All engines and transmissions are stamped or laser etched with a partial Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which was derived from the complete VIN. A VIN derivative contains the following 9 positions:
Position  | Definition  | Character  | Description  | 
|---|---|---|---|
1  | GM Division Identifier  | C H K N T  | Chevrolet Truck Oldsmobile MPV GMC MPV Chevrolet MPV GMC Truck  | 
2  | Model Year  | 1  | 2001  | 
3  | Assembly Plant  | K 8 2 X  | Linden, NJ Shreveport, LA Moraine, OH E.E.M.S  | 
4-9  | Plant Sequence Number  | --  | Plant Sequence Number  | 
A VIN derivative can be used to determine if a vehicle contains the original engine or transmission, by matching the VIN derivative positions to their accompanying positions in the complete VIN:
VIN Derivative Position  | Equivalent VIN Position  | 
|---|---|
1  | 3  | 
2  | 10  | 
3  | 11  | 
4-9  | 12-17  |