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Holden and HSV Gen IV Engine Number Prefixes

Bigfella237

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I've been compiling this list for quite some time, hopefully it will help identify these engines when offered as replacement or conversion units in the future.

Please note that this list is a work in progress and while all care has been taken, being based mainly on information found across the internet, I make no guarantee as to it's accuracy.

If anyone can confirm, contribute or correct please do!!


This picture (from the VE Commodore Service Manual) shows the location and breakdown of the L76 & L98 engine numbers:

LS_Engine_Number_Location.jpg


This picture (from the VF Commodore Service Manual) shows the location and breakdown of the LS3 & L77 engine numbers:

Engine_Identification_LS3_L77.jpg


This picture (from the VF Commodore Service Manual) shows the location and breakdown of the LSA engine number:

Engine_Identification_LSA.jpg


NOTE: Although it came from the Australian Service Manual, I believe the above image (for the LSA) is incorrect? I haven't found very many examples of Supercharged HSV GTS vehicles but those I have seen do not follow that format, I believe the picture above is the American format which uses the vehicle's VIN?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The only exception to the above nomenclature (for engines fitted to Australian vehicles) are the hand-built LS7 motors from the "GM Performance Build Center".

When reading the Engine Unit Number (EUN) the following information can be obtained:

Engine Unit Number ZAD321231801 is used as an example:

  • The first three characters are the broadcast code (ZAD = MY08 LS7 or SAY = MY09 LS7)
  • The next digit, 3, identifies the GM build plant (3 = PBC Wixom)
  • The fifth digit, 2, identifies the assembly line (2 = line A2 or 3 = line A3)
  • The next three digits, 123, identify the day of the year built
  • The ninth digit, 1, identifies the build line (1 = line A2 or 2 = line A3)
  • The tenth digit, 8, identifies the engine model year as MY08
  • The last two digits, 01, identify the assembly plant sequence number for that day

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These "RPO codes" or "Broadcast codes" or "EUN prefixes" (or whatever you want to call them) supposedly change with every "Model Year" (MY) whether the engine spec changes or not.

Holden (Australia)'s MY traditionally starts on September 1st; and GM (America)'s MY traditionally starts October 1st; but going by the engine numbers, these broadcast codes mostly seem to change around the middle of the year*. I assume this is to compensate for a lead time of up to three months between the start of the engine model year and the start of the vehicle model year?

*NOTE: Typically around June or July but this is by no means a strict rule, every engine MY appears to have a different start date?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOTE: All Gen III LS1 and some very early Gen IV LS2 engines fitted to Holden & HSV vehicles had a "VF" prefix regardless of fitment or transmission.

VZ Series II (January 2006 - July 2006)

6MA = 6.0L (option L76) V8 - VZII Commodore (manual trans)
6MB = 6.0L (option L76) V8 - VZII Commodore (auto trans)
6MC = 6.0L (option LS2) V8 - Z Series HSV (auto trans, NOTE: early LS2 w/ 24x Crank Reluctor & 1x Cam Trigger)

VZ Series III Ute and Wagon (July 2006 - August 2007 for ute) (July 2006 - July 2008 for wagon)

7NB = 6.0L (option L98) V8 - VZIII Commodore Wagon (auto trans)

CAK = 6.0L (option L98) V8 - VZIII Commodore Ute (manual trans)

VE Series I (July 2006 - September 2010)

7NC = 6.0L (option L98) V8 - VE Commodore / WM Caprice (auto trans)
7ND = 6.0L (option L98) V8 - VE Commodore (manual trans)

ZLF = 6.0L (option LS2) V8 - E1 Series HSV (auto & manual trans)

DBF = 6.0L (option L98) V8 - MY09 VE Commodore (auto & manual trans)

ZAD = 7.0L (option LS7) V8 - MY09 E1 Series HSV W427 (manual trans)
ZAF = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - MY09 E1 Series HSV (auto trans)

SAY = 7.0L (option LS7) V8 - MY09.5 E1 Series HSV W427 (manual trans)
SBC = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - MY09.5 E1 Series HSV (auto trans)
SBK = 6.0L (option L98) V8 - MY09.5 VE Commodore (manual trans)
SBP = 6.0L (option L76) V8 - MY09.5 VE Commodore (auto trans)

WBH = 6.0L (option L76) V8 - MY10 VE Commodore (auto trans)
WBK = 6.0L (option L98) V8 - MY10 VE Commodore (manual trans)

AA7 = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - MY10 E2 Series HSV (auto & manual trans)

VE Series II (September 2010 - June 2013)

1AL = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - MY11 E3 Series HSV (manual trans)
1AM = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - MY11 VEII Commodore (manual trans)
AMC = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - MY11 VEII Commodore (auto trans)
AMD = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - MY11 E3 Series HSV (auto trans)

BBC = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - MY11 VEII Commodore / WM Caprice (auto trans)
BBD = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - MY11 VEII Commodore (manual trans)

