Engine Code by VIN
The 8th character of the VIN encodes the engine — here’s how to read it, and why decoding the whole VIN is the reliable way to know your engine.
Where the engine is in the VIN
A 17-character VIN is split into sections. Characters 4–8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section, and on most vehicles the 8th character encodes the engine. The 10th character is the model year, and the 11th is usually the assembly plant.
The catch: the letter or number that means a specific engine in the 8th position is chosen by each manufacturer and can differ by model and year. There is no universal “8th digit = engine” chart that works across every brand — a code that means a 5.3L V8 on one GM truck can mean something else entirely on a different make. That’s why decoding the whole VIN (above) is the dependable method: it uses the manufacturer’s own record for that exact vehicle.
Engine-family guides
Popular engines people look up by VIN — each guide explains the family and lets you decode your VIN to confirm it.
Engine code by VIN — FAQ
Which digit of the VIN is the engine?
On most vehicles the 8th character of the VIN encodes the engine. However, the specific letter or number that means a given engine is set by each manufacturer and can change by model and year, so there is no single universal chart that maps the 8th digit to an engine across all makes.
How do I find my engine by VIN for free?
Decode the full VIN in the tool above. It reads the engine, displacement, cylinders, fuel type and (when available) horsepower straight from NHTSA’s public data — which is more reliable than trying to interpret the 8th character on its own.
Can the VIN tell me if the engine was swapped?
No. The VIN reflects the engine the vehicle was built with at the factory. If a different engine was installed later, the VIN still decodes to the original — an engine swap is not recorded in the VIN.
Why doesn’t my 8th digit match an online chart?
Most “8th digit engine code” charts are specific to one make (often GM or Ford) and one era. Applied to another brand or year they’ll be wrong. Decoding the whole VIN avoids that because it uses the manufacturer’s own record for that exact vehicle.
See also the VIN year chart (10th character), browse all makes, or decode any VIN.