Identification of Buick V6 Engine

[john s]

Recently, I received some excellent feedback in regard to a Buick V6 engine I
am trying to identify, which is in a 1948 Willy's Jeep. Thanks to your
feedback I looked under the valve cover and found the head casting
number 25506293. I believe the number is that of a 1980 or 1981 Buick 3.8 liter V-6 engine (originally I thought the engine was much olderl).

Apparently, the same head casting number is on 80 and 81 Buick v6 3.8 liter engines - unless I goofed. What I am curious about is the letters "CFD" to the left and below the head casting number. Also, to the right of CFD, was the number 45. And there was a "7" to the far left. The question I have is how can you tell a 1980 from a 1981 - maybe the additional numbers will bbe
meaningful for an expert, and maybe not. Your input will be appreciated. Thank you.

[bob k. mando]

'CFD' looks to me like an engine code stamping. but i don't know enough about the v6's to say for sure.

here's your casting #:
http://www.gnttype.org/general/v6hist.html

it was actually in use from 1980-84 on the 4.1L v6....

[KrisW]

That CFD is on a lot of my Buick and Olds parts. I believe it denotes the foundry that they were cast at.

Is there a reason that you need to know what year it is? What parts are you trying to get for it? As a general rule, the 80 would still have a vacuum advance HEI distributor and the 81 would have the HEI with a 7 wire module and no vacuum advance. Of course, the distributor is easy to change...