2AA = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - MY12 E3 Series HSV (auto trans)
2AB = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - MY12 VEII Commodore / WMII Caprice (auto trans)
2AP = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - MY12 E3 Series HSV (manual trans)
2AR = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - MY12 VEII Commodore (manual trans)

BW4 = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - MY12.5 E3 Series HSV (manual trans)
BW5 = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - MY12.5 E3 Series HSV (auto trans)
BW6 = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - MY12.5 VEII Commodore (manual trans)
BW7 = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - MY12.5 VEII Commodore / WMII Caprice (auto trans)

VF Series I (June 2013 - September 2015)

CFP = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - VF Commodore / WN Caprice (auto trans)
CFR = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - VF Commodore (manual trans)
CFS = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - F1 Series HSV (auto trans)
CFT = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - F1 Series HSV (manual trans)
CFU = 6.2L (option LSA) V8 - F1 Series HSV (supercharged, auto trans)
CFW = 6.2L (option LSA) V8 - F1 Series HSV (supercharged, manual trans)

DGA = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - VF Commodore/ WN Caprice (auto trans)
DGB = 6.0L (option L77) V8 - VF Commodore (manual trans)

VF Series II (September 2015 - October 2017)

DGD = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - VFII Commodore (auto trans)
DGF = 6.2L (option LS3) V8 - VFII Commodore (manual trans)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before anyone comments, yes I know there were technically no Series II & III VZ's, it's just easier to delineate them like that.

Again, if anyone can offer more information, please do!
 
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Bigfella237

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I forgot to mention...

Please DO NOT QUOTE THE LIST ABOVE in your reply as it will not be updated like the first post will be and may give somebody out-of-date information.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some additional info on motors hand-built at the GM PBC:

The GM Performance Build Center (PBC) at Wixom, Michigan began production in 2005 with the 7.0L Gen-IV LS7 for the C6 Corvette Z06 and the 4.4L Supercharged Northstar LC3 for the Cadillac STS-V and XLR-V.

Due to market conditions the LC3 was discontinued after the 2009 model year; at the same time, the Supercharged 6.2L LS9 was added to the production lineup for the MY09 C6 Corvette ZR1; and finally a hand-built version of the 6.2L LS3 was added for the MY10 C6 Corvette Grand Sport.

All of these engine models were hand-built from start to finish by an individual builder who's name appears on a plate attached to each engine he or she built. All had dry-sump oiling systems and were only available with the "MZ6" Close Ratio Short Throw 6 Speed Manual Transmission (any automatic vehicles received regular production line built wet-sump LS3 engines (ie. not from the PBC)).

"Complete Assembly" and "Long Block" (without accessories) crate engines were also produced, along with dedicated race engines.

Starting MY11 GM introduced the "Corvette Engine Build Experience" where customers could not only observe but actually participate in the building of their own specific engine as ordered.

There were three "Assembly lines" at Wixom (A2, A3 & A4), any engine could be built on any of the lines, however: A2 was generally used for the LS7 or LS9; A3 was generally used for LS3 or LS7; A4 was generally used for customers that had selected the "Corvette Engine Build Experience" (which slowed the build time considerably) and more recently A4 was used for producing the COPO Camaro and other race engines.

Each line was near identical, consisting of twelve stations that were set up and programmed for performing the specific tasks required for assembly of engines. For example, station 1 involved: examination of the cylinder block; installation of camshaft; mounting block onto rollover stand then torquing block to stand; torquing cam retainer plate; and torquing cylinder block plugs for oil galleries and water jacket.

All torques for all three lines were accomplished using bar code scanners and electronic torque equipment. Some were accomplished using multi spindle machines that torque more than one bolt at a time. All torques had to be correct to move forward and all were permanently stored in the computer.

What was produced did vary from day to day depending on orders received from Bowling Green and orders received from SPO for crate engines, so the lines were set up with the flexibility required to meet the fluctuation in demand.

There were many safeguards in place to prevent errors that could occur when producing different engine types. For example an LS9 build would not allow an LS3 torquing. You must always scan for the correct engine for the equipment to work, and you cannot move forward until all previous torques are successfully completed.

At peak production in MY07 the PBC turned out an average of 30 engines per day, but dropped to as few as 10 units per day on average in MY12.

On January 30th 2013, General Motors announced the relocation of the Performance Build Center to the Bowling Green, Kentucky Corvette Assembly Plant, effective first quarter 2014.

