engine-number
Holden Cruze Engine Number
Use this guide to locate the engine number on your Holden Cruze and line up the right engine-related parts enquiry.
The Holden Cruze name was used on two entirely unrelated small cars: the 2002-2006 YG Cruze, a rebadged Suzuki Ignis built in Japan as a compact all-wheel-drive wagon/hatch, and the later 2009-2016 JG and JH Cruze, a GM Korea (Daewoo)-derived small sedan and (from 2011) five-door hatch built on GM's Delta platform. The early JG was imported, while the facelifted JH was locally assembled at Holden's Elizabeth plant in South Australia, so the two Cruze eras share nothing beyond the badge.
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
What to quote depends on which Cruze you have. The YG uses a Suzuki-sourced 1.5-litre four (Suzuki's M-series), so its engine coding follows Suzuki practice rather than Holden's. The JG/JH ran GM Family petrol fours – the common 1.8-litre and a smaller turbocharged petrol – plus a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, and these are the versions most people are matching. Because several displacements and both petrol and diesel were offered across the JG/JH run, always confirm the engine family and capacity before ordering, and read the stamped engine number and any casting or code on the block rather than assuming from the model year. Quoting the series, capacity, fuel type and the engine number stamped on the block gives the best chance of an exact match.
This page also draws on later year-by-year data for Holden Cruze to cover modern variants.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the engine number on a Holden Cruze?
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.
Quick enquiry
Submit your Holden parts enquiry and we'll check availability.
We handle genuine, aftermarket, new and second-hand Holden parts enquiries.