VIN number on engine?

Well, this is not true.

I am not aware of a reference to map Toyota VIN to engine numbers.

I do not know whether you would particularly care whether the engine has been replaced or not. What would seem to be important is whether the engine performs adequately or not.

 

There is no way to cross reference engine serial number to VIN. Only Toyota corporate would have that info and they do not share it with anybody. (I've tried to obtain it).

BTW, Gen2 engines rarely leak oil, they usually BURN oil as they get older. If the care burns excessive oil it will also ruin the catalytic converter prematurely.

Every car leaves the factory with a tamper proof VIN tag rivetted to the engine. (and one on the transmission as well) If you look at the VIN tag on the engine you can determine if it has been swapped or not. If you buy a used engine from a recycler you can ask them for the VIN and run a carfax on it.

If you buy a used engine WITHOUT a VIN tag, be very suspicious.

 

@3prongpaul I learn something every day. Where to find the engine serial (the thing that isn't related to the VIN), I learned from the diagram in the Repair Manual introduction, showing right where it is.

But I'm sure I never read anything about that handy VIN tag, nor spotted it myself. Where's it located? Is it possible to see with the engine in the car?

And where is it on a 2ZR (if different from the 1NZ)?

Is there one on the tranny?

-Chap

 

I would respectfully disagree. At least for my fourth-generation Prius car, the original engine serial number is shown on the Vehicle Inquiry page, available to anyone who subscribes to Toyota TIS (techinfo.toyota.com).

 

Elektroingenieur is correct, thanks for teaching me something new! Any dealer or shop with TIS can look up the engine serial number from the VIN, but as far as I know there is no way to type in an engine serial number and get the VIN details....that is why the VIN plate on the engine or trans is most useful since you compare to the VIN of the car and/or run a Carfax based on the engine VIN plate to get useful history of the engine powering your car.

Chap, the G3 VIN plate is affixed on the exhaust side of the engine just behind the timing chain cover plate (down from the tensioner). Probably easiest to see from under the car. The G2 engine VIN plate is on the exhaust side near the flywheel end of the engine.

There are similar VIN plates on the transaxles as well.
G3 trans vin plate right on top towards the firewall. G2 trans VIN plate by the drivers side axle seal.

Sadly there is no VIN plate on any Hybrid batteries so the only info is manufacturing date of modules. You don't know a whole lot about used Hybrid batteries i.e. which car they were in how many miles on them etc other than what the seller says.

 

[QUOTE="
Chap, the G3 VIN plate is affixed on the exhaust side of the engine just behind the timing chain cover plate (down from the tensioner). Probably easiest to see from under the car. The G2 engine VIN plate is on the exhaust side near the flywheel end of the engine.

[/QUOT

I havent been able to locate the VIN tag, do you have to remove the engine undercover to see it, or just open the oil change cover?
I dont know what the timing chain cover plate or the tensioner look like, but if I read your instruction correctly it should be towards the back of the engine on the passenger side. Where is it in relation to the oil filter? Further back? Left,right? Up, Down? A zoomed out photo would help.
Just had a used engine installed and I'm not sure it's OK, so I want to do my homework before I complain.
Thanks, Troels

 

Here are photos from a Gen3 engine out of the car pointing to the VIN plate. The pulley is on the passenger side. You should be able to see the vin tag from under the car, you may need a mirror on a stick.

 

Great, thanks a lot!

 

I know this thread is a bit stale, but thought I'd add a couple things in case others come across similar issues and pull it up.

Less than a year ago I needed to replace my 2006 Prius engine as I am an idiot who believed you only need to make sure you change the oil every 5,000 miles (I now check it twice a month, won't make that mistake again!).

I asked the mechanic who replaced the engine for the VIN of the vehicle from which the engine was salvaged. He told me it was removed from the engine , BUT he checked with the supplier who provided the following VIN: JTDKB20U097738919.

Checked the top three alleged vehicle history reports and NONE have information on that VIN other than it came from a 2009 Toyota Prius.

I later learned one can pay to have the history of a vehicle REMOVED from Carfax's database (this doesn't explain missing from other databases, unless they also accept payment for removal). Also, spoke with police department regard VIN removal (illegal) and they told me:
1. The VIN of vehicle from which engine came is not reported as stolen in NCIB database (you can check on your own here);
2. Their chop shop "expert" stated a 2009 engine does not have a VIN plate to remove (conflicts with multiple reliable sources on this site);
3. They won't make an arrest anyway since the mechanic provided an invoice, so it's not possible to prove he intended to tip me off.

[The six-month warranty on the engine from the mechanic, which was largely worthless, expired and I'm continuing to have problems with it; Should've sold the HV battery - in very good condition - and picked up $350 for the CC as scrap metal and bought a different vehicle, I know]

 

i think my gen2 113k mile have tming chain cover leakiing.

 

I almost got scammed at a junk yard. The engine had no VIN tag, but the engine serial number made it clear they were lying. This table provides some info on the stamped engine number (I’m too new to post links so you can find it by following this process):
1. Google: "understanding a Toyota Prius engine number proxy"
2. Click on the link with "proxypart" in its name
3. That shows the tables I’m talking about

 

Better yet do NOT purchase an engine with missing VIN at all. Unless you can see firsthand the vehcile it was removed from, you won't know the actual mileage of the engine (assuming the odometer wasn't tampered with).

Please do yourself a favor and Google "18 U.S.C. 512" and you'll find federal law provides for the seizure and forfeiture of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle part that has a falsified or removed identification number." Of course, there are [very few] legitimate reasons for a VIN to be damaged or missing, but you absolutely need to have documentation proving this is the case." In Georgia, the state law is OCGA 40-2-22, stating it is a felony offense.

Sure, a police officer needs probable cause to go looking for the VIN on your engine, but if the "supplier" of illegal engine arrested for chop shop violation and there's a paper trail leading to your vehicle, that'll count as probable cause and then, well, you're screwed.

Bottom line: You're taking a big risk messing with parts missing VIN.