Grey motor ID

[FC355]

Can anyone help me with the identification of a motor? It is believed to be a 138 from a torana LC/LC? I think it may be from an earlier model. It has no casting on the block. Eng. no. - h32031. Thanks.

[RET]

Unless I'm very wrong all red motors have a casting near the base of the block that denotes the size.  The very first (EH) red motors were available in two sizes - 149 and 179, so even the earliest reds made must have had this identification.

It is a red motor, right?

I'll have a look in some books tonight and see if I can find a reference to motors with a H prefix.  I thought all red engine numbers started with their capacity, ie 186A12345, but you live and learn

cheers
RET

[ACE]

Hi big_als_army,
It's a 149 high compression motor from a EH.
Regards ACE

[mcl1959]

There is a big list:
Here it is for red motors up to HQ and LJ
EH
149 HC starts at eng #H1001
149 LC Y1001
179 LC M1001
HD
149 HC starts at eng #D1001
149 LC E1001
179 LC F1001
X2 179 X1001
HR
161 HC R1001
161 LC W1001
186 LC A1001
X2 186 K1001
S 186 K162701
HK/T/G
161 HC 161H
161 LC 161L
186 LC 186P
S 186 186S
HQ
173 HC QD
173 LC QE
202 HC QL
202 LC QS
LC
138 LC 2250L
138 HC 2250H
161 LC 2600L
161 HC 2600H
161 GTR 2600S
186 GTRXU1 186X
LJ
138 LC CC
138 HC CB
173 LC CE
173 HC CD
202 LC JL
202 HC JP
Regards  Ken

[Dr_Terry]

Hi Guys.

Ken's list is fairly complete, just a few points.

The 179 & 186 engines in HD/HR/HK/HT/HG are High Compression not Low Compression as you have them. When the Low Compression engine did arrive in HK/HT/HG is was prefixed 186L.

Also for HD/HR the engine prefixes have the engine size number included. eg an HD 179 engine is prefixed 179F not just F, the same as you have listed the HK/HT/HG engines.

The LC XU-1 engine is also seen with a 3100X prefix & changes to CK for July '71 onwards. Other engines in late LC are the CC, CB, CE & CD which carry over to the LJ & the rare CE engine which is the 2850'S' (173'S') used in all GTRs July '71 Onwards (replacing the 2600'S').

The other confusing thing is that no number is used more than once in each model series. For instance in HR the first 2000 engines could be 161W 1001 to 161W 3000, then the next 2000 engines off the line could be 186 motors, but they start where the 161W finished eg. 186A 3001 to 186A 5000. There would be no 186A 1001.

Regards.

Dr Terry.

[nicko]

the 138 red has the number cast on side of block,
also Terry i dont think LCgtr's ever had a 173s they were 161S and 186XU1 blocks,in fact,i might be wrong but i dont think 173 ever came in an S type

[ACE]

Hey Nicko,
Dr_Terrys 100% correct!                            
Holden started using the 173s in LCs when they introduced the HQs (July 1971) with the 173 motor.
Regards ACE

[Dr_Terry]

Hi Guys.

Thanks for backing me up ACE.

Also nicko, you mention 138 'Reds' having the 138 cast onto the side of the block. My info says that all Reds, Blues & Blacks have the number cast on the side, with the exception of EH 179 (up to Nov '64 - they are cast HP) & EH 149 (They are blank in this area up to around the same date).

Anybody have info on this ?

Regards.

Dr Terry.

[Effie C]

HD 149 is also blank on the sides, no casting. Engine size is in the engine number
John M

[nicko]

i have never seen a 173S motor,which is the reason they were always refered to as the poverty pack motor,due to there gutless performance unless modified, but as i posted  the GTR Toranas never had any 173 engines fitted, although they were certainly fitted to stock Toranas

[fastjbav6]

HI Guys

Just my 5 cents worth, i've only ever seen one HP V8 engine block which came out of a HK/T/G, fitted to a HQ one tonner back in the early 80's.
Are these engines rare?

Regards  Seb

[Dr_Terry]

Hi Guys.

Effie C mentioned the HD149 being blank as well.  This seems to be random, but I've probably seen more HD 149 with the 149 casting than without, but yes, the blank ones do exist but by mid '65 they seem to disappear.

Seb mentioned the HP 308 block. You would think after the 179 HP confusion GM-H would learn, but no, they did it again.

As with the EH 149 & 179, the early 253 & 308 (most HT/HG) are cast with either HP (normal 308) or left blank (normal 253). By the time the HQ arrived they were cast 253 & 308 respectively & you still see the HP motors around even  fitted to later models, probably as exchange engines or whatever.

Regards.

Dr Terry.