1971 SS-Optioned Malibu
1971 SS Engine Codes
A few things should be mentioned about the 1971 engine lineup. Four different engines were available with the SS option; a 350 cid 245-hp L65, a 350 cid 270hp L48, a 402 cid 300-hp LS3, and the 454 cid 365hp LS5. Three of these engines could also be ordered in any series/body style without the SS option. Only the 365hp 454 cid LS5 required the SS option.
Chevrolet no longer referred to the 402 cid engine as a 396 since there was no longer an SS 396 marketing program.
The engine identification code consists of the engine assembly plant, the engine assembly date, and 3 letter suffix indicating the cubic inch displacement, the horsepower rating, and generally, what type of transmission was to be installed with the engine. Manual transmissions required a bushing in the rear of the bellhousing where an automatic transmission did not. Many engine "accessories" such as the carburetor, distributor, and exhaust manifolds were not installed at the engine assembly plant but rather at the final assembly plant.
While there are the suffix codes associated with the LS6 engine, there is no evidence the LS6 was ever installed in a production 1971 Chevelle and the only LS6 options listed in the Accumulative Production Report of August 31, 1971 are 188 units for the 1971 Corvette.
|
Engine |
Transmission |
Notes |
||
| Code | Size-Carb | HP-RPO | ||
| 350 ↓ | ||||
| CGA * | 350-2 | 245-L65 | Manual-4 | |
| CGB | 350-2 | 245-L65 | Powerglide | |
| CGC * | 350-2 | 245-L65 | TH-350 | |
| CGK | 350-4 | 270-L48 | Manual-3/4 | |
| CGL | 350-4 | 270-L48 | TH-350 | |
| CJD | 350-4 | 270-L48 | TH-350 | |
| CJG * | 350-4 | 270-L48 | Manual | |
| CJJ | 350-4 | 270-L48 | Manual-3/4 | |
| 402 ↓ | ||||
| CLA * | 402-4 | 300-LS3 | Manual | |
| CLB | 402-4 | 300-LS3 | TH-400 | |
| CLL | 402-4 | 300-LS3 | Manual-4 | |
| CLP ** | 402-4 | 300-LS3 | TH-400 | |
| CLR | 402-4 | 300-LS3 | Manual | Police |
| CLS | 402-4 | 300-LS3 | HD 3-speed (MC1) | |
| 454 ↓ | ||||
| CPA | 454-4 | 365-LS5 | Manual-M22 | |
| CPD * | 454-4 | 365-LS5 | TH-400 | |
| CPP(1) | 454-4 | 460-LS6 | Manual-M22 | There is no proof the LS6 was ever offered to the public in a 1971 Chevelle |
| CPR(1) | 454-4 | 460-LS6 | TH-400 | There is no proof the LS6 was ever offered to the public in a 1971 Chevelle |
| CPY(2) * | 454-4 | 425-LS6 | TH-400 | There is no proof the LS6 was ever offered to the public in a 1971 Chevelle or a 1971 Monte Carlo |
| CPZ(2) * | 454-4 | 425-LS6 | Manual-M22 | There is no proof the LS6 was ever offered to the public in a 1971 Chevelle or a 1971 Monte Carlo |
(1) This code is found in the ENGINE SERIES NUMBER AND SUFFIX CHART of the Chevrolet Parts and Accessories Catalog dated August 1971 but does not differentiate between the Chevelle and the Monte Carlo; both are considered 13xxx series Chevelles. The CPP code is also found in Chevrolet by the numbers (1970-1975) by Alan Colvin but is listed at 425hp; the CPR code is not listed in this publication however. It should be noted that the ENGINE SERIES NUMBER AND SUFFIX CHART of the Chevrolet Parts and Accessories Catalog dated August 1971 has numerous engine code errors for 1964 to 1971.
(2) This code is found in Chevrolet by the numbers (1970-1975) by Alan Colvin and listed at 425hp and listed for Chevelle as well as Monte Carlo. It's also noted (under Chevelle) that only 10 of the CPY engines and 4 of the CPZ engines were built (although no such information is provided under Monte Carlo). These engine codes are also found on an old Chevelle decoder program and listed at 425hp. According to the First Generation Monte Carlo Club website, only a 355hp version of the 454 engine is listed for 1971 and it's believed this should be 365hp and not 355hp as no 355hp rated 454 engine can be found in another source. Chevrolet by the numbers (1970-1975) by Alan Colvin shows only the CPD coded 454/365hp for the 1971 Monte Carlo.
