engine years

[half_track]

Can anyone tell me if there is a way to determine the year of a AMC 360 engine other than the tag on the velve cover which may have been switched from one engine to another. I have two 360s and there is noticable differences between them.

Thanks half_track

[Stuka]

do they still have the exhaust manifolds on them? These changed through the years. Post 80 has one style while pre 80 has another. There are also a few other differances like bolt hols and such in the heads for mounting stuff.

But I am afraid I dont know the specifics.

[Bob Barry]

Assuming it's all stock:

There's no way to pin down the exact year, but here are some indicators:

Up to '78, the exhaust-manifold bolt holes were all 3/8". In '79 and later trucks, the four outer bolt-holes were reduced in size to 5/16".

The flexplate for a motor up to '79 would have three bolt-holes for the TH400 torque-converter. The flexplate for the '80 and later had four bolt holes for the TF727 torque-converter.

Up to '77 the engines used Motorcraft alternators; in '78 and later, they used Delco units.

Up to, what, '74, the engines used points; '75-'77, they used the BID distributor; '78 and later used the Duraspark II distributor

Up to '78, the 2bbl carb was a 2100 w/o altitude compensator; '79 and later used the 2150 w/altitude compensator.

'88 and newer engines used a different flexplate to mate to the Mitsubishi starter, and also went to a metric-thread oil-filter.

4-bbls were only available up to '78.

Those are some of the major differences

[Rande]

A couple of bolt holes in the intake manifold also changed. Pre-70 and 70-up I believe is the change.