Warranty Engine -What to look for?

[Jamjet]

Question on warranty engine or service replacement 70 Charger R/T.
I'm looking at a 70 Charger R/T today

What specifically should I look for in a warranty motor?
It seems there may be no factual way unless there is paperwork to support it?

How far can the casting date be from the build date?
What about the date stamped on the pad by the distributor? I take it, it was dependent on the term (length) of the warranty?

The block has the correct VIN and I'm told the date is a 71. But I haven't seen it myself yet.
Would a warranty engine even have a VIN?

There could be paperwork as there is a stack that I have yet to go through.

What should I specifically look for to verify a warranty engine? Any help would be appreciated.
I haven't found much doing a search.
Thanks
Joe

[John_Kunkel]

There is some disagreement on this subject, but an "S" stamped on the top pad is thought to signify a warranty engine.

[Jamjet]

Thank you for the reply.
Would a warranty engine have a vin? From what I've researched, a dealer wouldn't have stamped a VIN?

Looked at the car
Oct 70 build date
Door sticker Jan 69
Block Jan 71 (I couldn't find an S or anything on the pad) with matching VIN

Suspect....

[Mopar Nut]

I've seen them with tags on them and without a vin stamped.

[John_Kunkel]

There's a difference between a factory rebuilt engine with under/oversized parts and a new engine or short block pulled from the production line for sale in the dealer parts room. The parts room engine could be either an over-the-counter sale or used to replace an engine under warranty. During the warranty period, I would suspect that only new parts were used. 

Dealers that replaced engines were supposed to stamp the VIN in the replacement engine but few did.

[Jamjet]

Great thank you!
Since consistency is an issue between dealerships and the factory....generally speaking, if an engine does not conform to the 60 and 30 day date guidelines (understanding these are guidelines and not a defined rule) and is billed as a warranty engine by the owner it is somewhat difficult to discern a true warranty engine absent corroborating paperwork ? Unless as noted in the pics above.

A couple of last questions - The Date stamp on the pad (by the distributer). That date signifies? And should be matched against?
And if in fact they did use an "S" that would be on this pad as well?
I understand these dates are an approximation and lend itself along with other things, that the motor is most likely original.

Thanks

[John_Kunkel]

Logic tells you that it's impossible for a block with a '71 casting date to have been factory installed in a '70 car. Such a case with the correct VIN stamped in the block would indicate that the dealer did the stamping.

The date stamped in the top pad is the date that the engine (or short block) was assembled and it follows after the casting date on the side of the block by days, weeks or months, years....lots of variables.

From the info you've posted, there are a lot of conflicting numbers for a supposed '70 Charger R/T.

[Jamjet]

Thanks John.
I looked at the White RT on CL in Phoenix (still listed) It was 57.5 a few days ago, has been raised to 62.5 now.

The gentleman would not allow me to take any pictures.
Oddly the engine pad had no markings.

The car is billed has having been in "Storage for many years"
The owner mentioned that it was a warranty engine, hence my questions pertaining to such.
Many items were very new, brand new muffler, new wiper motor, new hoses, new door and hood latches, etc. Pristine door tag. Plus the smell of new paint. All though the ad said it was repainted, when asked when, he said many years ago.
Obviously not representative of the ad, thus suspicious about the warranty engine claim. It very well may have been one. There was a lot of paperwork and maintenance records that could prove such but when asked if there was evidence he didn't know and was apprehensive of me looking through it. (maybe he found it in the paperwork after all and raised the price?)
Thought I would pass that along if someone were to look at it.
Thanks
Joe

[maxwellwedge]

The top pad will always have some markings -  unless someone milled them off.
Some may have
S - service
TW or WT - water test
Dates- a different format than an original engine

[tan top]

Thanks John.
I looked at the White RT on CL in Phoenix (still listed) It was 57.5 a few days ago, has been raised to 62.5 now.

The gentleman would not allow me to take any pictures.
Oddly the engine pad had no markings.

The car is billed has having been in "Storage for many years"
The owner mentioned that it was a warranty engine, hence my questions pertaining to such.
Many items were very new, brand new muffler, new wiper motor, new hoses, new door and hood latches, etc. Pristine door tag. Plus the smell of new paint. All though the ad said it was repainted, when asked when, he said many years ago.
Obviously not representative of the ad, thus suspicious about the warranty engine claim. It very well may have been one. There was a lot of paperwork and maintenance records that could prove such but when asked if there was evidence he didn't know and was apprehensive of me looking through it. (maybe he found it in the paperwork after all and raised the price?)
Thought I would pass that along if someone were to look at it.
Thanks
Joe

[tan top]

 

[tan top]

 

[Jamjet]

That is it.. Odd I couldn't take pics.

[62dodge]

Many years ago 86/87 in Sac. Calif. i bought a 1970 Charger with a replacement motor and it had no markings on the pad. It was a 383, as for the vin stamped on the block i never looked for it

[b5blue]

A 70 could have a 71 engine if replaced at the end of the 1 year power train warranty in 1971. 

[Jamjet]

Agreed. 100%
For me there were to many other inconsistencies that didn't match to pay the asking price.

[Jamjet]

Two pics I was able to sneak

[Mopar Nut]

 

[Alaskan_TA]

There is some disagreement on this subject, but an "S" stamped on the top pad is thought to signify a warranty engine.

Wrong.

The S is for Special. The 340 used in T/As and AARs as two examples.

[Alaskan_TA]

S - service

See my post above.

[Alaskan_TA]

It seems there may be no factual way unless there is paperwork to support it?

Exactly.

To tie a warranty engine to a specific car, the original supporting documentation is a must.

Replacement engines were also sold at parts departments, and those do not have VINs stamped either, and they are not warranty issues either.

[maxwellwedge]

S - service

See my post above.

I defer to you on the 340's Barry. 
It's just what I typically see on warranty or service blocks on 440's. Along with a different style of dating on the top pad.

[John_Kunkel]

There is some disagreement on this subject, but an "S" stamped on the top pad is thought to signify a warranty engine.

Wrong.

The S is for Special. The 340 used in T/As and AARs as two examples.

Well, using the dictionary definition of "special", the 340's definitely qualify but what about when it's found on a 383? What special circumstances would be found on a 383?

GG's White Book claims it's found on warranty engines but I'd defer to a factory source explaining the S code.

[b5blue]

Perhaps "service". 

[Alaskan_TA]

There is some disagreement on this subject, but an "S" stamped on the top pad is thought to signify a warranty engine.

Wrong.

The S is for Special. The 340 used in T/As and AARs as two examples.

Well, using the dictionary definition of "special", the 340's definitely qualify but what about when it's found on a 383? What special circumstances would be found on a 383?

GG's White Book claims it's found on warranty engines but I'd defer to a factory source explaining the S code.

The 1970 Dodge TSB says S is for Special regardless of CID. See the page at https://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/TSBs/1970/D70-25-1%20page5.jpg