VW Engine Letter Codes and Serial Number Information

How Do I Identify My Vw Engine
How Do I Identify My Volkswagen Engine
How Do I Tell What Year My Vw Engine Is
Volkswagen Engine Serial Number Lookup

Type 1 Engine Information

Type 1 Vehicle Models: Beetle, Super Beetle, Karmann Ghia, THING

Every Volkswagen car has a unique identifier code called a VIN. This number contains vital information about the car, such as its manufacturer, year of production, the plant it was produced in, type of engine, model and more. Volkswagen Engine Identification. This page contains original Volkswagen Engine Serial number information to help you identify your air-cooled VW's engine. Type 1 Engine Information: Click here to view our selection of VW Engine Parts (Beetle, Super Beetle, Karmann Ghia) How to decipher your VW Beetle engine and chassis numbers.

1- Pre-Jan., 1956 25hp/36hp 1- prefix indicates Type 1 and is not part of the sequential engine number.

2, 3, 4 1955-65 1200cc 30bhp DIN, 36HP SAE (“A” series engine)

5, 6, 7, 8, 9 1961-65 1200cc 34bhp DIN, 40HP SAE (“VW D” added below serial after 9247364)

D0, D1 1966-1985 1200cc 34bhp DIN, 40HP SAE For Mexican made 1200s after 1977.

How Do I Identify My Vw Engine

E0 1966-1970 1300cc 37bhp DIN. Non-USA M240 low compression.

F0, F1, F2 1966-1970 1300cc 40bhp DIN, 50HP SAE (only 1966 in USA, 66-70 elsewhere)

H0, H1 1967-1970 1500cc 44bhp DIN, 53HP SAE (only 1967 in USA, 67-70 elsewhere)

H5 1968-1969 1500cc 44bhp DIN, 53HP SAE M157 USA/Canada.

B6 1970 1600cc Dual relief, single port, 47bhp DIN, 57HP SAE M157 USA/Canada.

L0 1967-1970 1500cc 40bhp DIN. Non-USA M240 low compression.

(NOTE: all the following 1971-up engines are dual relief and dual port)

AB 1971-1973 1300cc 44bhp DIN, Non-USA.

AC 1971-72 1300cc 40bhp DIN, Non-USA M240 low octane.

AE 1971 1600cc 50bhp DIN, 60HP SAE-gross. USA-only

AE 1972-1973 1600cc 48bhp DIN, 48HP SAE-net. USA-only (compression ratio reduced)

AF 1971-1982 1600cc 46bhp DIN, Non-USA M240 low octane.

AH 1973-1974 1600cc 48bhp DIN, 46HP SAE-net. USA-only

AK 1973 1600cc 48bhp DIN, 46HP SAE-net. USA-only

AJ 1975-1979 1600cc 50bhp DIN, 48HP SAE-net. Fuel Injected.

AR 1974-1975 1300cc 44bhp DIN. Non-USA.

AS 1974-1979 1600cc 50bhp DIN. Non-USA.

ACD 1992-2004 1600cc 46bhp DIN. Mexico. Fuel Injected.

Type 2 Engine Information

Type 2 Vehicle Models: Early Bus, Early Transporter, Single Cab, Double Cab (Doka))

Code Year Engine/Notes

20- Pre-Jan., 1956 25hp/36hp (20- prefix indicates Type 2 and is not part of the sequential engine number)

2, 3, 4 1955-1960 1200cc, 36hp (includes “Bastard 40hp”)

5, 6, 7, 8, 9 1961-1965 1200cc, 40hp

O 1963-1965 1500cc – no cam bearings

H0 1966-1967 1500cc

L0 1967 1500cc M240 low compression

B0 1968-1970 1600cc non-USA

B5 1968-1969 1600cc single relief USA only

B5 1970 1600cc dual relief USA only

C0 1968-1970 1600cc 44bhp. Non-USA. M240 low octane.

AD 1971-1973 1600cc 50bhp DIN. Non-USA.

