Strange F-Head engine number?

Hey guys/gals,

Continuing my degreasing effort on my donor engine I uncovered the engine number stamped into the block. It's 4J119450, which according to the 3B page, puts it in 1956. It's funny...it came from a '59, and it's going into my '55 . Weird thing is at the end of the number, it looks like there was something else that was stamped out with a # like series of hash marks. I know, I know...
:uwop:
but it was late, cold, and I was too lazy to get my camera. Probably wouldn't have mattered anyway...it was too dark, and my flash would have been useless on a macro shot that close. Anyway, it really does look about like a # sign, but with a couple more lines. Looks like it was cut with a really small chisel. Any ideas what they might have been stamping out? The hash marks could probably have covered two digits.

On a bright note, I'm 99% sure this engine was rebuilt (hopefully not too many miles ago). I pulled the valve cover off, and everything was unusually clean in there. No sludge or grime at all. Kind of dry from sitting, but nice and clean. After my grease removal, it's also pretty clear this thing was hot tanked before it was painted red. I have to pull the pan to replace the rear main seal, and I'm really curious to see what kind of shape the bearing is in. I might pull a couple of caps and take a looksee. When I had this engine running about a year ago, it ran great but had a real lack of power. I never got around to playing with the timing, so hopefully that's all the problem was . It didn't smoke or anything...I'm really hoping it'll be ok. Right now all it's getting is a "Krylon Rebuild" and then it's going to get stuck in the frame.

 

Not sure if this will help but they sometimes add numbers/letters at the end of an engine code to signify that an engine has been rebuilt.

 

Hmmm...wonder if the last engine rebuilder would have XX'ed out a mark like that to show that it had a second rebuild?

 

Some of the early motors had oversized pistons and undersized bearing from the factory, I guess it was easier to machine the block or crank than recast them. They may have x'd out those #'s if it was rebuilt.

 

If you really want to do a easy piece of preventive maintenance on your F head, i'd recommed dropping the pan and taking the floating oil scavenge off.

There is a screen with a cover over it on the scavenge. Remove the cover and clean. I soaked mine in lacquer thinner and used a toothbrush Q tip and air compressor to get it clean.

Every f head I have ever taken apart has this screen 80% clogged.

You might clean out the oil pan while it is off.

 

I'll give it a shot. I'm going to clean as much of the motor as I can while I have it out. Hopefully the bottom end looks as clean as top end did when I had the valve cover off . One really strange thing I've figured out on this motor...it sat for years before I got it in a dry shop building. When I drained the oil out of it right after I got it, it had about 2 quarts of water in the oil. Plain, clear water. :? :? . For the couple of years it sat on my friends property (that I've had it), it's been fine. Coolant level never dropped, and the oil looked fine. Weird.