What motor do I have?

I have a 65 body Sprite that I bought used a few months ago, that I am restoring. The VIN on the inside of the engine bay shows 62 vin. I have heard its pretty common on those old cars to have incorrect vins from body replacement and such.
My question is I just want some further clarification on which model engine I actually have in it. It does show 1100 on the block.

If the block has the 1100 tag you have a 1098cc engine. Now you have to figure out if it's the 10CG or 10CC engine. Does the engine have a number plate? Look on the distributor side of the block near the front of the head. There should be a small plate riveted to the block. If the plate is there the number should start with 10CG or 10CC. The 10CG is the first iteration of the 1098 and has 1.75" main bearings. The 10CC has 2" main bearings.

Rick

There is no number plate there. :( Is there another way to tell?

Hmmm.... The 10CC engine has the oil separator can mounted to the front tappet cover like you have in your photo. The 10CG engine doesn't have the oil serarator can. But it should be connected to a port on the SU intake manifold, which you don't have as your engine has been converted to a downdraft Weber carb. Your's is connected to to rocker cover. But a 10CC rocker cover shouldn't have a breather pipe. Confusing. My guess is it's a 10CC 1098.

Rick

The easiest way to tell to start with is look under the intake manifold on the side of the block. If there are two removable side plates bolted to the engine, it is a 1098 or 948. It they are not there, 1275. It looks like it has a side plate breather on it from a 10cc engine, so I would guess it has the plates. My guess is a 10cc from 64-66. Additinally, the exhaust manifold and down pipe look like the larger 10cc type (10CG had smaller manifold and pipe). Also, a side note.... That hose that goes from the valve cover to the side plate breather should not be hooked up that way!!! Pressure will build up in the engine and cause oil to leak from the rear scroll seal, and possibly the dipstick tube and pan gasket. They need to vent the pressure from the engine. On my car, I vent the valve cover to the air cleaner housing and the other to the atmosphere.

948 engines will have "950" cast into the block near the fuel pump opening under the carbs.

Thanks for the tip. I didnt put that hose like that, it was already like that, ill make sure to change that.
So then it looks like a 10CC 1098?

10CC 1098 would be my guess. But the only way to tell for sure is pull the oil pan and measure the main bearings. :X

Rick

Jason,

The timing cover with attached oil separator didn't come along until the 1275 engine.

The 948's and 10CG 1098's didn't have a closed crankcase. There was a hose fitting on the rocker arm cover connected to the air cleaner with a rubber hose. But the crankcase itself was vented to the atmosphere through a pipe mounted on the front tappet cover going down to the bottom of the oil pan. The end of the pipe was cut at an angle so that air moving past it while driving down the road would creat a venturi effect and draw air out of the crankcase. Excess crankcase pressure was simple dumped outside the engine.

Until the smog laws started going into effect in the 60's very few cars had a closed crankcase.

Rick