'91 C-2 - Would it have the head gasket issue?

[SeaDweller]

I'm looking at a '91 C-2, and unfortunately, the folks selling it can't seem to find the engine number. As such, I'm having a hard time verifying if it has the engine with the head gasket issues.

The car has a manufacture date of 10/15/90. Is the engine number the ONLY way to determine if this engine has the updates?

On a separate note, where is the engine number on a '91 C-2? Is it easily read without pulling covers or parts?

Thanks!

[APKhaos]

Would it be that gorgeous RS America from UP North, by any chance??
I seriously lusted when that ad was posted, and figured you had almost perfect timing on the opportunity! Good luck with it if so.

Won't teh VIN number give you an idea of what point in the producion year the car was produced? If so, that could eliminate the possibility that it was produced before the 'fix' was applied at the factory.

PCNA [or others on the board] should know the VIN range that was subject to factory rebuild under warranty.

[caliber60]

Engine # would not help, you need PPI.

[Don Plumley]

According to the Zimmerman book, cars manufactured after July 1991 had the factory fix. So this car is in the age range of the potentially leaky cylinder head issue. The 964 issues have been well addressed here. In summary, the three big problems (cylinder head, dual mass flywheeland distributor vent) should be addressed by receipts and a PPI. FWIW, not all early 964's have the leak. From what I've read, no leak, no updated needed.

G'luck!

[SeaDweller]

Thanks everyone.......

With your help, I think I finally have it sorted out. For the sake of my sanity, I'll avoid the '89-'91 964's altogether. I know this is taking it to the extreme, but I'm not in the mood for another engine rebuild, and there are far too many cars available to take the risk.