How to tell which Block you really have or are buying?

[AE86DailyDriver]

I bought a 4age Silvertop recently and am going to do a light rebuild to it before installing into my AE86. As far as I can tell it really is a Silvertop (head and block), but how do I tell for certain that it isn't a Silvertop head ontop of a different 7-rib block, before opening the engine up? It's not that I don't trust the person I bought it from, but I am just the type of person who's curiousity must be sated (perferably before I buy the seal kit, timing kit, Waterpump, etc and open her up)...And I'm sure some people might want to know how to idenitfy blocks accurately.

I see a casting number "4AG" with a serial of numbers underneath (K13XXXX) but I cannot seem to find anywhere that tells me how to translate the numbers to identify which block I really have...Or maybe this is a lost cause, and all of the 7-rib blocks turely are the same (minus the internal parts) and said serial numbers will give no indication to the generation of the block?

[milchmann]

The seven rib blocks on the small port 4AGE's also have an oil return pipe on the right-rear from the back of the head. The 4AGZE's & 20v's have the 'bump' in the block for that hole, but it's solid cast metal there instead.

http://www.billzilla.org/4agstock2.htm

... third link in a google search.

[allencr]

maybe this is a lost cause,

Yep, unless you need the notched all-track 4WD block and/or just want oil-squirters whatever and/or MUST buy parts before dis-assembly.

[oldeskewltoy]

Bill is wrong....

20V block will have a small notch along the oil pan flange on the intake side back by #3 cylinder.

[Duy-]

^notched like he said
-oil squirters
-no oil return on the back of the block from the head (so it wasn't a smallport)
-fully counter weighted crank
-7 ribbed
-tapped hole for knock sensor