differances between old style and newer 6.9 blocks?

[Burninoil]

I have two 6.9 blocks one with pressed in piston cooling nozzles and one with bolted in nozzles. What one is the new style block. The one with pressed in nozzles seems to have more casting around the coolant heater.

any number that will tell me what block is what?

 

[icanfixall]

The bolt in oil cooling jets is the prefered block and its the newer block. The press in block is the weaker and older block. I don't think you can buy the press in jets any longer too.

 

[Burninoil]

That agrees with the other info I have found, though both blocks have the updated block heater boss. I guess there is about 4 versions of the 6.9 block. Bolt in cooling nozzles were the 3rd upgrade with ribs at the back of the block being the 4th. I have version 2 and 3.

version 2 was the revised block heater boss.

there might be more versions but i don't know.

 

[stumiister]

I believe I have one of the older blocks, the piston cooling jets are pressed in, and when I got the machine work done the machine shop had installed new one for me. SO the pressed in jets are still out there but maybe in short supply.

 

[icanfixall]

I believe I have one of the older blocks, the piston cooling jets are pressed in, and when I got the machine work done the machine shop had installed new one for me. SO the pressed in jets are still out there but maybe in short supply.

Oh yeah... I would be checking these "new installed jets" just to be sure they are new and cleared to be open. I'm not a trusting kind of person. Knowing what it takes to install.. Align and leastly find the jets makes me feel some shop is charging you for something your not getting. Asking them to prove they really are new and they just didn't "clean the block" with the old ones still in the block. Please look into this deeper than just taking someones word for this. A quality shop will be happy to prove what they are telling and selling you... If they get upset at you for asking questions then you may be getting some business done to you. Nobody will shy away form the truth if they have done the job correctly and charged you accordingly..... Asking to see the alignment and installation tools is not asking too much... Don't go in there accusing them of anything either. Be polite but be firm asking how this was done....

 

[stumiister]

machine work

Oh yeah... I would be checking these "new installed jets" just to be sure they are new and cleared to be open. I'm not a trusting kind of person. Knowing what it takes to install.. Align and leastly find the jets makes me feel some shop is charging you for something your not getting. Asking them to prove they really are new and they just didn't "clean the block" with the old ones still in the block. Please look into this deeper than just taking someones word for this. A quality shop will be happy to prove what they are telling and selling you... If they get upset at you for asking questions then you may be getting some business done to you. Nobody will shy away form the truth if they have done the job correctly and charged you accordingly..... Asking to see the alignment and installation tools is not asking too much... Don't go in there accusing them of anything either. Be polite but be firm asking how this was done....

When I got my block and parts from the machine shop I got a small box with the old cooling nozzles and some small pipe plugs so that tells me they did the job right.

 

[The Warden]

FWIW, this is a list of updates made to the 6.9l, as published by Ford in an update sent to the dealers in October 1985. Might help with determining the age of your engines...FWIW the change to the block by the water heater was done in mid '85, so you have a benchmark as far as the block numbers go...

 

[icanfixall]

What I would do to be sure the cooling jets are clear is install the crank and cam with the lifters. Then blow air thru the main oil gallerys. This can be done thru the rear main oil line from the oil filter to block connection. Then feel each jet for air. That way you know for sure. A plugged jet means a burned up piston. It does sound like the shop is top notch but checking is never a problem. Even as I assembled my engine I took pictures. Those pics saved me from tearing it down because I forgot something. Turns out I saw what I wanted in one of my pics. Problem solved ...