How To Tell The Year Of A 6.9L

[Black Horse]

When I bought my truck I was told the it had a 1990 7.3. Well on the weekend I discovered it has 7/16 head bolds in it. I need to get up to speed on what I should do to get this engine up to *****. I have a used non gated Banks to go on and head studs, head gaskets and bottom seals new injectors all on the way. I should do the solid state glow plug change over.
Do all 6.9's have the same oil cooler I would like to do the o rings.
I'm not sure how to tell what year in engine is. If anyone could tell me how to tell if you can that would be great.

The engine is out and on a stand so its a lot easier to make improvements now befor it goes back in, if anyone has some suggestions that would be great.

Thanks

 

[icanfixall]

The block serial number for a 7.3 start at 500,079 and go up to 1,116,330. Above this and you have a 7.3 turbo block. Below 500,079 and you have a 6.9 motor.

 

[The Warden]

Not all 6.9l's used the same oil cooler; '83 and early '84 6.9l's used a 6-ring cooler. IH switched to the 4-ring oil cooler starting with S/N 61494 (which corresponds with a very early 1984 truck; my truck was built in August 1983 and my engine's S/N is 48458).

BTW, just FYI, the crankcase was strengthened at the block heater starting with S/N 173828 (which corresponds to mid '85).

Hope that helps some

 

[Agnem]

That's good reference right there. This needs to go to the FAQ when its finished.

 

[Black Horse]

Is there a different S/N for the cooler I did not see where it is. Also where is the S/N located on the block.

 

[Black Horse]

I think I found the S/N on the block if it is the one located behind the IP gear cover stamped on the top of the block # 134,109. So My block may be a 85 or 86 so it should have a 4 ring cooler? The oil filler is not a part of the IP gear cover its casted above dose that mean anything.

 

[icanfixall]

Yes, You found the stamped in block serial numbers. That oil fill cover can be changed easily so thats not a good way of determining block or oil cooler years. Really any 6.9 or 7.3 oil cooler will fit any of the idi blocks. You wont know what you have till you take it apart.

 

[The Warden]

Really any 6.9 or 7.3 oil cooler will fit any of the idi blocks. You wont know what you have till you take it apart.

Gary hit the nail on the head, but there's one thing I should add. Any 6.9l or 7.3l oil cooler will fit, as long as it's out of an F-series truck. The oil cooler for the E-series van (and the oil cooler for the IH medium-duty trucks) have a different front piece, so they won't fit. Also, an oil cooler on a PSD will not fit.

Hope that helps some

 

[icanfixall]

Gees... I forgot all about the vans and trucks being differant headers.

 

[The Warden]

Could be worse; I'm surprised I remember my name half of the time