11 replies to this topic

[Bigfella237]

It's a standard output Blue 5.0 litre from an early Commodore (would need the cast date off the front of the block to know which).

Also:

HDT and BT1 (police pursuit) Commodores had a high output "V5H" version that used a "VZ..." prefix

5.0 litre WB commercial vehicles of the same era would have had a "WT..." prefix

And 5.0 litre WB Statesmans would have had an "11WT..." prefix

Edited by Bigfella237, 24 January 2015 - 04:00 PM.

[Dr Terry]

It's not necessarily a Blue motor. They can be Red, Blue or Black.

 

A VT prefixed block is any 308/5.0 from any Commodore from VB to mid-VK except for the rare VZ performance versions.

 

Dr Terry

[Bigfella237]

Thanks Dr Terry, I meant to change that but the damn internet keeps dropping out here and I couldn't get it to save.

Seeing as you brought up VK Commodores, this model had just about the most variations of engines as Holden have ever released in a single model...

Very early VKs had Black 5.0 litres which were (as above) "VT" prefix for standard output and "VZ" prefix for high output, but Holden had to start homologation of cars for the new Group A formula, so in early 1985 the humble 308 was de-stroked by just 1mm and the 304 was born (marketed as a 4.9L to distinguish them from the 5.0L).

The standard output 4.9L (with standard heads fitted only to automatic vehicles) had a "VA" prefix

The high output version (with the "B cast" heads etc.) fitted to the first 5000 manual trans cars had a "VB" prefix

Except for HDT manual trans vehicles with the A9L option (roller rockers, bigger cam, blueprinted carby and dizzy), which had a "VC" prefix.

Then finally, after the first 5000 cars were sold, a de-tuned version of the "VB" motor (without B cast heads etc.) was fitted to manual trans vehicles only and this had a "VG" prefix (automatic vehicles continued to have the "VA" engine fitted)

Edited by Bigfella237, 24 January 2015 - 04:56 PM.

[yel327]

I think you'll find HG had the most engine options, but probably correct that the most variations probably are in VK but LH has 3 x 5.0L engines too (HQ style, HJ style, L34) plus A/C versions (different rockers). 

[Dr Terry]

It does depend on how you count those engines. If you want to be pedantic some late Commodores have a multitude of minor variants each one varying by a few kW. Changes were generally limited to cam timing & ECU mapping.

 

As HK1837 has said, HG has the most variants (in real terms) at 15, where the VK had 13, however LC & LJ series Toranas had 14 each.

 

Andrew if you have a copy of my 60 years book, you will see them all listed in table format for each model series.

 

Dr Terry

[Dr Terry]

^ Gratuitous plug for ones own book

Absolutely !!

 

Dr Terry

[Bigfella237]

It does depend on how you count those engines. ~

 

Andrew if you have a copy of my 60 years book, you will see them all listed in table format for each model series.

 

Dr Terry

 

I actually included a copy of your book in my letter to Santa last year but he messed that up as well... ("...ya worn-out geriatric fart, you forgot me f#%kin bike...")

 

In this context I was referring to variations in engine number prefixes for the 308 block only for identification purposes, but I take your point, I should have clarified.

 

Around early 1985, Holden seem to have thrown the book out the window and started again with engine number prefixes (specifically the second letter), before that a ?T was the standard 308 and a ?Z was the high output version (and of course there were a myriad of others for different capacity engines), but I guess it was either that or use a different system entirely.

Edited by Bigfella237, 25 January 2015 - 06:38 PM.

[yel327]

They had to re-use letters as they'd run out. They added V for the low comp 308 late in the 70's and Y and Z were already gone. They re-used K for the EFI 3.3 in VK as it was no longer used (last used in LC) and I guess as the high output Holden 6 K made sense (186K, CK), and VZ for the higher output 308 (as in last used as HZ in LH L34) but must have decided to go back to A again in 1985 as QA or CA hadn't been used since around 1975, same with B, C etc

[Bigfella237]

The "VK" prefix was reused yet again for the VN Group A (4-bolt main) blocks (I don't think anyone could confuse them with an EFI six).

 

The other prefix reused in Commodore was "VP", used on the VL Group A (4-bolt main) 304ci blocks and again on the (L98 option) VT HSV (sequential injection roller cam/lifter) 355ci stroker blocks. (Or were they were both cast from the same mould?)

 

The latter not to be confused with the LS2-based "L98" 6.0L engine from the much later VE Commodore.