engine-number
Holden Torana Engine Number
Use this guide to locate the engine number on your Holden Torana and line up the right engine-related parts enquiry.
The Torana is Holden's compact car of the late 1960s and 1970s, spanning the small-bodied LC/LJ, the four-cylinder TA, the larger LH/LX (available with six and V8), and the final UC. The performance versions — GTR XU-1, SL/R 5000 and A9X — are iconic and command strong restoration and enthusiast parts demand.
Where to find your Holden engine number
The stamped engine number is on a machined pad on the block. Its location depends on the engine family:
- Inline six-cylinder: on a pad on the right-hand side of the block, above the engine-mount boss.
- V8 (253 / 308, 4.2 / 5.0 litre): on a pad on the left-hand side of the block, above the engine mounting.
- V6 (Buick-derived, Ecotec, Alloytec): on the front left-hand face of the block, below the ignition coil.
- Later V6 and LS V8 models: the build / engine plate sits on the radiator support panel (VT-VZ era) or the passenger-side strut tower (VE / VF era).
You may need to wipe the pad clean to read the stamped number, and on air-conditioned cars the compressor can sit in front of it. Older Holden engines use a capacity-plus-tune prefix (for example 186S or a Q-series V8 code), while modern engines (Ecotec, Alloytec and the LS V8 family) use a GM engine code plus a separate stamped serial.
For the most accurate part match, send us both the engine code or prefix and the full stamped number, along with whether the car is automatic or manual.
On this model
Torana used Holden red-motor sixes and the 253/308 V8s, which carry capacity-plus-tune prefixes (for example 186S, 202X, and the Q-series V8 prefixes) stamped on the block. These prefixes help confirm engine type and originality — send the full stamped number with your enquiry.
This page also draws on later year-by-year data for Holden Torana to cover modern variants.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the engine number on a Holden Torana?
It is stamped on a machined pad on the engine block. Inline sixes are on the right side above the engine mount, the 253/308 V8s on the left side above the mount, and the V6 engines on the front left face below the ignition coil. You may need to wipe the pad clean to read it.
What is the difference between an engine prefix and an engine code?
Older Holden engines use a capacity-plus-tune prefix stamped on the block, while modern engines (Ecotec, Alloytec and the LS V8 family) use a GM engine code plus a separate stamped serial.
Do you match engine numbers to parts?
Yes. Send us the engine code or prefix and the full stamped number, plus whether the car is automatic or manual, and we will match the right engine-related part.
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