Production Numbers (and "Broadcast Codes"):

C6 Corvette Z06:
MY06 LS7 ("ZKD") 6,272 units
MY07 LS7 ("ZLD") 8,159 units
MY08 LS7 ("ZAD") 7,731 units
MY09 LS7 ("SAY") 3,461 units
MY10 LS7 ("ZBN") 518 units
MY11 LS7 ("ZAS") 904 units
MY12 LS7 ("AUM") 478 units
MY13 LS7 ("BY5") 471 units

C6 Corvette 427 Convertible:
MY13 LS7 ("BY5") 2,552 units
-------------------------
Total LS7 Corvette 30,546 units
-------------------------

C6 Corvette ZR1:
MY09 LS9 ("ZAM") 1,415 units
MY10 LS9 ("ZAN") 1,577 units
MY11 LS9 ("ZAT") 806 units
MY12 LS9 ("AW1") 404 units
MY13 LS9 ("BY1") 482 units
-------------------------
Total LS9 (supercharged) Corvette 4,684 units
-------------------------

C6 Corvette GS:
MY10 LS3 ("AM9") 1,468 units
MY11 LS3 ("AUP") 1,699 units
MY12 LS3 ("AUN") 1,628 units
MY13 LS3 ("BY4") 1,515 units
-------------------------
Total LS3 (dry sump) Corvette 6,310 units
-------------------------

Total Wixom PBC Corvette engines produced: 41,540 units

Note: This total does not include crate engines (either full builds or long blocks) nor COPO Camaro or other race engines.

All engines including completely assembled crate motors (such as fitted to the Australian HSV W427 models) were test run before leaving the PBC, with the exception of long block crate motors, which could not be run as they had no accessories fitted.

Completely assembled crate motors received the same broadcast codes as the Corvette motors, however long block crate motors received their own unique broadcast codes:

All LS7 long block crate motors = "H61"
All LS9 long block crate motors = "J55"

Any customer built engines also received a unique broadcast code:

MY11 customer build = "B84"
MY12 customer build = "B85"
MY13 customer build = "B86"

Once the PBC was moved to Bowling Green at the beginning of 2014, it was retooled for the new C7 Corvette which has the newer Gen-V LT1 & LT4 engines, although I believe they do continue to produce the Gen-IV dry-sump crate motors, however I haven't yet been able to discover the EUN prefixes used.
 
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Bigfella237

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I can confirm VFII V8 Sedans with Manual start with DGF

Just got my invoice for mine, pick it up Friday arvo :)

Thanks Vinnie,

I've added that to the list.
 

Bigfella237

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I'm starting to see why nobody has tackled a list like this before, it's a LOT more complicated than I first thought!

I finally found a decent auction website that actually lists engine numbers, but it shows a whole heap of prefixes I've never seen before.

It now looks like Holden changed prefixes with every model year (MY), not just every model?

I'm still sorting out the details but I have new prefixes of 2AR, BBC, BBD, BW6 & SBK to add to the list, I just have to figure out how to identify the vehicles they came from?
 

dgp

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I recently sold my April 2006 built VZ Clubsport, 6 speed manual and the LS2 had VF as the engine prefix.

I have added the page out of Holden HSV workshop manual below.

image_zpscghlttml.png
 
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Bigfella237

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Thanks dgp,

I was a bit doubtful about that "6MC" entry in the list, but I have seen pictures of it and was told it came from a Holden dealer who said it was a replacement LS2 for a VZ HSV auto, some of those very early LS2 engines were a mish-mash of old Gen III and newer Gen IV parts anyway so it doesn't surprise me that your LS2 had a "VF" prefix?

Thanks for the reply!
 

Bigfella237

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I found another auction website that lists engine numbers and a couple more examples that weren't on the list...

Firstly a MY11 VEII Commodore SSV Redline 6sp manual sedan with a "1AM" prefix. This seems to clash with the other MY11 VEII prefixes of "BBC" & "BBD". Was there such a thing as a MY11.5? With the example numbers I have, the "1AM10233****" predates the "BBD10256****" by 23 days (Aug 21 vs Sep 13), remember that engine dates are usually about two months before the vehicle build date so both of these prefixes should be well into VE Series II.

Secondly an E3 Series HSV Clubsport auto sedan with an "AMD" prefix. That's the earliest Gen IV HSV I've found that didn't start with a "Z".
 
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dgp

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LS2 was a gen IV in the VZ range starting from 2004.
 

Bigfella237

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Yeah I should have worded that differently, how about... It was the first HSV engine number in four years not to start with a "Z" (that I know of anyway)?

We still need a lot more data to get a clear picture, if anyone knows of a website similar to those auction sites above that lists engine numbers please let me know and I'll start logging all the info?
 

Bigfella237

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Now found a third auction website that gives engine numbers, although only three Commodores on there right now one of them adds yet another new prefix to the mess that is the VE Commodore.

A MY10 VE Series I SS auto sedan with a "WBH10051****" prefix (added to the list)

Also found a MY10 WM Caprice with a "BBC11005****" number, which got me thinking... historically Holden have always made Statesman (and later Caprice) engine numbers distinct from other models, adding an "11" or "12" in the early years or an "S" or "C" prefix in VQ onward, do they still do that I wonder?
 
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