Can you tell what year this fj40 is by looking at the motor. (2 Viewers)

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Joined
Feb 5, 2021
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1
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Location
Fort Laudedale
I’m new to the forum and FJ’s. It says it’s 79 but I’m not sure if that is correct.

95B2F610-41A5-49DD-A034-CBD531B1599F.jpeg
 
Not much to see in that pic.
Engine block is 74-newer.
Valve cover is 78-80.
Carb is 75-78.

The head casting date is on the top of the cyl head, alongside the valve cover.

Block casting date is harder to see, located on side of block, toward rear, under the manifolds. Best way to see it is with camera held down there,
 
Not much to see in that pic.
Engine block is 74-newer.
Valve cover is 78-80.
Carb is 75-78.

The head casting date is on the top of the cyl head, alongside the valve cover.

Block casting date is harder to see, located on side of block, toward rear, under the manifolds. Best way to see it is with camera held down there
 
Thanks Jim. I need to order some parts and wanted to make sure it’s a 79. I’ll try and locate the numbers. Much appreciated.
 
Also the engine serial # is stamped here.

EngStmpLoc 01.jpg


Engine Stamps.jpg
 
It's a south American Cruiser. Seeing serial numbers at that point for me is worthless. I see very little stock anything.
 
Looks a lot like my '74'ish 1.5 F.
Oil filter next to the dizzy, aluminum valve cover, but huge round air filter on the drivers side and the alternator underneath it.
Not quite as good at identifying carburetors, but kinda looks similar.
That GM power steering pump wasn't stock in '74 though, or really ever....
 
It's a south American Cruiser. Seeing serial numbers at that point for me is worthless. I see very little stock anything.
Poster is in Florida, loads of South American 40’s down there that have been “restored” for sale in the States. More pictures would tell the rest of the story.
 
I’m new to the forum and FJ’s. It says it’s 79 but I’m not sure if that is correct.

Should be a plate inside the drive's door with the assembly date and VIN. Also a plate on the passenger fender behind the battery with VIN and engine. (and the VIN / frame # stamped on the front of the passenger side frame rail).

If it was originally exported to South America instead of the US, there will be differences on what updates on parts and changes occurred in what years. I have seen pictures of 2F engines from even the '80's that still had the alternator on the drivers (left) side even though all trucks shipped to US apparently had it moved to the right / passenger side in 1975.

And, looking at the 3 relays mounted on the plate where the fan would typically be, the coil and the GM power steering pump, many of these vehicles have been modified over the years and even if someone did understand what part were originally used for vehicles shipped to wherever this went in that year, it's possibly changed since. Maybe the whole engine, maybe just parts.

So, if you are needing help verifying what parts to buy, I suggest mentioning specific parts and including pictures of that part. The whole engine, or whole vehicle, is probably of limited use...
 
Should be a plate inside the drive's door with the assembly date and VIN.

If it was originally exported to South America instead of the US,
There is no plate there in these South America versions. This is one.
 
Should be a plate inside the drive's door with the assembly date and VIN. Also a plate on the passenger fender behind the battery with VIN and engine. (and the VIN / frame # stamped on the front of the passenger side frame rail).

If it was originally exported to South America instead of the US, there will be differences on what updates on parts and changes occurred in what years. I have seen pictures of 2F engines from even the '80's that still had the alternator on the drivers (left) side even though all trucks shipped to US apparently had it moved to the right / passenger side in 1975.

And, looking at the 3 relays mounted on the plate where the fan would typically be, the coil and the GM power steering pump, many of these vehicles have been modified over the years and even if someone did understand what part were originally used for vehicles shipped to wherever this went in that year, it's possibly changed since. Maybe the whole engine, maybe just parts.

So, if you are needing help verifying what parts to buy, I suggest mentioning specific parts and including pictures of that part. The whole engine, or whole vehicle, is probably of limited use...

There is no plate there in these South America versions. This is one.


Correct there is no VIN on the A pillar. That was North American market. 78 and later the VIN plaque under the hood moved off the fender and back to the firewall where it was until the mid sixties when moved to the fender. US market FJ40 in 79 would have a model number FJ40LV KCJA. From that could tell it was six cylinder petrol, LHD, hard top, four speed, ambulance doors, roll bar and last the A at the end would tell it was for the US market.

