Right, I've spent the afternoon trawling through the posts and searching for details on where to find the engine number on my Zetec block. It's a Phase 1 1800 silvertop, which I bought off eBay when the bottom end of the previous one went bad.


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Early (phase 1) silvertop Zetec, identifyable by "DOHC 16V" stamped on rocker rather than 16V Zetec. Check.
(Going to get the later one powder coated and fitted anyway as I prefer the look.)


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1800. Check.


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I've checked the edge on the end of the block where it mounts to the gearbox bellhousing (exhaust side), and nothing. Used degreaser, wire brush, wet & dry, but nowt to be seen.


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Markings on the block, similar style, but not identical code to that marked on the head almost above it.


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These are the numbers moulded on the head on the exhaust side above ports 1 & 2 (from memory). Any ideas what they relate to?


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More code on the head above the exhaust ports, just round from the thermostat housing. Again, any bearing on anything? Also "P" and "9" stamped on, looks like an after-event?!?


Description
These look like they've been stamped in post-production as well. Location: next to the thermostat housing where water port in the head is.


Description
This is the only other marking I can see on the block, which is down next to where the oil dipstick tube pushes into the engine. Highly coroded, I can't see any details in it.

Basically, I'm pretty sure if it is a Phase 1 engine then I won't need a cat for IVA, but I'd still like to try and find an engine number so I can write to Ford and get confirmation of production date etc. for registration. Am I one of the "lucky ones" who may be devoid of a number, or is there anywhere else I should be looking? And is the engine no. stamped on the head as well?

Without wishing to be a bit Del Boy, if this is the case could I use the engine number from the knackered early silvertop bottom end I have in the workshop (whic I know is pre-'95), stamp it on the engine I'm rebuilding, and then grind of the details and dispose of the old unit?? I just don't want to spend money getting this engine done in vain, that's all!

The engine number is stamped on the rear of the block on the edge where it mates to the gearbox the number is generally made up of a series of indentations puch marks that make up the numbers and letters they are not stamped letters. This is stamped above the starter side as in pic 3

Some exchange blocks apparently where never stamped


Hope this makes sense

The numbers stamped on the head above the stat housing make sense, are in the correct format but the wrong place. ie they should be on the block.

RDA NR15824
RDA is 1.8 phase 1 or 2 zetec. 105ps version.
NR is Feb 92 (or June 73) and five numbers is correct.



I guess the previous owner of your engine stamped those numbers on the head for some reason. Might be a replacement.

ps = Pferdestärke (horse-strength in German) German horses are a bit puny only being 98.63% as good as a proper English horse. Rule Britania, etc.

I have seen the numbers stamped on the horizontal machined flange below the block breather.
[img]
ZETEC NUMBERS [/img]

[Edited on 19/11/12 by Dusty]

I had a 1.8 1992 engine with the engine number stamped on the head like that. I'm guessing it was because the original engine number was stamped on the block behind the starter motor . The 2.0L I'm putting in the car has it stamped on the flange that mounts to the box.

Service part engines do not have an engine number. Ford only stamp the numbers on the original engine shipped with the car. Delaers are advised to restamp the old engine number when doing a service exchange.

Its quite likely you have a a service part engine or one that was replaced somewhere along the line, I would think the numbers stamped on the back of the head have been done by a numb mechanic during an engine swap, its likely he has done it after the swap and couldn't get at, or couldn't be bothered with where he put it.

I would send that number off to the Ford technical department for an age check, that will confirm what you need to know.

quote:

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Originally posted by coozer
Service part engines do not have an engine number. Ford only stamp the numbers on the original engine shipped with the car. Delaers are advised to restamp the old engine number when doing a service exchange.

Its quite likely you have a a service part engine or one that was replaced somewhere along the line, I would think the numbers stamped on the back of the head have been done by a numb mechanic during an engine swap, its likely he has done it after the swap and couldn't get at, or couldn't be bothered with where he put it.

I would send that number off to the Ford technical department for an age check, that will confirm what you need to know.

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Zetec engine number location

See my picture on the forum ,the number is on the rear of the head by the thermostat and on the block below the oil breather box.

Ian

The only place Ford stamp engine numbers is on the flange shown in the phot on Dusty's post (3rd one down). All the other numbers are just casting numbers and are not unique to individual engines.

If the engine has a number stamped on the head or elsewhere on the block it will have been put there when the engine was worked on by a 3rd party. Builders sometimes stamp these numbers for their own records and are not Ford numbers at all.

My Blacktop has no number on it and never has had, bought as a brand new motor on a yellow plastic crate and I should really stamp the number on it that was on the Silvertop I had in the car previously, bit difficult since I sold it and have no idea what it was.

Big thanks to Dusty, cleaned up the bottom of the block last night and it was in the "might be here" red box on his diagram.

Now I've stripped the block down, gonna stamp it in the usual place on the flange next to the bell housing as the current one is getting very pitted....

Thanks for all your replies!

I think Ford stamp the numbers on the head beacause the 1.8 Escort engine has the starter on the left obscuring the genuine number. I wonder if these engines were originally destined for Mondeos as I seem to remember my2.0L mondeo engine had the starter on the other side.