Engine vin to see if motor was really replaced as per previous owner statement

[IMSITINGINYOURCHAIR]

HI, I have a 2000 lesabre limited with 120k on the body (101k at purchase Motor listed as 68k miles)

Seeing as i've had to replace alot of things that should've been replaced with the motor and it looks relatively untouched( mounts, map sensor, o2 sensors, intake gaskets, dry rotted vacuum line) I have doubts as to if the motor was really even replaced.

I did some googling and found the three locations for the engine codes, 2 of which I was able to read.

close to the bell housing on front of the motor I got "H166"

Above the starter under the exhaust manifold I got 4502287
The information regarding what those numbers mean was very vague.

TL;DR Possible engine swap, need info about what engine vin numbers mean/how to cross check with body vin

 

[gnhbodyguy]

When I think of engine replacement, I would say engine block, oil pan, manifolds, valve heads, water pump, timing chain and belt, etc…major internal pieces. Most everything else is taken off the old engine and put back on. the new one.


[FONT=&quot]It’s possible the new intake gaskets went bad after the engine replacement.
[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] Did they say why the engine needed to be replaced? Overheat? Oil pressure failure? [/FONT]

 

[IMSITINGINYOURCHAIR]

As to why the old engine may have failed
My only guess is hydro-lock via intake gasket failure. I suspect this because when I had the cat removed it was hollow. (had it removed because it sounded like crap.)

The "replacement" engine had to have it's gaskets replaced and they looked like the factory ones that I've seen in all the tuts showing how to replace them. black plastic with white/grey seal.

Here is the link to the pics of the gasket job.

I know that they replaced the intake plenum from the date stamps on top and the little metal sleeve in the egr passage.
They replaced the water pump and elbows.
The radiator was replaced with a scrapyard one that I later had to replace because of a cracked tank.

also another clue is all the failed motor mounts. the front tranny mount was no longer a mount. and the other three mounts are cracked/dryrotted

If they really did replace it it was a cheap job with a lot of things skipped over. I should really make a list of this. I've put $1300 or 1400 in parts alone since I bought her in January I've still got about $400 more in the coming months.

 

[1380Ken]

If it was a junk yard engine then it will still look like an engine with 68000 miles on it. They probably replaced nothing but the engine. Engine mounts, O2 sensor, MAP sensor ect would still be old. They probably just used the block and heads from the new engine and used the intake and everthing else that was on the old engine. The vin number should be on the block somewhere.

 

[redmondjp]

If it was a junk yard engine then it will still look like an engine with 68000 miles on it. They probably replaced nothing but the engine. Engine mounts, O2 sensor, MAP sensor ect would still be old. They probably just used the block and heads from the new engine and used the intake and everthing else that was on the old engine. The vin number should be on the block somewhere.

Or, they could have just installed a complete junkyard motor lock, stock and barrel, intake manifold and all (my guess - it's the least amount of labor). This would mean that you still need to make sure that your upper intake, and lower intake manifold gaskets are replaced, before the replacement motor suffers the same fate. A good mechanic, doing a close inspection, should be able to tell you if this work has been performed recently or not.

 

[IMSITINGINYOURCHAIR]

That would be my guess. A very poor way to do it IMO though seeing as all those parts were already worn and doing the labor while the motor is out of the car would be so much easier and efficient too. at least they changed the water pump and coolant elbows >_>

A side note though, I did end up replacing the gaskets, upper and lower along with valve cover gaskets too and went ahead with the elbows as well.

I'd really like to know where this motor came from and, if possible, it's age.