How to Identify a Chevy 400 Small Block
by Floyd Drake IIIThe 1970s were a tough decade for performance engines, with rising fuel prices and emissions regulations. It seemed that the muscle-car era was over. In 1970, Chevrolet introduced the 400-cubic-inch small-block engine into this environment, offering it for truck and large passenger car use. Although there were no high-performance editions of the 400, it is currently popular to rebuild and customize the 400 for high-performance applications, partially due to its availability and price. The Chevrolet 400 was produced from 1970 to 1980, and identifying it is a matter of locating and referencing the engine code suffix.
Step 1
Open the hood and view the engine from the front on the passenger side.
Step 2
Look for the engine code. According to the Chevy-Camaro website, the code is located on a machined pad directly forward of the passenger-side cylinder head, on the front of the engine block. A sample code reads "F0114CSB," with the first position designating the assembly plant, the second indicating the month, and the third marking the day of the month. The following letters -- CSB -- are the suffix that will identify the engine when referenced to a Chevrolet suffix listing.
Step 3
Reference the engine code to a Chevrolet listing, similar to the one found on the 73-87.com website. When matched to this listing, the suffix code "CSB" is identified as a 1973 400-cubic-inch engine with 175 horsepower, originally installed in a Chevy Caprice.
References
Writer Bio
A native of New Haven, Conn., Floyd Drake III began writing in 1984. His work has appeared in the "New Haven Register," Medford's "Mail-Tribune" and the "Ashland Daily Tidings." Drake studied journalism at Southern Connecticut State University. After working as a reporter in Oregon, he is now based back home in New Haven.
