How to find out the car engine model yourself?

27.01.2016

When purchasing a used car, new car owners do not wonder whether the vehicle’s equipment has been changed. But at the first breakdown, repairs become problematic, because the parts that were purchased for the original engine may not fit your unit. Moreover, without knowing the engine model, you cannot correctly decide on the operating style and purchase of the right consumables. This is where the question of how to find out the car engine model becomes relevant. There are several ways to find the answer to this question.

First way

The very first thing to do is open the hood of your car and take a look at the engine. Most companies leave special markings on its surface. For example, the Mercedes company writes a special code on the unit that begins with the letters OM and three numbers. Volkswagen does exactly the same thing, only the numbers are preceded by another letter part EA. If you found such a designation, now simply enter it in your browser. On the screen you will find complete information about the engine with all its characteristics.

However, unscrupulous sellers erase this marking in order to sell the car at a higher price, claiming a more powerful engine under the hood. If this happens, you will still be able to find out which engine is installed.

What information can you get from the free report?

If you decide to find out the car's equipment by VIN or state license. number, using the “Autocode” service, the following information will become available to you:

• Steering wheel location;
• Type, power, engine size;
• Year of production of the machine;
• Vehicle category.

This information is provided free of charge and is sufficient to make appropriate decisions about the overall condition of the vehicle. An additional paid report will show the color of the car and tell the full history of the vehicle.

The label indicates the serial number of the engine and its modification; in case of deformation or absence of the label, to determine the modification you need to know the serial number and model of the engine:

On 4-stroke Subaru Robin engines, the label contains a 15-digit production number indicating the modification (equipment) of the engine and the serial number:

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Is it possible to determine the car engine model without wasting time? The first way is to look under the hood of your iron horse. Some automakers mark their power units on the assembly line, indicating the engine brand and its series. For example, the designation “OM” means that your car’s engine is manufactured by Mercedes. By looking at the manufacturer and engine series number on the Internet, you can quickly find all the necessary information about the engine and its characteristics.

It is not always possible to recognize the type of engine by its markings. Most often you can find a special unit number on the engine. It can be found on the engine (location will vary for different models). You can decipher the meaning of the code using Internet sources or special reference books. This code on the power unit housing consists of the following elements:

• The first character is a letter indicating the year of manufacture.
• The next four digits indicate the modification of the motor.
• The last designation is the climate version.

Second way

Most often, it is on the left side of the unit (possibly another location) that you can find the traditional engine number. It is very easy to find out the model by the engine number.

The first embossed character indicates the year of production. Please note that on power units that were produced after 2000, the year is indicated by a letter index. The next four symbols indicate the modification of the motor, and the last one indicates climate adaptation. Again, if necessary, enter this code into the search bar and you will find all the information about your unit.

Under this code you will see another one, it is of no value to you. If you are still interested, you can find the explanation of these symbols in the manufacturer's manual.

Why know the engine model

Many people, when buying a car, do not think about what it actually is. We are talking about the filling or technical parameters. Of course, only specialists have a thorough understanding of cars, but it is advisable to know some basic facts, such as body and engine numbers. Knowledge of the latter may be required in the following cases:

1. If you need to look for an engine part, you need to know the brand of equipment.
2. Many devices have analogues; if you have an idea of ​​the model, it’s easier to choose something that suits other configurations
3. The better the car owner understands the configuration of his car, the less chance the service station employees have to deceive him when repairing and replacing spare parts and parts, and this will ultimately save money.

Knowing the engine modification is really important. The motorist must have a clear idea of ​​how to do this quickly and without outside help.

By finding out the engine model, you can save money on repairs, quickly select suitable spare parts and protect yourself from unplanned expenses based on the tricks of auto mechanics.

Read a useful article on the topic:

How to check the real mileage of a car by VIN code

Third way

You can also determine the engine model by the VIN code. This code is the serial number of the vehicle and carries information about all components. This code must be affixed by each manufacturing company. Only in professional service stations can technicians decipher it on the fly. Therefore, use a search on the information network or a specialized reference book.

Where to look for the VIN number?

Since there are no strict requirements for placing the VIN code on a car, it can be located in different places in different brands and models of cars (the manufacturer usually indicates these places in the documents for the car). Most often, the code is indicated under the hood near the windshield, and can also be located:

• at the junction of the dashboard and windshield on the driver's side;
• on the bottom of the pillar, behind the driver's seat (the marking is visible when the door is open);
• on the chassis;
• on the side members.

Additional methods

It is worth noting that it is not always possible to determine the engine model by the VIN code. After all, even in the information base at the plant there could be an error hidden, and the number is entered by a person, and here the human factor plays a role.

MREO

If during the process of purchasing a car you have suspicions about the engine, they can be checked by diagnostics at the MREO. The car will undergo a full technical inspection at a special institute. If you have a few days to spare, then it is better to use this method.

Take into account the fact that the MREO also has limited possibilities. There are situations when it is not possible to install the engine model.

Specialized service station

Even if the MREO could not help you, then all you have to do is go to a specialized service center. An employee of such a center, using methodological literature and his skills, will find out the model of your power unit. The cost of such a service ranges from 500 rubles to 2500.

