were kinda of like Allis Chalmers orange.  So look in nooks and crannies for signs of paint that ain't silver.

 

You could also pull the plug over number 6 cylinder and measure the stroke to see if it's a 218 or 230.  Assuming we are looking at a 23 1/2 engine and not a 25 inch from a Chrysler or Desoto.