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Help Decoding Build Plate

LawnPotato

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Im mainly trying to find out if its a roller lifter one so i can get a cam package but ill just have to open it up and check anyway.
 

bevzan

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series II had t5 gearbox
sIII had getrag 5spd, the other difference being the injection type
on the later series III they ran the roller cam motor with sequential injection.
early series III ute had getrag with batch injection (i have this type)

your vin breakdown as follows
6H8 VSK80UWL361375
6h8= General Motors Holden (World Manufacturers Identification)

VS = model VS

Luxury Code:
K: Executive

Body Style Code: 80 : Ute

U engine coode 5.0l inj. (M is Vt sequential roller motor)

W is model year code 1998

L is for Adelaide Plant
last 6 digits are build number
 

vs-lover

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exec24

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Im mainly trying to find out if its a roller lifter one so i can get a cam package but ill just have to open it up and check anyway.

your VS ute is a early series 3, the early series 3's built up to December 1998 has this same setup as VS series 2 and were not all roller cam

VS series 2 came into effect 03/06/1996
VS series 3 came into effect 04/05/1998 (non roller engine) these are mechanically the same as VS series 2 until end of November 1998
VS series 3 had the XT9 emission upgrade which came in to effect December 1998(these are the roller cam engines) same as VT


and the engine number on your that VIN has the VU prefix(if it still has that engine), if it was a roller it would have VM as Bevzan mentioned above

another way to tell is the engine wiring and computer are different to VS series 2, the XT9 option has a airflow meter and the computer has a 3 plug computer same as VT does which plugs in from the side of the computer

the VS series 2/early series 3 computer only has 2 plugs and they plug in from the bottom, the engine wiring had No airflow meter, but they run a MAP sensor on the firewall on a removable bracket

My VS is a series 2 executive and i converted it to a 5.0 i used a VS series 3 setup from 03/05/1999 SS ute with the XT9 setup with the Airflow meter setup

i later had another engine roller engine rebuilt for it and had the Airflow meter deleted and went MAP sensor and kept the factory sequential injection, as the car now runs a Dual plain manifold
 
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EYY

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your VS ute is a early series 3, the early series 3's built up to December 1998 has this same setup as VS series 2 and were not all roller cam

VS series 2 came into effect 03/06/1996
VS series 3 came into effect 04/05/1998 (non roller engine) these are mechanically the same as VS series 2 until end of November 1998
VS series 3 had the XT9 emission upgrade which came in to effect December 1998(these are the roller cam engines) same as VT


and the engine number on your that VIN has the VU prefix(if it still has that engine), if it was a roller it would have VM as Bevzan mentioned above
They were a roller cam block as of very late s2, just without the roller cam setup fitted. Heads are the older, larger combustion chamber version.

I've pulled a couple apart like this. VS S3 Jun 98 with late 97 cast date - VU prefix. I would expect OP's vehicle to have the roller cam block if it's original.
 

EYY

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Series II came in September 1996
Series III Statesman and Caprice came in at June 1998 and went until end of May 1998 and was then replaced by the VT platformed WH,

The Statesman range didn't exactly follow the Commodore timeline.

So someone has played with yours and simply put a Series III badge on in place of the S2 badge. Obviously someone at some stage has attempted to extort more money during a sale of the said vehicle.
S3 started a little earlier than that I believe, but definitely finished later in 1999. I know because I had one or two.
 

exec24

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well im going by the GM online parts catalogue i use, which decodes VINs too. ive attached a screenshot of a VIN decode of that 1999 SS ute, with the brakepoint dates, as they updated stuff

VS Statesman are pretty rare with the XT9 option as the WH was released not long after, but utes are a bit more common as VS Utes production didnt stop until the VU came out, same time as the VX. so probaly has another year on the VS Statesman's
 

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exec24

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They were a roller cam block as of very late s2, just without the roller cam setup fitted. Heads are the older, larger combustion chamber version.

I've pulled a couple apart like this. VS S3 Jun 98 with late 97 cast date - VU prefix. I would expect OP's vehicle to have the roller cam block if it's original.

the engine currently in my VS is a 1998, and previous one was 1997 both were VM prefix with the roller setup fitted, so i quite cant compare... but im guessing possibly holdens started casting them up all the same to save money ...purely a guess though

did your motors have and any threads or anything for the spider cradle to bolt into, wouldn't the lifter bores be different... bit curious now
 

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It's probably one of the models with the most conflicting info out there as it was the only model with a Series III being built that ended up utilising equipment from another model (VT) being incorporated within.
As far as Series II is concerned there is quite a bit of equipment that drip fed into the vehicles as old stock was exhausted such as the change over of the Transmission cooler lines that went from rubber hose slip on to cooler and then changed over to the screw on fittings. Traditionally it's been thought that the change over was at Series II but it was changed over much later during Series II production (around November 1996) if I'm correct.
The Genuine Service Manuals aren't very precise either except that they use PSN figures (Production Serial Number) to pinpoint the exact change of various components, but no date of when that actually happened.
 

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the engine currently in my VS is a 1998, and previous one was 1997 both were VM prefix with the roller setup fitted, so i quite cant compare... but im guessing possibly holdens started casting them up all the same to save money ...purely a guess though

did your motors have and any threads or anything for the spider cradle to bolt into, wouldn't the lifter bores be different... bit curious now
Yes - they had the boss and thread tapped in the deck to retain the spider plate, but no spider plate or roller lifter setup. Block itself was the only part that was from the roller cam setup. Can run standard ft lifters in the roller cam block. The 99 model statesmans definitely exist - kicking myself i sold mine now but sold it to a mate so i still get to see it lol. Plus mines got s3 running gear anyway lol.

I honestly don't think there's an accurate cut off date for the use of the older style engine - it's luck of the draw for 97-98 vu prefix blocks (and can be a cheap way to get your hands on a roller cam block because most sellers look for spider plate/vm or vn prefix)
 
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