7.3 or 6.9

[Ethan Turner]

Any idea what year so I can find parts and all that

 

[Ethan Turner]

Thanks for all the help that's been driving me nuts I'll sleep easy tonight

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Most of the parts will interchange, no matter what year. The only ones that won't that I can think of, are to piston cooling jets. On the earlier ones, they are a press fit, while on the later ones, they are bolt in like on the 7.3's.

 

[Macrobb]

The only real difference between the 6.9 and 7.3 is the head bolts and other mnior internal changes.
6.9s were put in from 1983-1987.
You also can't put more than about 6 psi of boost through a 6.9, if you go to turbo it. More than that needs a set of headstuds.

I kind of get the feeling as well, though, that you'll get slightly more fuel economy with the 6.9... and cavitation isn't really an issue.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

The only real difference between the 6.9 and 7.3 is the head bolts and other mnior internal changes.
6.9s were put in from 1983-1987.
You also can't put more than about 6 psi of boost through a 6.9, if you go to turbo it. More than that needs a set of headstuds.

I kind of get the feeling as well, though, that you'll get slightly more fuel economy with the 6.9... and cavitation isn't really an issue.

Don't forget the biggest difference..........Approx 20 cubes.

 

[snicklas]

Here’s a serial number breakdown,

So it looks like you have an 86 or 87......

Let me see if I can find a bigger list.......

On edit:

Looking at this article:

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/2006/07/rebuilding-the-international-6-97-3l-powerstroke-engine/

The 7.3 started with serial number:

500,079

and they started in the 88 model year trucks.

So, yours being 442,169 that’s only 57,910 before the 7.3, with the number of these engines built, and not being used in just Ford pickups (they were in vans, and medium duty IH trucks and busses also) I would say you have an 87 model year engine.

 

[icanfixall]

This is a late 6.9 and a better block than the early 6.9. Serial number 507,078 was the end of the 6.9 run so you can see your close to the end.thats a good thing too.

 

[Ethan Turner]

Thanks for all the info but I feel like this adds to my theory that it came from the factory this way like the motor was left over inventory they were trying to get rid of I've work for big production plants and seen stranger

 

[Macrobb]

Thanks for all the info but I feel like this adds to my theory that it came from the factory this way like the motor was left over inventory they were trying to get rid of I've work for big production plants and seen stranger

No, not with the door sticker.
More than likely, somebody had issues with cavitation, and decided to just install a 6.9 to avoid it entirely.

Remeber, it bolts right up. If they just did a "junkyard pull" and pulled the complete motor, that's what you'd see.

 

[Thewespaul]

After 87 there were no 6.9s. Your engine has been swapped in.

 

[snicklas]

Thanks for all the info but I feel like this adds to my theory that it came from the factory this way like the motor was left over inventory they were trying to get rid of I've work for big production plants and seen stranger

If that was the case, it would have 6.9 valve covers. These were a "vendor sourced", running engine from IH. Ford would not have been switching bolt-on pars around, like valve covers. They would have taken it out of the shipping crate, and put it in the chassis......

That 6.9 block has been swapped in, and the valve covers swapped..... it's not some factory Frankenstein. If you had an 11/87 build, maybe.... but not a year and a half later.

I've seen what you are talking about, as we had a very early 83 F-150 with a 351 in it, the engine was an 82. The 83 model year had a change in the cap and rotor, and an 83 wouldn't fit.......