Hi everyone, I pulled the engine out of my truck yesterday because I thought I blew the rear seal. Good news is, I didn't, bad news is I still need help! The background on my engine is that I was told it was out of a 76 Versailles. While that in and of itself is no big deal, it wasn't until I found out that 77 was the first year for the Versailles that I realized I probably had misheard the guy I got my truck from. He said that the 302 used for this year was different, because there was some sort of oil pressure gauge that runs into the back of the block, just in front of the bell housing. We put a freeze plug into the hole in the back of the engine and that obviously sufficed for a 150 miles or so, but then it blew out. Does anyone know anything about this engine, or what this oil thing was for?

 

Update: I looked up the block casting number and the engine is a '78. I also took a pic of the hole I'm talking about and will attempt to post it.

 

What's the rest of the casting number?

 

You've got a D8VE casting there. The Versailles was made for several years from about 76 to 1980. The D8VE-A3A block is the same casting as the Mexican block & the 289 Hi-Po blocks. The D8VE-3A is as well but has the smaller main caps like the standard 302's had. That so called "oil pressure port" is the crankshaft position sensor boss, it's located just above the rear main bearing in the very back of the block. The casting numbers do not in any way indicate what vehicle the engine (or any other part) was originally installed in at the factory. The same part was used in any other vehicle that called for the same part/engine, etc. You're just as likely to find a D8VE block in a pickup, van or LTD as you would a Versaliies. If that boss is drilled and tapped, then it would have come from a Versailles, as that feature was used in conjunction with the electronic feedback carb the Versailles used.

 

baddad, thanks for your great reply!! I was beginning to wonder if anyone knew what this was!!! Can I just drill, tap and plug this hole, or will the pressure created blow out the seals? Or is there a breather tube that I can pick up to put in it?

 

If the hole is what I think it is, just plug it. It's not an oil pressure port. I've had two of these blocks and neither had the boss drilled or tapped. Looking at the rear of the block, the boss is located at the ten o'clock position above the rear main (or was it two o'clock?)

 

baddad, it is about 2 o'clock. I have a picture I can email you, I dont know how to post on here.

 

The end of the block casting is 6016-ASA

 

That should read "6015-A3A" That's the big main cap block, same as the Mex and 289 Hi-Po blocks You got a winner.

 

Haha yea that's what it says, had to read it upside down.

So what did you use to plug the hole? The freeze plug route didn't work well.....tap and plug it now?

 

Casting numbers are foundry marks, cannot be cross referenced to FoMoCo part numbers. Are usually worthless for ID'ing the engine size or what vehicles the block was used in.

1978 Versailles 302: The block, heads and crankshaft are Versailles only, not shared with anything else.

These parts and more all share the same Versailles part number prefix: D84Y

Is it a 302? These cars also came with 351W's.

 

Better Stick to your parts numbers. Or get your hands dirty and get out of the books and see what's actually found in the vehicles themselves. The D8VE block was used in all applications calling for a 302. There were two different castings, the above one he mentions and the D8VE-6015-3A which had the smaller standard main caps. The blocks used in non Versailles vehicles does not have the crank sensor boss drilled.

 

Drill and tap it and use a threaded plug. Got a picture of the hole you're talking about ? If it's where I think it is, you'll need to remove the crank to do so.

 

Dude, no need to be a JA.
He's just trying to help people out with the resources he has.

 

I do have a picture, I just dont know how to post a picture/dont know if I can.

Try this link, I just created a photobucket, hopefully it works:
http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/...u/f557463d.jpg