79 chevy k10 with 400 factory

[tdcrace]

Ok, had my truck for about a year now and still cant figure this out. I've trased the vin number numerous times and done some research and the vin says that its a 400 sbc factory but everywhere else i look it says that they never came with it. Need help on trying to figure this one out.

Just for future, thanks for the help

[KY..Rob]

My 78 K10 was a factory 400, and I have heard that 78 was the last year for the 400. It could have been a special order? Have you checked to see if motor is a 400? Look over top of the driver side head, and on the back of the block is a lip. This lip has the engines vin code on it. It's more than likely dirty and oily, so take a rag and a wire brush and clean it up, and you will see the number stamped on it.

Who knows, it could have been a factory runover. They made a lot of trucks in 78-79

[tdcrace]

Well, the thing is, is that its not the original motor. Its got the reman sticker on the back of the block on the drivers side above the oil filter. I got it from my dads work and my father swears left and right that its a 400 still. I've tried to get the vin but it just a p.i.t.a. (for me) so i looked around and found that you can identify with looks of the block and it appears to pe the 400. We've even had the oil pan off and the block/rotating kit still looks like it has less then 20,000 on it. I just wanna figure out if it was a once in a lifetime deal or what it is lol.

[KY..Rob]

Even the reman blocks and crate motors have the casting number. You might even pull off a valve cover and get the number off the head. Look around on the block and see if it has extra freeze plugs on each side. It might be a P.I.T.A but it would be worth it to get that number off the back of the block. Does the Vin number show the truck being a 79? The 400's were made up until 1980.

[tdcrace]

Yeah, the vin says it was a 79 with a 400 in it. ive been looking at a site one of the other posts on here had and what it says is that it was pretty much an option. Ill have to pull it off sometime in the near future, hopefully when its a little warmer outside, and ill trace it.

[zieg85]

Another easy way to tell is if it has 3 freeze plugs per side it is a 400... At least as what I remember...

[beastie_3]

Mine is a 79 and it had a 400. Go to the tech section of this site and look at the data thread.

[Captkaos]

400 was availibe in 4x4 and cab and chassis in 79,   1980 was the last year in 8500lb GVWR only.

[Jim Rockford]

some 400's only had 2 core plugs on the side, only real way to know is run the numbers.

[acefoxx]

the sought after 509 casting (like the one I am running) only has 2 freeze plugs. With the after market harmonic balancer it looks the same as a 350. A fact I love when the guys betting all the money at the track look under my hood.

[VileZambonie]

Just get the casting #. It'll take you 5 minutes