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?

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.

AE86DailyDriver wrote: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.

Bill is wrong....

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

^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