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VW Engine Letter Codes
Also see the VIN Numbers section above for a
month-by-month breakdown of pre-1968 vehicles.
In the tables below "Code" refers to the first 1 or 2 digits of the engine
number.
Corrections or additions welcome.
Please also see the Engine code
letters VW booklet
| Type 1 | ||
| Code | Year | Engine/Notes |
| 1- | Pre-Jan., 1956 | 25hp/36hp 1- prefix indicates Type 1 and is not part of the sequential engine number. |
| 2, 3, 4 | 1955-65 | 1200cc 30bhp DIN, 36HP SAE (“A” series engine) |
| 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | 1961-65 | 1200cc 34bhp DIN, 40HP SAE (“VW D” added below serial after 9247364) |
| D0, D1 | 1966-1985 | 1200cc 34bhp DIN (German) 40HP SAE For Mexican made 1200s after January, 1978. |
| E0 | 1966-1970 | 1300cc 37bhp DIN. Non-USA M240 low compression |
| F0, F1, F2 | 1966-1970 | 1300cc 40bhp DIN, 50HP SAE (only 1966 in USA, 66-70 elsewhere) |
| H0, H1 | 1967-1970 | 1500cc 44bhp DIN, 53HP SAE (only 1967 in USA, 67-70 elsewhere) |
| H5 | 1968-69 | 1500cc 44bhp DIN, 53HP SAE M157 USA/Canada. |
| B6 | 1970 | 1600cc Dual relief, single port, 47bhp DIN, 57HP SAE M157 USA/Canada. |
| L0 | 1967-1970 | 1500cc 40bhp DIN. Non-USA M240 low compression |
| NOTE: all the following 1971-up engines are dual relief and dual port. | ||
| AB | 1971-73 | 1300cc 44bhp DIN, Non-USA. |
| AC | 1971-72 | 1300cc 40bhp DIN, Non-USA M240 low octane |
| AE | 1971 | 1600cc 50bhp DIN, 60HP SAE-gross. USA-only |
| AE | 1972-73 | 1600cc 48bhp DIN, 48HP SAE-net. USA-only (compression ratio reduced) |
| AF | 1971-1982? | 1600cc 46bhp DIN, Non-USA M240 low octane. |
| AH | 1973-74 | 1600cc 48bhp DIN, 46HP SAE-net. USA-only |
| AK | 1973 | 1600cc 48bhp DIN, 46HP SAE-net. USA-only |
| AJ | 1975-79 | 1600cc 50bhp DIN, 48HP SAE-net. Fuel Injected. |
| AR | 1974-75 | 1300cc 44bhp DIN. Non-USA. |
| AS | 1974-79 | 1600cc 50bhp DIN. Non-USA. |
| ACD | 1992-2004 | 1600cc 46bhp DIN. Mexico. Fuel Injected. |
| Type 2 | ||
| Code | Year | Engine/Notes |
| 20- | Pre-Jan., 1956 | 25hp/36hp 20- prefix indicates Type 2 and is not part of the sequential engine number. |
| 2, 3, 4 | 55-60 | 1200cc, 36hp (includes “Bastard 40hp”) |
| 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | 1961-65 | 1200cc, 40hp |
| O | 1963-65 | 1500cc - no cam bearings |
| H0 | 1966-67 | 1500cc |
| L0 | 1967 | 1500cc M240 low compression |
| B0 | 1968-70 | 1600cc non-USA. |
| B5 | 1968-69 | 1600cc single relief USA only |
| B5 | 1970 | 1600cc dual relief USA only |
| C0 | 1968-70 | 1600cc 44bhp. Non-USA. M240 low octane. |
| AD | 1971-73 | 1600cc 50bhp DIN. Non-USA. |
| AB | 1971 | 1300cc 44bhp DIN, Non-USA. M252 |
| AE | 1971 | 1600cc 50bhp DIN, 60HP SAE-gross. USA-only |
| AS | 1974-79 | 1600cc 50bhp DIN. Non-USA |
| CB | 1972/73 | 1700cc - dual carb., manual transmission |
| CD | 1973 | 1700cc - dual carb., automatic transmission |
| AW | 1973/74 | 1800cc - dual carb. |
