What year is my engine?
 

Hi - New guy on the forum, been reading for a few days. Got my first XJ today. Got it home, and now I have a question after crawling around underneath it for a while. How can I tell what year my engine is? The rig is a 99, but looking at the motor, I am not so sure. It was represented to me as having 85K on it, and nothing was said about an engine swap. I know it's a 4.0 and it looks to be in good shape, but it looks older than 1999 from underneath and I think I found a date code on a sticker that says 97 on it...

As long as you have the 1999 intake on it, has good oil pressure and doesn't overheat then I wouldn't worry too much. :)

Maybe someone will come along here and decode the block and head casting for ya. And tell ya where to find them.:confused:

Well post some pics of it from top to bottom and let us take a look!!

On my 93, the production date is cast into the block on the driver's side. Month, day, year.

I replaced my engine with a JY motor, and the XJ it came out of was a 93 as well, however one engine said the mfgr date was 92. I know this to be the date the block was cast.

Pressure wash under the exhaust, and you should see it. If not, maybe it's on the passenger's side, but I don't think so...I'm pretty sure it's on the driver's side if I remember correctly.

Here's the sticker I was talking about - it has a series of numbers on it with some markings under them, one of which says "YR" and directly above that are the numbers "97". I am going to try and check the block right now for a date code

Farmfuel - thanks, I think I found it; back behind the manifold I can see a stamp in the block that says "IF" and then "012799" below it. I'm thinking that probably means a 1999 engine. Not that I'm concerned, I know these motors are almost bulletproof - it just might have made a difference in the deal if the motor was out of a 97 -

Thanks for the help guys!