MGB & GT Forum

I have had other MGBs before, and every one has had an engine code I could decode. Not this new one I got earlier this week.

The code on the engine is 18V890AEL003628. 18V is standard. AEL is as well, and the engine number is just that. But the 890 does not show up in any of the usual (and unusual) places I know.

Does anyone have any ideas on its meaning/origin?

Thanks in advance.


John

Found this in an older post:

Clausager shows the 18V 890 as June 76-Dec 79 California, catalyst, without overdrive. This info is on page 64 of the Original MGBbook

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I was addicted to the hokey pokey but I turned myself around.

prop-a-gan-da: When a British person takes a close look at something

Thank you very much!

That explains a couple of other items I see on it I have not seen on other MGBs.

I figured the answer was out there somewhere.

Thanks again.

Interesting! You, oldguyinlakeland John F, are the only other person beside myself that has such an Engine #.

My 2nd MGB GT, a 1971 bought in 2018, came with a replacement engine # 18V 890 AEL 003986. I figured it to be a very late '79 / 80 engine, but I guess it could be earlier. It also came mounted with a single Weber 32/36 downdraft though the two original SU's ( from the orig engine I suspect) also came with the car.

My mechanic who put in an o'drive for me said he found gold paint in areas of the engine and thought it might be a Gold Seal engine but Gold Seals have their own # I undertand.. so..?

This car doesn't have the same get up and go as my old '69 with two SUs and a high compression engine.

It is in better shape, teal blue and a lot more beautiful though.

Have fun,
Victor

There appear to be a few mysteries regarding engine numbers which haven't been satisfactorily explained as yet!

With respect to the attached photo of my 1972 MGB GT engine, it doesn't follow the expected alphanumeric format. All I know is that it's not the original engine but that's the sum total of my knowledge. It doesn't actually bother me too much but admit it would be nice to solve the mystery.

Cheers,

Geoff

Geoff,
I will take a stab at your engine number, but bear in mind, I could be all wet. Your engine has five digits and it being 33489, gives us a clue. The only engine series, according to Clausager's book, "Original MGB," is 18V 847 with numbers that high. The serial numbers for this set range from 101 to 40188 for home country and export other than NA. According to Clausager, OD was made standard in '76. This series was manufactured from September 74 to Oct 80 when the factory shut down.

The engine numbers changed in fits and spurts after the 18V 847 for NA as the factory grappled with the changing USA Federal regulations for emission controls.

You could check with the British Heritage Musuem and inquire if they can tell you the year your engine was manufactured. In the link, scroll all the way down to the section titled, "For further information" for their email address.

Optionally, you could look under the oil filter for the casting clock. The 12 o'clock is the date it was cast, the 4 o'clock is the year, and the 8 o'clock is the month. Be aware that when BL took over, they substituted letters for the month where A=1. They did not use the letter 'i' as it could be interpreted as a 1.

Hi Larry,

Thank you so much for your interest. It was the absence of the 3 digits immediately following the 18V which most MGB's seem to have that threw me, otherwise I thought that your logic was the right line to follow. I wasn't aware of the British Motor Museum service so I may follow up through them - many thanks for that too. I have previously used a borescope to look at the casting clock and the attached photo is the best resolution I can get. It's open to debate but the numbers may show the 14th day of the 8th month, 1973 (possibly 1975).
Best regards,

Geoff

You will need a head on shot of that clock to better decipher what it says. I doubt it is a 73 or even a 75 engine, as those engines were built in sequence. Your engine is closer to the end point rather than the beginning. I would say it might be closer to 78.

The story about the beginning number at 101, I've been told has it had to do due with the factory phone number. I've never researched this, but it what I was told.