Strange cast dating of crankcase front cover

[Flemmingth]

After a lo-o-ong battle, I finally got the fan drive pulley torn off with my home made super strong pulling tool in order to replace the front cover seal ring.

VICTORY !

Removing the front cover, I found this on the inside (M8-8)

Cast no. on the outside (351674 R1)

Engine serial no.: 69744
Engine block cast no.: 251341 R2
Engine block cast date: 2-18-S

Does this mean, that my '49 engine has got a '66 front cover, casted 8th of August - or ? ?
In my Cub studies, I may have missed info about date format change.

[inairam]

S is approated for 1949. It was reused in 1971


http://www.tmtractor.com/id/id_004.htm

[Urbish]

I'm not familiar with the "M8-8" alphanumeric structure. I have a front cover on the shelf. I'll look at the date on the inside of it.

[Jim Becker]

At the time your tractor was built, IH did not have a foundry on site in Louisville. They got raw castings from a variety of places. The castings, in general, have a variety of codes, logos, and other markings. Ones from outside suppliers have even more than the internally sourced ones. I wouldn't put much effort or concern into interpreting them. Personally I rarely pay much attention to anything cast into a part other than a part number or an IH-formatted date code.

[Flemmingth]

At the time your tractor was built, IH did not have a foundry on site in Louisville. They got raw castings from a variety of places. The castings, in general, have a variety of codes, logos, and other markings. Ones from outside suppliers have even more than the internally sourced ones. I wouldn't put much effort or concern into interpreting them. Personally I rarely pay much attention to anything cast into a part other than a part number or an IH-formatted date code.

I got a little wiser today - thanks Jim.
You are quite right. It does really mean nothing, when a part is made or by who, as long it works.
But I can be a kind of stickler with details. I like to know - just because I like to.

[Matt Kirsch]

Yeah, I was thinking that there wasn't a date code on the front cover. Not all of the castings have date codes.

[Slim140]

Yeah, I was thinking that there wasn't a date code on the front cover. Not all of the castings have date codes.

Aren't they on the inside of the front covers?

[Flemmingth]

Yeah, I was thinking that there wasn't a date code on the front cover. Not all of the castings have date codes.

Aren't they on the inside of the front covers?

Yes - on the inside.

[Matt Kirsch]

But, that's not a date code, at least not an IH one.

[Barnyard]

But, that's not a date code, at least not an IH one.

See Jim Becker's explanation a couple of posts up.