Most car owners do not raise a query about the modification of the engine of their car, before its problems arise or its failure. When selecting a contract engine or spare parts for it, the moment of determining the car engine model is very important, otherwise there is a risk of acquiring unnecessary or useless spare parts. Moreover, knowing the model of the engine, you have the opportunity to determine the methods of operation and choose the right consumables for it. Knowing how to determine the engine model is quite important.

Methods

So, manufacturers can install various power units on their family of cars. There are several ways to find out which transmission and motor are on your car.

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  • The easiest and most affordable way consists in a superficial inspection of the engine in order to detect branded stickers indicating the model and number, usually located on the valve cover of the internal combustion engine. Quite often, a special sticker with this information is applied to the engine.
  • It is mandatory for all internal combustion engines with a transparent history to present a specially engraved serial number, next to which the model of the internal combustion engine is also indicated. Most often, this information is applied to a specially prepared pad located on the unit block.
  • You can determine it by the VIN number. Take a look at the online VIN decoder to find out the following:
  • The 7th digit in the VIN number is responsible for the engine model;
  • The 8 digit indicates the type of gearbox.
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It is worth noting that VIN lookup does not always help to find out the engine model. For example, if an error could be hidden in the manufacturer’s information base, as well as a human error.

In many cases, you can determine the engine model yourself and without spending time and money. It is useful to know the model of your engine, it will greatly help in the maintenance of your car. Identifying the engine model will also help you save well on buying the right components and consumables.