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hazetguy
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2001
Posts: 10773
Location: iT StiNgeD iTseLf tO dEAd
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 Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 5:25 pm Post subject: Engine Case (and other parts) Casting Date Codes |
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i found a few bits of information scattered about in various threads, but i did not find a good one to post this info/question in.
i was looking at one of the 36hp cases i'm working on, and noticed that the case casting date numbers are different from the left half to the right half. while they are close, they are not exactly the same. i thought this may be a fluke, so i looked at all the 25hp and 26hp cases i have, and none of them have the same casting numbers. the machining number (the number stamped on the top of the case halves near the flywheel) are matching, so i know the case halves are machined/matched to each other.
for example, on my '51 engine, the left case half (under fuel pump boss) has the code is 6 5 11, while the right (generator pedestal) is 24 5 11.
the number stamped on the top of both halves is 555.
anyone know the reason for this casting date difference other than the obvious "the factory cast them on different days and machined them as a pair later"?
| nlorntson wrote: |
This casting number is often found on the webbed side (L) of the generator stand.
It is in the form of day month (shift)year.
13 = day
3 = month
26 = year (2nd shift) 1956
0 = 1950, 1 = 1951, 2 = 1952, 3 = 1953, 4 = 1954, 5 = 1955, etc
I'll take a look for the number on the left half of the case.
I found the number for the left half on the case just behind the pulley tin and below the fuel pump hole and it is the same number. |
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nlorntson
Crazy VW Lady
Joined: March 13, 2004
Posts: 3783
Location: Twin Cities, MN
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| Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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A question in the "whines" I posted the casting dates on my wheels:
I believe them to represent August 9 and 19, 1949. They aslo differ in that they are raised so they must have been added during casting versus the engine case where they are stamped. |
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janerick3
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Joined: June 04, 2006
Posts: 1879
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 10:50 pm Post subject: Re: Engine Case (and other parts) Casting Date Codes |
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| hazetguy wrote: |
i found a few bits of information scattered about in various threads, but i did not find a good one to post this info/question in.
i was looking at one of the 36hp cases i'm working on, and noticed that the case casting date numbers are different from the left half to the right half. while they are close, they are not exactly the same. i thought this may be a fluke, so i looked at all the 25hp and 26hp cases i have, and none of them have the same casting numbers. the machining number (the number stamped on the top of the case halves near the flywheel) are matching, so i know the case halves are machined/matched to each other.
for example, on my '51 engine, the left case half (under fuel pump boss) has the code is 6 5 11, while the right (generator pedestal) is 24 5 11.
the number stamped on the top of both halves is 555.
anyone know the reason for this casting date difference other than the obvious "the factory cast them on different days and machined them as a pair later"?
| nlorntson wrote: |
This casting number is often found on the webbed side (L) of the generator stand.
It is in the form of day month (shift)year.
13 = day
3 = month
26 = year (2nd shift) 1956
0 = 1950, 1 = 1951, 2 = 1952, 3 = 1953, 4 = 1954, 5 = 1955, etc
I'll take a look for the number on the left half of the case.
I found the number for the left half on the case just behind the pulley tin and below the fuel pump hole and it is the same number. |
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The best explanation I've seen can be found on pages 47 and 51 of the book Volkswagen: A Week at the Factory, where crankcases and transaxle halves are lined up side-by-side at the factory with several different casting dates visible.
The first digit of the year code is always 1, 2, or 3, but that does not prove it represents a specific shift--I presented that theory in another thread a few years back.
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Thanks,
Jan K. |
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hazetguy
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Joined: April 06, 2001
Posts: 10773
Location: iT StiNgeD iTseLf tO dEAd
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 7:51 am Post subject: |
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i looked at the pages you noted, and yes, you can see different casting numbers on the generator pedestals. however, it is not possible to see the casting numbers on the left half of the cases, and they have already been "paired" and machined, since the numbers have been stamped on the top.
there are many numbers that are identical on a lot of the trans case (right) halves. "4" seems to be the common middle number.
i'm just curious, has it been positively proven that this is specifically a date code, and not a mold or casting batch number in addition to a date code? i could see how the number could designate a specific mold in case of casting errors.
i crawled under my '51, and both transmission case halves have the same markings: 2 3 11
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hazetguy: invested?
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janerick3
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Joined: June 04, 2006
Posts: 1879
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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| hazetguy wrote: |
i looked at the pages you noted, and yes, you can see different casting numbers on the generator pedestals. however, it is not possible to see the casting numbers on the left half of the cases, and they have already been "paired" and machined, since the numbers have been stamped on the top.
there are many numbers that are identical on a lot of the trans case (right) halves. "4" seems to be the common middle number.
i'm just curious, has it been positively proven that this is specifically a date code, and not a mold or casting batch number in addition to a date code? i could see how the number could designate a specific mold in case of casting errors.
i crawled under my '51, and both transmission case halves have the same markings: 2 3 11 |
Since Keetman's week at the factory was in early April 1953, it makes sense that the 28 3 13, 28 3 23 and 31 3 13 crankcase halves and 2 4 23 transaxle halves equate to 28 March, 31 March and 2 April, respectively.
The "shift" theory is based on the first digit of the year code always being a 1, 2, or 3. If you find a 4, we can toss that theory out the window...
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Thanks,
Jan K. |
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Splitty69
Samba Member
Joined: September 17, 2013
Posts: 70
Location: London UK
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| Posted: Tue May 23, 2023 10:34 pm Post subject: Re: Engine Case (and other parts) Casting Date Codes |
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Does anypne know the casting numbers for engines in the 1960's? My 30 horse motor engine was rebuilt in the factory, it has a KD and rebuild number and the casting numbers are 2 8 51. obviously not a 25horse motor. The cases were stamped with the original number from Dec 54'
Is there any references out there to the KD rebuild codes? |
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