Does anyone know (if you can or) how to determine which engine block is on the car without removing the heads? I had a replacement engine in my WRX a couple of years ago and was told that it was an early STI block. It is marked up with EJ20.

Cheers

 

closed deck block will have cross hatching on the oil filter casting and
the oil gallerys on the top of the block.
Without an endoscope to look down the bores to see the crown of the piston
and the valve codes,there is no other way to be 100% sure without stripping the engine.

mick

 

as merlin24 says,look under your alternator,and if it's closed deck you'll have cross hatching on the drivers side of the block.