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Holden Sandman Engine Number
Use this guide to locate the engine number on your Holden Sandman and line up the right engine-related parts enquiry.
The Holden Sandman was the sporty, youth-oriented trim of Holden's panel van and utility, offered across the HQ, HJ, HX and HZ series from roughly 1974 to 1979, borrowing the GTS-style front end, instrumentation and bold striping and very often ordered with V8 power. It became a genuine Australian cultural icon, and Holden later revived the name on a limited VE/VF Ute show version, though the classic HQ-HZ panel van and ute remains the car most people mean.
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
HQ-HZ Sandmans came with Holden's red-motor six-cylinder engines or, very commonly, the 253 (4.2-litre) and 308 (5.0-litre) V8s of that era. Engine numbers were stamped with an alphabetical prefix followed by a serial number, but because prefix codes changed across the HQ to HZ run and between six and V8 fitments, it is best to read the actual stamping on your engine rather than assume a code. Many of these cars have long since received a replacement or upgraded engine, so the unit fitted may not be the one the car left the factory with. When ordering parts or checking numbers, quote the full engine prefix and stamped number exactly as found, and note the capacity, so the correct components can be matched.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the engine number on a Holden Sandman?
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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