Bureaucracy anyone ?
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Bureaucracy anyone ?
Hi there
Just moved from Texas back to South America and brought my Ranger with me, now I'm having an issue trying to register the truck here, because they NEED an engine number, which I was told in the states, that American vehicles don't have one, they just use the VIN# for everything.
Vehicles here have both, a chassis # and engine #. I was told the number has to be there, and it should be a couple of letters plus the last 5 or 6 digits of the VIN#, but no way to find it, I know I'm probably looking in the wrong place
Any help you guys can give me to help me find this damn number would be greatly appreciated.
Truck is a 3.0 V6 Ranger Edge 2004 Ext Cab
Thanks folks !
Just moved from Texas back to South America and brought my Ranger with me, now I'm having an issue trying to register the truck here, because they NEED an engine number, which I was told in the states, that American vehicles don't have one, they just use the VIN# for everything.
Vehicles here have both, a chassis # and engine #. I was told the number has to be there, and it should be a couple of letters plus the last 5 or 6 digits of the VIN#, but no way to find it, I know I'm probably looking in the wrong place
Any help you guys can give me to help me find this damn number would be greatly appreciated.
Truck is a 3.0 V6 Ranger Edge 2004 Ext Cab
Thanks folks !
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,175
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From: So. Cal.
This is news to me. If anyone had asked me before this, I'd have said, "Of course there's an engine number!". But I just got through looking in my official Ford 2004 workshop manual and I can't find a thing about any engine number.
They have an entire section devoted to interpreting the VIN and the door sticker, but not a word about any engine number, even in the engine section. If it's in there, I don't know where it is...
They have an entire section devoted to interpreting the VIN and the door sticker, but not a word about any engine number, even in the engine section. If it's in there, I don't know where it is...
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reddog, thanks for taking the time to look at my post.
I'm probably mistaken the engine number with the engine serial number, but is pretty much the same thing for my purposes, they need something stamped or engraved on the block to pair the chassis number and the engine to the same vehicle, as I said, bureaucracy
I'm probably mistaken the engine number with the engine serial number, but is pretty much the same thing for my purposes, they need something stamped or engraved on the block to pair the chassis number and the engine to the same vehicle, as I said, bureaucracy
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Saratoga, NY
They do the same thing in England due to how bad car theft is. I once saw somebody had bought a well used car from a private seller and a few months later the police showed up wanting to inspect it to find out it was a stolen car. The current owner is SOL, whatever they paid for it is gone and so is the car, cops took it away.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Southern Oregon Coast
Every number I've ever seen on an engine was on a machined boss on the side of the block - either under the valve covers or somewhere around the exhaust manifolds.
Even then, though, those numbers were usually casting codes that indicated when that block was cast. I don't think I've ever seen a VIN stamped into the block...
I've never looked that closely at a 3.0 so, I have no idea where one would be on that block...
Even then, though, those numbers were usually casting codes that indicated when that block was cast. I don't think I've ever seen a VIN stamped into the block...
I've never looked that closely at a 3.0 so, I have no idea where one would be on that block...
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thanks folks, will try to take a look again later today and see what I can find.
Remember that I'm not trying to find the VIN # stamped on the block, just a serial number so they can add it to the truck's file in order to finish all this damn paperwork
Remember that I'm not trying to find the VIN # stamped on the block, just a serial number so they can add it to the truck's file in order to finish all this damn paperwork
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Lost
I don't think there was ever any kind of VIN or serial number on Ford engines sold in the USA. What they do in other countries, is regulated by the government of those countries.
Since an engine number wasn't required on a North American market vehicle, I doubt there will be anything "unique" on the engine. You may have to have a serial number assigned, and stamped onto the engine.
Importing a vehicle from one country into another often requires adding something that the destination country requires. This is true for importing an overseas model into the US.
Sometimes, the cost of bringing a vehicle up to "code" for a new country can be far more than the cost of buying a similar type of vehicle that is already in the country.
Since an engine number wasn't required on a North American market vehicle, I doubt there will be anything "unique" on the engine. You may have to have a serial number assigned, and stamped onto the engine.
Importing a vehicle from one country into another often requires adding something that the destination country requires. This is true for importing an overseas model into the US.
Sometimes, the cost of bringing a vehicle up to "code" for a new country can be far more than the cost of buying a similar type of vehicle that is already in the country.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: down south
I wouldnt be surprised if there is a number on the block. It might be just the vin number, but still wouldnt surprise me that its there someplace. These days so many cars come with the vin etched on everything from the factory. Stamping engines with if nothing else a build date (which would probably work for you too) goes back many years. Heck my 67 mustang has a number on the block. When doing concourse restos you can decode the number to determine if its proper for your car (meaning it should be date stamped in the few months before you car was built).
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will find out in the afternoon, I'm taking the truck again to the county offices to have it inspected more in depth and see if they can find anything, I'm done wasting time looking for something that I have no idea where it is
thanks for the help and I'll update later to save someone else the headache in the future
thanks for the help and I'll update later to save someone else the headache in the future
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Dexter, MI
Many vehicles have identification information printed on a label that is attached to the particular component. As I recall, there were lots of such labels attached to parts on my '91 Ranger as well as on my '08. These labels are attached somewhere on the component. It may be on one of the valve covers, heads or the front or rear of the engine block. Since I will be visiting my freindly neighborhood Ford dealer this afternoon, I'll try to remember to ask them about an engine ID.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: Amherst, WI
Same question just showed up on a Mustang site, guy in Europe need the engine number or the VIN stamped someplace on the frame. Only VIN's (partial) that used to be stamped on the block were the high value/performance cars (Shelby's). Had no idea that today the VIN is etched into the new cars. Good luck with your problem!
Dave
Dave
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Finally paid a few bucks in order to solve this faster and with less trouble. When they have a case like mine, they open a file for your vehicle and assign you with the file # as your engine number, you go to have a plaque (sp) stamped and attached to your engine somewhere so they can identify it if needed later on.
So no much help from me for future users with the same problem.
Thanks a lot to y'all for trying to help me out here.
So no much help from me for future users with the same problem.
Thanks a lot to y'all for trying to help me out here.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Dexter, MI
According to my Ford mechanic, there is a printed tag on the driver's side valve cover near the rear of the engine. It has black alphanumerics (not the VIN #) on a white background. It may be covered with dirt so rub around that area with a rag and see if it turns up.
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