AE 1971 1600cc 50bhp DIN, 60HP SAE-gross. USA-only

AS 1974-1979 1600cc 50bhp DIN. Non-USA

CB 1972/1973 1700cc – dual carb., manual transmission

CD 1973 1700cc – dual carb., automatic transmission

AW 1973/1974 1800cc – dual carb.

AW 1975 1800cc – fuel-injected

How Do I Identify My Volkswagen Engine

AP 1974/1975 1800cc – European only

ED 1975 1800cc

GD 1976/1977 2000cc

CJ 1976-1979 2000cc – European only

GE 1978/1979 2000cc

CU 1980-1983 1/2 2000cc – Vanagon style

CV 1980-1983 2000cc – Vanagon style

Type 3 Engine Information

How Do I Tell What Year My Vw Engine Is

Type 3 Vehicle Models: Squareback, Fastback, Notchback

Code Year Engine/Notes

O 1961-1965 1500cc

K0 1966-1972 1500cc – 54hp

M0 1966-1972 1500cc – M240 low compression 52hp

P0 1966/1967 1600cc – M240 low compression 50hp

T0 1966-1973 1600cc

U0 1968-1973 1600cc – fuel injected for USA

U0 1970 1600cc – dual-relief case

U5 1971-1973 1600cc – 7.7:1 compression – US/Canada M239 California fuel-injection

X 1972 1600cc – 7.3:1 compression – California

Type 4 Engine Information

Type 4 Vehicle Models: Late Bus, 411, 412

Z 1969/1970 1700cc – 7.8:1 compression – 68hp, dual carb., automatic transmission

W 1971 1700cc – 8.2:1 compression – 80hp

EA 1972-1974 1700cc

EB 1973 1700cc – California only, fuel injection

EC 1974 1800cc

AN 1974 1800cc – 8.6:1 compression

AT 1974 1800cc – European only, dual carb.

Engines from VW of Brazil

GAS-Gasoline / Alcohol-ALC

Code Engine

BA 1600-BRASILIA (1976)

BD 1600 BEETLE GAS

BG 1600 GAS AND KOMBI KOMBI EXP

BJ 1300 BEETLE GAS

BK 1300 LAC BEETLE BRASILIA

BM 1300 LAC GOL

BN BRAZIL GAS 1600

BV 1600 GAS VARIANT

BX 1600 LAC KOMBI KOMBI EXP

BY 1300 GOL GAS

BZ 1600 GAS VAN

UF 1600 BEETLE GAS

UG 1600 GAS VAN

UJ 1600 LAC BEETLE

UK 1600 LAC VAN

Motors above 90

UFA 1600 BEETLE GAS

UJA 1600 LAC BEETLE

UGA 1600 GAS VAN CARAT

Replacement cases

These were VW engine cases which were sold by VW but were never put into an actual production vehicle. All of these are dual-relief cases with 100mm oil passages. Information from a 5/73 USA service bulletin issued 5/73: Engines with the re-manufactured symbol, a letter, a number and ending with X, indicates a VW Exchange engine. Before Oct., 1968 the X was not stamped onto the block.

From April of 1972 Shortblocks were sold with the VW remanufacture symbol followed by a letter. No numbers were used, you were to stamp in the old engine number.

Code Engine

F1 1300/1600

F2 1300/1600

DO 40hp if last digit is “X”

D1 40hp part

AD 1600

AK 1967-1974 1500/1600

AM 1600

AS Sometimes seen listed as Super Beetle case for 1973-onward

Exchange engines

These engines are normally marked with a VW recycle symbol and an X at the end.

Information from a 5/73 USA service bulletin issued 5/73: Engines with the re-manufactured symbol, a letter, a number and ending with X, indicates a VW Exchange engine. Before Oct., 1968 the X was not stamped onto the block.

Volkswagen Engine Serial Number Lookup

From April of 1972 Shortblocks were sold with the VW remanufacture symbol followed by a letter. No numbers were used, you were to stamp in the old engine number.