What is VIN

VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is the “Vehicle Identification Number”. It contains seventeen characters - numbers and Latin letters, except I, O, Q due to their similarity with 1 and 0.

VIN consists of 3 parts:

1. WMI (World ManufacturersIdentification) – identification of world manufacturers, it is assigned the initial three characters.
2. VDS (VehicleDescriptionSection) – section of the vehicle description, occupies the fourth to ninth positions.
3. VIS (Vehicle IdentificationSection) – vehicle recognition section, located in the last eight places.

The identifier (of wines) is designed to determine the origin of the vehicle on a worldwide basis and classify it.

It will be easy to figure out what data is contained in the first three characters (WMI). There are many reference books on the Internet that identify the country and plant using these signs. We can only add that if the third character in this group is “9,” it means that the enterprise is small, producing no more than 500 cars per year. For example, WMI of small factories of the former USSR are as follows: RF - X89, Belarus - Y39, Ukraine - Y69, Y89, Y99.

But with VDS there are disagreements between countries. Many manufacturers try to fit too much information into these six characters: body type, model, engine, steering wheel side, transmission, etc. In the USA they even manage to code the weight and available safety features of a vehicle.

In the 9th position of the code (6th according to VDS) there is sometimes a verification number - this is a number or the letter “X”.
It is mandatory in the North American and Chinese markets, in BMW, Volvo, Saab, Lexus, Toyota, MercedesBenz cars. In European countries, this position is considered optional. If the VDS contains less than six characters, then zeros are placed in the empty spaces.

The third set of characters (VIS) carries information about the model year, assembly plant, and factory serial number.

If the engine number does not match the number in the PTS

When it is discovered that the engine number does not match with the title, the car owner’s procedure is determined by the correspondence of some parameters between the old and new engines:

• Are the engine types the same?
• their models;
• technical specifications;
• Is the installed engine wanted by the traffic police?

To register a car, a citizen will need to collect the following package of documentation:

• civil passport (original with copy);
• PTS (original with copy);
• STS;
• auto insurance policy;
• motor purchase certificate;
• check for payment of state tax in the amount of 1300 rubles;
• report from the car service center where the engine was replaced;
• a copy of the certificate from the car service for the work;
• For exported motors, a cargo customs declaration will be required.

The collected documentation, along with the application, is transferred to the traffic police department at the place of registration. The employee will inspect the car, put a note on the application, after which the package of papers will be handed over to the car owner. You can now send documents to the receiving window. The driver will be notified of their readiness.

If the engine is replaced with a similar one

In most cases, when replacing an engine with a similar one, traffic police officers do not ask unnecessary questions to the motorist. The registration procedure takes place as usual, the necessary adjustments are made to the database and PTS. No one should be interested in the origin of the motor. This replacement complies with legal requirements.

There are situations when MREO employees refuse to register a vehicle for motorists, but this is not legal. As a rule, after filming the procedure and requiring a written justification for the refusal, the problem is resolved.

The motor was replaced with another model

If replacing the engine led to a transformation of the technical parameters of the car, then they will need to be registered. A change in technical characteristics will be a consequence of installing a motor of greater or lesser power, a different model, or type.

In this case, the car enthusiast will need the following procedure:

1. Send the car for preliminary technical examination. A similar service is offered by licensed organizations.
2. At the traffic police department, the car owner should obtain permits to make changes.
3. Next you need to undergo a technical inspection procedure.
4. Send the car for a secondary examination.
5. At the final stage, the motorist will be issued a certificate certifying that the adjustments have been made.

Without registering changes in the technical structure of the car, the motorist will not be able to register it. The procedure will be denied.

But in this case, the car enthusiast has a chance. If he can prove that the installed engine was purchased as a spare part for a car, then the traffic police may meet him halfway.

The motorist must attach a certificate to the documentation package certifying that the engine has been tested on a car of the same brand. Tests must be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the technical regulations on vehicle safety. The certificate can be obtained from the dealer from whom the engine was purchased. Upon request from the buyer, the necessary documentation must be provided.

Checking engine number

In modern cars it can be quite difficult to get to the engine license plate. To see it, you will need to remove some parts. Therefore, during the registration procedure, the specialist may not focus on reconciling the numbering. But motorists should not rely on luck alone, since everyone can check their data. You should not hope for leniency if the engine number is located in an area accessible to control.

In some regions of the country, the traffic police does not focus attention on the discrepancy between the numbers in the registration certificate and on the engine, provided that the replacement was made with a similar engine. No adjustments are made to the passport, no documentation is required to certify the validity of the replacement, and the vehicle will be registered. But in another region of the Russian Federation, the registration process may be refused due to a mismatch between the PTS and engine numbers. To justify the refusal, government employees refer to Appendix No. 1 of Order No. 605.

Expert opinion

Mironova Anna Sergeevna

Lawyer and lawyer for automobile law. Specializes in administrative and civil law, insurance.

It is not uncommon for a car to have a replacement engine installed, but the registration certificate indicates a different engine number. In this case, to make adjustments to the PTS, you will need to collect documentation for the installed engine and write an application to the traffic police. For some drivers, information about the engine numbering is not included in the registration certificate. The corresponding line is also missing in the application for vehicle registration. The applicant should indicate only the engine power.