While doesn't have the VIN plaque on the A pillar it should have one on the firewall. Would be located toward the top just right of the vertical brace on the left side looking from the front. The brake booster suggests it has drum brake on front and back axles. US market has disc brake up front starting with the 76 model.
 
Correct there is no VIN on the A pillar. That was North American market. 78 and later the VIN plaque under the hood moved off the fender and back to the firewall where it was until the mid sixties when moved to the fender. US market FJ40 in 79 would have a model number FJ40LV KCJA. From that could tell it was six cylinder petrol, LHD, hard top, four speed, ambulance doors, roll bar and last the A at the end would tell it was for the US market.

While doesn't have the VIN plaque on the A pillar it should have one on the firewall. Would be located toward the top just right of the vertical brace on the left side looking from the front. The brake booster suggests it has drum brake on front and back axles. US market has disc brake up front starting with the 76 model.

OK, so, no tag. But even if you could find one, there was different updates and equipment installed in different years in different countries. Not to mention modifications since.

So, you're really not going to be able to totally trust picking whatever year it was made and selecting parts based on that from, say, rock auto, or even specter.

Either research everything on here to figure out what year the parts you need were used in the US, get used to asking ABOUT SPECIFIC PARTS you need with pictures here, or get to be a regular customer with one of the experts who has a business specializing in land cruiser parts that will give personal knowledge of what you need.

Trying to guess where what year that engine was made probably won't solve much. And even with my US market '74, several of the places I looked were still trying to sell me a cork valve cover gasket for the stamped steel valve cover and listed the rubber gasket that I needed for the aluminum valve cover as 1975 and newer.

And some parts, like the power steering pump belt, you're just going to have to measure and guess, or take it to the store and have the parts guy match up for you.
 
Thanks Jim. I need to order some parts and wanted to make sure it’s a 79. I’ll try and locate the numbers. Much appreciated.
Should be a plate inside the drive's door with the assembly date and VIN. Also a plate on the passenger fender behind the battery with VIN and engine. (and the VIN / frame # stamped on the front of the passenger side frame rail).

If it was originally exported to South America instead of the US, there will be differences on what updates on parts and changes occurred in what years. I have seen pictures of 2F engines from even the '80's that still had the alternator on the drivers (left) side even though all trucks shipped to US apparently had it moved to the right / passenger side in 1975.

And, looking at the 3 relays mounted on the plate where the fan would typically be, the coil and the GM power steering pump, many of these vehicles have been modified over the years and even if someone did understand what part were originally used for vehicles shipped to wherever this went in that year, it's possibly changed since. Maybe the whole engine, maybe just parts.

So, if you are needing help verifying what parts to buy, I suggest mentioning specific parts and including pictures of that part. The whole engine, or whole vehicle, is probably of limited use...
It was originally exported to Colombia. A friend who is Colombian help me fix it up there and brought here. I was having a problem starting it in the AM. I would add a little fuel to the carb and after that it would start with no problem, but if I let it sit for a day it was the same thing. Found a small leak on the fuel line past the filter and fixed it. Now it’s good. It drives great but I have some minor things that need to be done. Thanks for your input.
 
Your thread title is can I tell what year this FJ40 is my the engine? Because the is a bolt in part that would be no. Wasted time by not giving information you already knew that this is a SA import. By your thread title have to ask does your firewall have a VIN plaque your only picture is a little low to be able to tell if it's there. The frame is also stamped from the factory I'lf it was originally on a vehicle and not a replacement frame. That VIN is easy to tell month year unless earlier than 1964, which I doubt it is. If you have a plaque and that VIN makes the one on the frame probably a matched tub/frame. But VINa plaques and frame could be modified. If you don't want to anyone to know your VIN go down the main page on mud to the 45 section. The LWB list thread is a sticky in the top section. First post has a link to SOR frame chart. Unless yours was a kit all the 64-84 FJ40 VINs can be dated to month year.
 

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