| AW | 1975 | 1800cc - fuel-injected |
| AP | 1974/75 | 1800cc - European only |
| ED | 1975 | 1800cc |
| GD | 1976/77 | 2000cc |
| CJ | 1976-1979 | 2000cc - European only |
| GE | 1978/79 | 2000cc |
| CU | 1980-1983 | 2000cc - Vanagon style |
| CV | 1980-1983 | 2000cc - Vanagon style |
| Type 3 | ||
| Code | Year | Engine/Notes |
| O | 1961-65 | 1500cc |
| K0 | 1966-1972 | 1500cc - 54hp |
| M0 | 1966-1972 | 1500cc - M240 low compression 52hp |
| P0 | 1966/67 | 1600cc - M240 low compression 50hp |
| T0 | 1966-1973 | 1600cc |
| U0 | 1968-1973 | 1600cc - fuel injected for USA |
| U0 | 1970 | 1600cc - dual-relief case |
| U5 | 1971-1973 | 1600cc - 7.7:1 compression - US/Canada M239 California fuel-injection |
| X | 1972 | 1600cc - 7.3:1 compression - California |
| Type 4 | ||
| Code | Year | Engine/Notes |
| V | 1969 | 1700cc - 68hp |
| Z | 1969/70 | 1700cc - 7.8:1 compression - 68hp, dual carb., automatic transmission |
| W | 1971 | 1700cc - 8.2:1 compression - 80hp |
| EA | 1972-1974 | 1700cc - 8.2:1 compression - 80hp |
| EB | 1973 | 1700cc - California only, fuel injection. 7.3:1 compression - 72hp |
| EC | 1974 | 1800cc - 7.3:1 compression - 76hp |
| AN | 1974 | 1800cc - 8.6:1 compression |
| AT | 1974 | 1800cc - European only, dual carb. |
| Porsche 914 | ||
| Code | Year | Engine/Notes |
| W | 1970/71 | 1700cc - 8.2:1 compression - 80hp |
| EA | 1972-1973 | 1700cc |
| EB | 1973 | 1700cc - 7.3: compression, California only, fuel injection |
| EC | 1974 | 1800cc - California only, 7.6:1 compression |
| AN | 1800cc - 8.6:1 compression | |
| GA | 1973/74 | 2000cc - 7.6:1 comporession |
| GB | 1973-1976 | 2000cc - 8.0:1 compresssion |
| GC | 1975/76 | 2000cc - 7.6:1 compresssion |
| V0 | 1700cc - European-only 1800cc - European-only 2000cc - European-only |
|
| Engines from VW of Brazil Information from this Forums thread |
| GAS-Gasoline / Alcohol-ALC BA - 1600 - BRASILIA (1976) BD - 1600 BEETLE GAS BG - 1600 GAS AND KOMBI KOMBI EXP BJ - 1300 BEETLE GAS BK - 1300 LAC BEETLE BRASILIA BM - 1300 LAC GOL BN - BRAZIL GAS 1600 BV - 1600 GAS VARIANT BX - 1600 LAC KOMBI KOMBI EXP BY - 1300 GOL GAS BZ - 1600 GAS VAN UF - 1600 BEETLE GAS UG - 1600 GAS VAN UJ - 1600 LAC BEETLE UK - 1600 LAC VAN Motors above 90 UFA - 1600 BEETLE GAS UJA - 1600 LAC BEETLE UGA - 1600 GAS VAN CARAT |
| Replacement cases | |
| These cases were VW engine cases that
were sold from VW but never issued in an actual
production vehicle. All are dual-relief cases with
100mm oil passages. |
|
| F1 | 1300/1600 |
| F2 | 1300/1600 |
| DO | 40hp if last digit is "X" |
| D1 | 40hp part |
| AD | 1600 |
| AK | 1967-1974 1500/1600 |
| AM | 1600 |
| AS | Sometimes seen listed as Super Beetle case for 1973-onward |
| Exchange engines |
| These engines are normally marked with a VW recycle
symbol and an X at the end. Example: 
Information from a 5/73 USA service bulletin issued
5/73:
1973 VW Repair Manual excerpt:
Engines with an "E" prefix are factory rebuilt engines. |
