is there any way to tell the difference between engine blocks for the ej20 ie phase 1 or 2?Been told i cant fit an early sti block in my version 5 as it would cause major problems with compression or something
,ive seen someone selling a brand new rebuilt short motor and says its a later phase 2 V5 block

 

the blocks are all interchangeable, its things like manifolds and heads etc that start causing problems if you swap from 1 phase to another.

On the early phase one blocks and sti it may have cross hatchings around the oil filter underneath which may indicate that its a closed deck block

 

david at api said it wouldnt fit without major work as the compression ratio and piston crown height(or somethin like that) are different between the early and later so would cause too many problems with my version 5 heads,it was a version 4 sti block he had and was being sold by a customer of his,he didnt have to say that,could have just said it will go and let me waste my money.Its def not a closed deck as its bare so everything can be seen.