I'm keeping my eyes open for a GTE block for long time off future plans. However I don't see a way to tell a difference between a bare GTE and GE block. The only differences I know of are the oil squirters and the OEM oil line hole locations for the twins on the GTE, but you can't really see anything to do with the oil squirters, and a bare block doesn't come with a upper oil pan with the oil line locations.

So how do you know by looking at it that a block a seller has online is legit? I would't want to deal with shipping it back even if the seller would pay for it if I received a GE block rather than a GTE. Ideally I would like to buy the block with the forged rotating assembly and I know I could tell by the pistons at that point. But I see more bare blocks come up and that is the cheapest route. Plus I'd like to fully refresh the engine bearings etc.

Reason for this since someone is likely to ask: GTE and GE heads have different Int./exh. manifold bolt patterns. I have a full NA-T build that works with the GE head. And I have BC-264 cams installed in the GE heads. So I want to use my GE head with a GTE block.