block stamping

[TimG]

I think an engine could encounter a problem at any number of stages. It could drop a valve during run-in, any number of threads could strip, a rocker arm could break. I was in Al Grennings two hour seminar in San Antonio on engine stampings and it was noted that engines with any number of problems sat in a holding area for repair. They lined up until workers could repair or salvage these blocks or components. I would imagine some were beyond repair if a rod let go, or something like that. If a thread stripped, they may set the engine aside until time permits and re-tap the threads. The engine assembly date and build durative are not placed on until well in the process and before the heads are installed. If a problem surfaced in the short block, the block could sit for weeks or months before being repaired with absolutely no stamp on the pad. If a problem surfaced after the stamp was applied, the long block could wait for repair and later be installed in a car with a long spread between assembly date and build date of the car.
Al Grennings class was amazing, he had dozens of idiosyncrasies in trim tags and stampings that would drive an NCRS judge crazy.

[Xplantdad]

Interesting stuff Tim...