I have a first gen, but I'm fairly sure the engine isn't original.

For the sake of buying parts and such, is there any way to identify the engine year by casting serial number? I'd like to know exactly which year it is.

 

welcome to the board.

if i recall, there is a serial number stamped somewhere on the front housing (near the water pump, i think). i don't know if that helps. anyway, don't stress the year for parts too much. for the most part, unless you're talking about a rotors, flywheels or counterweights, everything is interchangable.

 

Flywheel and counterweight fitment was exactly why I was trying to identify the year.

 

what exactly are you trying to do?

 

When I am ready for paint, I'm sending my engine off to Atkins to be rebuilt and ported, I wanted to install an aluminum flywheel at the same time

 

well, theoretically, they should be able to tell you exactly what you have when they disassemble it. you just need information on the rotors and front counterweight and that can be obtained when the engine is disassembled and the parts are cleaned.

 

thank you for the information diabolical1.

Do you perhaps know how to decode the serial number to find the engine year of the spare 12A I've got sitting in my garage?

If I took the serial number to a mazda dealership parts department, would they be able to look it up?

 

1. no.
2. i would imagine so (knowing them, a fee would be involved), but i honestly don't know. it costs nothing but time to call and ask one though.

in that vein, though, there is a thread in the Gen I section that talks about disassembling a 12A at home, if i recall, there is some pretty good information in it on front counterweights. if you have no qualms about taking the front cover off your spare engine, then it might help. also, if it comes to it, you can post photos or PM the member Jeff20B. he's quite adept at telling what's what based on a photo.