Re: L78 396/375 HP Long Block CKO Stamping
 

Rtck H, The "restamp/altered" subject is what I have been thinking.....but dont have the real world experience that others here apparently do have.....
Just asking that people that know the facts on these issues.......step up and tell us, like it is, like it was...

Re: L78 396/375 HP Long Block CKO Stamping
 

Pics of the engine stamping would go a long way to conclude this discussion. Anything available?

Re: L78 396/375 HP Long Block CKO Stamping
 

How about this?


Jason

Re: L78 396/375 HP Long Block CKO Stamping
 

Hmmm.... That came out funny. Let's try another picture.


Jason

Re: L78 396/375 HP Long Block CKO Stamping
 

OK, one more time! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/smirk.gif

Re: L78 396/375 HP Long Block CKO Stamping
 

I'll be honest with you. It looks like someone went crazy with the stamping. You can see under the CKO stamp another stamping. Very faint but it's there. And what are the other stamps? Is that a GM replacement stamp? I've never seen one like that. Wait maybe I have. I'll think of it.

Are you sure that that is not an original marine engine?


Rick H.

Re: L78 396/375 HP Long Block CKO Stamping
 

Rick,

You come on a bit strong at times. It has never been stamped or decked before the CKO stamp. The broach marks are still present. The other stamps on the right of the pad are somewhat of a mystery. They read 2GME936. I thought they were from the machine shop that bored the engine but they could also be from the dealer that installed the block. For you to say "someone went crazy with the stamping" is a bit nieve. The "second stamping" you see is a shadow of the original stamping when the stamped bounced. This is a late 396 4 bolt main block with a CKO stamping. Like the late CRR LS6 engines, I imagine this was saved as a generic replacement for L78 engine. I may have also been a marine engine from day one, but the stamp on the pad was NOT added. I can take more pictures if anyone is interested.


Jason

Re: L78 396/375 HP Long Block CKO Stamping
 

Actually Jason I held back quite a bit about that block. The fact of the matter is this. NO CKO was used in 1971 or 1972. Any replacement motor replaced under warranty was stamped "CE" with a corresponding serial number.
You can speculate all you want but I'm not the one being naive.

Rick H.

Re: L78 396/375 HP Long Block CKO Stamping
 

I've had a gang of parts over the years from the General that you won't read about or find the casting numbers in any book.There's nothing wrong with those stampings,Jason.

Re: L78 396/375 HP Long Block CKO Stamping
 

If that is the case then someone should be able to produce another example just like Jason's. Anyone?

Rick H.