1971 402/454 Engine Production
The L34 engine was dropped from the Chevrolet lineup of engines and in its place, the LS3 was used for all non-454 Mark IV engine sales. Figures are for Chevelle ("A" body), Full Size Passenger ("B" body) Camaro ("F" body), Nova ("X" body), and Monte Carlo ("G" body) platforms and are broken down as such.
The LS3 is a 402 cid Mark IV engine listed as a Turbo-Jet 400 and was available on all factory V8 wagons, the standard Chevelle series sport coupe and pickup, all Malibu series body styles including the Custom El Camino. The LS3 was identified with '400' emblems on the front fenders the same as the '350' and '307' emblems. When an LS3 equipped SS-optioned Chevelle was sold, only the SS emblem was used on the front fender behind the tires and no engine size was designated. This is also true of the two 350 engined SS Chevelles and only the 454 engine received any engine size designations..
LS3 figures: The LS3 is one of 4 available engines with the RPO Z15 SS Equipment option. Chevelle and Monte Carlo figures for this engine are broken out in the table below. Therefore the LS3 figures for Chevelles and Monte Carlos include all sales of the LS3, not just in combination with the SS Equipment option.
LS5 figures: The LS5 engine required the SS Equipment option, the two 350 cid and 402 cid engines could be ordered without the SS Equipment option. A total of 19,293 Z15 optioned Chevelles were sold.
| RPO | HP | Transmission | Suffix | Production | Notes |
| LS3/MC1 | 300 | Heavy Duty 3-speed manual | CLS | 550 | "A" body |
| 550 | Total LS3/MC1 Engines | ||||
| 548 | Total LS3/MC1 Chevelles | ||||
| 99.6% of total LS3/MC1 engine/transmission production went into cars. The MC1 H.D. 3-Speed transmission was only available in the Chevelle. | 002 | Service Engines | |||
| LS3 | 300 | Manual | CLA | 02,935 | "A" & "F" body |
| LS3/M40 | 300 | TH-400 | CLB | 80,697 | "A," "B," & "F" body |
| 83,632 | Total LS3 Engines except MC1 | ||||
| Total LS3 Car Production except MC1 Transmission | |||||
| Chevelle ("A") and Monte Carlo ("G") | 17,656 | 00,550 | LS3/MC1 | ||
| Full Size Passenger ("B") | 64,182 | 02,935 | LS3 | ||
| Camaro ("F") | 01,533 | 80,697 | LS3/M40 | ||
| Total LS3 Cars except MC1 | 83,371 | 84,182 | Total LS3 Engines | ||
| 83,371 | Total LS3 Vehicles except MC1 | ||||
| 99% of LS3 engine production went into vehicles. | 00,811 | Service Engines | |||
| LS5 | 365 | Manual (M22) | CPA | 3,148 | Total LS5 Engines/Manual (M22) |
| 3,035 | Total LS5 Vehicles/Manual (M22) | ||||
| 96.4% of LS5 manual engines went into production vehicles. | 0,113 | Service Engines | |||
| LS5/M40 | 365 | TH-400 | CPD | 12,234 | "A" & "B" body |
| 12,234 | Total LS5/M40 Engines | ||||
| Information does not clearly break down LS5 production with M40 TH-400 automatic transmission and combines both Chevelle ("A") and Full Size Passenger ("B") figures plus the M40 was available with both the LS3 and LS5 engines in the Chevelle. | |||||
| LS6 | 425 | Manual | CLA | 04 | "A" |
| LS6/M40 | 425 | TH-400 | CLB | 10 | "A" |
| 14 | Total LS6 Engines | ||||
| 00 | Total LS6 Chevelles | ||||
| 14 | Service Engines | ||||
| These engines were used by GM engineering and public relations. No LS6 Chevelles were released as a regular production option. | |||||
Air Cleaner Assemblies
Gone were any flash chrome pieces for 1971.
Without the RPO ZL2 Special Ducted Hood System option, a single
snorkel air cleaner assembly was used. Note the "Turbo-Jet 400"
decal. Chevrolet was still referring the 402 cid LS3 engine as a
"Turbo-Jet 400."
The Special Ducted Hood Air System air cleaner assembly has a single
snorkel base and a rubber seal on the top to seal against the
provision on the
underside of the hood. On these units the air cleaner lid is a
flat black and not flash chromed.
Camshaft Specifications
