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Are all 472 engine case the same, 68 and forward?


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These guys will have an accurate answer - they deal in the Cadillac big block engines.

http://forums.500cid.com/

I would say you'd need to also transfer the crank and pistons.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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The block casting number was different for the 472 in 68 vs 71

  • 1968-'69 472: 1486238
  • 1970-'76 472 & 500: 1485200 (1486200 was used on some 1974-'76 500 engines)
Block

Blocks should get the standard deburring. A drain hole can be drilled into the rear of the lifter valley for better oil drain back and a spillway can be added to the oval hole at the front of the block to better lubricate the timing chain and the camshaft thrust face. Incidentally, later blocks have 1/2 inch oil galleries for increased flow through the block, so it makes a good performance base.

A 472 can be made into a 500 by swapping in the 500 crank and pistons, although on 1968-'69 engines, a slight amount of notching is necessary at the bottom of the cylinder bores.

If the front cover has rust pitting from the water pump, it can be saved by sandblasting and filling the pits with JB Weld and then painting.

Reference: CrankShaftCoalition: http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Cadillac_engine_knowledge

Bruce

2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing

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I don't know those guys, but it may require the admin to approve your registration, which will take care of itself once he reviews the info you filled in. The admin email not working is not reassuring, but give it a few days.

Meanwhile if you google info while adding site:500cid.com it will let you search just that site & info -- since you have years of info to read there. Example: I put in 472 case site:500cid.com to google to start to read about 472 cases

Bruce

2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing

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By “case” do you mean the engine block? If so, then the answer is yes. The different casting numbers correspond to upgrades (and in some cases, additional clearances for the 500 crank/rods). The differences you need to be concerned with are the compression ratios and some piston/crank combinations. Example, you can’t mix 472 pistons with a 500 crank or you get weird compression. Also I think it is 73 where the pistons and crank are specific to that year, and I can’t remember why.

Your compression ratio is either 11.0:1 or 10.5:1 and the 71 is 8.5:1, so if you leave the pistons and crank in the 71 engine, you will suffer a power and gas mileage loss, but the car will run a better on 87 octane gas.

If you wish to transfer your pistons and crank to the 71 block, there will be no problem as long as you don’t try to intermix the parts and also have the block honed to your piston size. If the 71 block has cylinder wear, which is rare, then there will be oil consumption – and maybe smoking if you swap the pistons.

The heads are the same except that the 71 will be a “smog” motor and the 68 will not be; thus the brackets and accessories are designed to accommodate the smog pump.

That is what I can remember off the top of my head. Does this answer your question?

Click here to visit the main directory for my subforum about my 2002 Eldorado build for autocross racing:

http://caddyinfo.ipbhost.com/index.php?showforum=96

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