Trying to ID this engine.

[Rickf1985]

I bought a 1953 M37 Dodge and the seller told me the engine was a 43. This made sense since it had the cast iron Zenith Model 29 that was used on the WWII trucks. But the engine serial number makes no sense at all. I have looked at every reference I can find and I do not see anything that would explain the odd number.  The number is EM.CFD     2406

[DJ194950]

Is the picture very close to the front end of the motor and above the generator mount.

 

To my way of thinking it appears to be further back on the motor, mid way or more so.

 

DJ

[Rickf1985]

It is not directly at the front, it is set back a little ways. It is over top of the freeze plug and behind the oil fill tube.

[Ivan_B]

Possibly a rebuilt motor?

The block/head years should still be ascertainable

[Rickf1985]

I know it was rebuilt by the military, or so I was told. I still have to find that tag. But the block casting number right above the starter is 17453. 

[Ivan_B]

Okay, the military rebuilt is congruent with the engine "number" and they block is from 53? BTW, I do not believe it is very common to install an older engine into a newer car, especially within 10-year difference (unless in was a brand new engine from conservation, maybe). It is usually the other way around, right?

[billrigsby]

 

you might contact  Eric Bannerman;  Admin of Dodge, Fargo & Desoto Trucks 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953

and provide this information, he is very knowledgeable on these engines; 

 

 

 

[Rickf1985]

I just went out and got some more pictures of the casting numbers I could find and also the rebuild tag. My French is very rusty so I am not exactly sure what I am looking at there. The number behind the oil filler appears to be 870229. It was about impossible to get an angle on it to get the whole number in one shot. The head casting number is 870066. Side of block under distributor there is nothing. Over starter as said before is 47453. Above back of starter and behind dipstick tube is EC.

Edited November 20, 2023 by Rickf1985

[Rickf1985]

[Rickf1985]

[Los_Control]

While the # looks weird to me also, remember back in this time period it was normal to re-stamp a motor to suit the stampers needs.

Seems I have heard you can get new engines with no stamp, then stamp it to match your old engine.

Same with installing a used engine .... grind off the  old number then stamp the number you want.

 

I wanted to suggest Bannerman but could not find a link to them .... Thanks to @billrigsby for finding it.

Bannerman has been collecting & logging motor identification numbers on these engines for years.

Possible they know something about yours, I'm sure he would like to have your information either way just for his logs.

 

Just thinking the # in your case only meant something to the re-builder. If you are unsure of the size of the engine. You can measure the stroke without pulling the head.

That should tell you something. Also you can pull the head and measure the bore.

Then go through a engine manual checking for bore & stroke for different engines  ....  Why possibly just the stroke will tell you what you need?

I do not know the bigger 25" truck engines so I'm no help.

[Ivan_B]

2 hours ago, Los_Control said:

Seems I have heard you can get new engines with no stamp, then stamp it to match your old engine.

Same with installing a used engine .... grind off the  old number then stamp the number you want.

That might be a felony is some jurisdictions, so be careful

 

As for the French, this engine was rebuild in Clermont-Ferrand factory, France, in 1966. The engine type is identified as E5, what ever that is. The rest are just the specs. Here is another similar plate from some 20 years later, on a different engine, so that E5 is probably meaningless for us. Also, it looks like your Cylinders were bored 0.4mm

Edited November 19, 2023 by Ivan_B

[Rickf1985]

Cylinders are marked 40 so I am thinking more along the lines of .040 which is a standard bore oversize. Note rods and mains appear to be marked at .030. It has good oil pressure and makes no noise and no smoke so I am not going to worry about that until I need to get into it.

[lostviking]

How long is the head? It helps to know which family the engine in in.

[Rickf1985]

The head is 23". I talked with Eric Bannerman and after going over all of the numbers he told me that he has run into this before and all of his research points to these blocks being forged by a third party most likely in Europe. Somewhere after that in 1966 the engine was rebuilt by the French company on the rebuild tag and then between then and the 90's it found it's way into the truck that I bought from the seller who bought it around then. Eric could not really determine the year of the head other than it was not a WWII head. He figured it was post war. I am not going to worry about it since this is not going to be a show vehicle. The engine runs perfectly with  no smoke and no noises. I have found out that the previous owners "Mechanic" apparently got over on him with the brake job and I am going to have to replace everything. Not real happy about that but it is what it is.

[greg g]

Several years ago, some one brought a bunch if crate engines to the US.  They were reported to be Isreal Defense Force rebuilt engines declared surplus when they retired their old Dodge powered vehicles like weapens carriers, ambulances, etc.  If I remember Vintage Power Wagons had a few.  Wonder if these are French Military stuff?  Chrysler was involved with Simca through the early 70s.  Simca provided quite a few light and medium duty vehicle types to French military.

[Ivan_B]

1 hour ago, greg g said:

Wonder if these are French Military stuff?

Yes, it is.