Dear Fred;
I'm not sure there is a "decoding method" for the Ser. #.
If there is one(short of a factory list)it might be found in a truck repair/assembly manual, as those engines came mostly in trucks.
Being made in November of 1982 you should check the 1983 manual(s), as that engine would have been used in that model year.
If you can't find it I'll look in my Library.
Good luck, John M.....
