How to I.D the year of A 6.2?

[jjmoore]

I have an 87 suburban . a guy wants to sell me a 6.2 from an 86 suburban. this motor has the fuel filter under the air filter. the injector pump, high idle cold temp switch , is in the passenger side head. on my 87, the temp switch is on the water crossover and there is no fuel filter under the air cleaner. my question is this an 86 motor or is it older?

[john8662]

Sounds older, or out of a van.

If the filter in the intake is round, it's probably an 82-83 engine. Most 82-83 engines are stamped with a date on the opposite flange on the engine that the casting number is found on. The casting number for all 6.2s that use a two piece rear main oil seal is all the same (1982-1992ish).

If it's a great running engine, you can bolt all your equipment off the 1987 engine (which I'd recommend in any case) to the whatever year engine, just strip it down to a longblock. You can leave the injection pump, waterpump, etc on the engine, just see what differs, swap the water crossover if it has the extras on it.

[jjmoore]

update, this engine also has the glow plug sensor screwed into the rear of the drivers head near the end of the intake manifold.. my 87 has the glow plug module bolted to the intake manifold. when did they start using the module instead of the round screw in type?

[john8662]

84 was the last year of the "cigar-style" glow plug controller. All 85's had the integrated controller/relay that sits on the intake as you describe.

J