Engine number identication

[pkdj@sky.com]

Hi

I have a 1971 morris minor 1000. I think it has had a gold build replacement engine and I am trying to confirm this.

The rocker cover is gold and in the engine plate the following is stamped:- 8GI 62 E P5256 and just below is DH.

I tried looking at some of the internet web sites but it’s not clear. Could be because engine rebuilders used their own serial numbers etc.

Have not yet got log book from DVLA so don’t have that info.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[philthehill]

The 8G prefix means that the engine is a BMC reconditioned unit.

[Bill_qaz]

Mine has a gold seal recon and 8G162ES2977 I believe the DH is likely the builder mine is AD
Some of the numbers are code for rebore and crank grind but I have not managed to find a reference. I know my engine was fitted in 1998

[geoberni]

See this page on MGAGuru site: https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/engine/be100a.htm
Near the bottom, not only does it explain the differences between Gold and Silver Seal as supplied by Unipart in the 1980s, it also explains the letters, such as 'AD' which it what my Basil's engine ID has, much as Bill_qaz has on his.

I'll include it here for future use if the MGAGuru ever goes offline.

So, DH is a 20 thou Block with a 40 thou Crankshaft.

Addendum, January 25, 2022:
On 1/25/2022, Keith Dodd wrote:
"During the 60s when I worked for HA Saunders we received gold seal engines every week and many were oversize pistons, mainly 30 thou which is now not made by piston manufacturers. I had an 8G9 engine in my Austin A35 with FA stamped, F for 30 oversize pistons and A for the std crank. --- We would always look for Mini engines especially Coopers with larger bores and std cranks for competition use. Anything up to H was plus 40 was fitted. From my notes at work see below.
On Gold seal engines there is a stamped in code (not the raised code) on the engine number plate, both letters tell you, the first letter is the bore size and the second letter is for the crank size. for example my 1957 A35 with 8G9 engine was FA which (F) meant 30 thou oversize block and (A) was standard crankshaft.
(M) rarely ever being used".

A = STD
B = 10thou
D = 20thou
F = 30thou
H = 40thou
M = 60thou

[myoldjalopy]

Mine is 8G9RL0069 FD. I don't know when it was first rebuilt but it was rebuilt again about 15 years ago, then a few years later the crankshaft broke and was replaced, so it is getting a bit like Trigger's broom!

[Bill_qaz]

Thanks Geoberni, so Basil and Monty have std bore and 20thou grind cranks according to the chart

[geoberni]

Thanks Geoberni, so Basil and Monty have std bore and 20thou grind cranks according to the chart

So it would seem from that first hand account.
Until I found that page, the only other speculation I could find regarding the two letters was an often repeated claim that it was probably the initials of the person who did the rebuild, which I found a ridiculous idea, since:
a) it was hardly likely that any workshop was going to allow an individual employee do that and
b) that would mean AD was doing most of the work for BL/Unipart since I'd seen that on several engine serial photos...

[Bill_qaz]

Thanks Geoberni, so Basil and Monty have std bore and 20thou grind cranks according to the chart

So it would seem from that first hand account.
Until I found that page, the only other speculation I could find regarding the two letters was an often repeated claim that it was probably the initials of the person who did the rebuild, which I found a ridiculous idea, since:
a) it was hardly likely that any workshop was going to allow an individual employee do that and
b) that would mean AD was doing most of the work for BL/Unipart since I'd seen that on several engine serial photos...

I was thinking more the site rather than individual. I worked at their truck engine recon and the engines were stamped SH the depot initials. I don't know if the car engines were reconditioned at one site or several.
On yours are the two initials stamped separate from the serial number?

[geoberni]

On yours are the two initials stamped separate from the serial number?

Serial from behind, Letters from front. But presumably 2 separate stamps as different impression depth.
A photo I took a few years back, but I have a collection of them for random use, like this

20190826_185812.jpg (1.89 MiB) Viewed 3107 times

[Bill_qaz]

On yours are the two initials stamped separate from the serial number?

Serial from behind, Letters from front. But presumably 2 separate stamps as different impression depth.
A photo I took a few years back, but I have a collection of them for random use, like this
20190826_185812.jpg

Yes same as mine the two letters stamped separately

[Bill_qaz]

Duplicate removed