Engine Serial number info

[timjuhl]

Can anything useful (year of Jeep, etc.) be gleaned from just the engine serial number? My recent Jeep acquisition has no dataplates, title, etc. showing the serial number. All it has is MD946013 stamped on the engine block.

Thanks!

Tim

[jimm]

It means you at least have an engine that was factory installed in an M38A1 and not a factory replacement engine (RMDxxxx) or a civvy engine. No bets, though, on if it is original to that particular vehicle.

[wesk]

Tim,

I think you have too many digits. Estimating 120,000 M38A1's and maybe another 15,000 factory spare RMDXXXXXX engines your MD9XXXXX is way too high.

[timjuhl]

I pick it up tomorrow - I'll check the number again. Perhaps the "1" was an extraneous mark and not part of the serial number.

Tim

[timjuhl]

Careful examination in the bright sunlight shows that the serial number is MD94601

What I thought was a 3 was an extraneous mark. Thanks for pointing out what I should be looking for.

Tim

[timjuhl]

I got a spare engine with my latest parts Jeep. It has a number of MD 135133 stamped on it. No mistakes this time. Based on previous comments that number seems pretty high as well.

Tim

[wesk]

That engine would probably be about a 62/63 engine. What was the jeep's serial #?

[timjuhl]

This latest engine under discussion was included with the parts Jeep I bought. I took it simply because it was offered and " you never know...." The engine in the parts Jeep had the serial number MD94601 but is missing the head. The fenders, grill and etc. indicate the body of the Jeep was pre october 1953.

The previous owner couldn't tell me any of the history of the second engine and knew little of the first. The extra engine is pretty much complete, less the exhaust manifold and carb. I'm getting quite an accumulation of extra parts now that I have to figure out what to do with

Tim