3 or 5 bearing?

[Neil Jones]

Does anyone know how to identify the age of the 2.25 diesel engine from the outside without a number?  It has 2 tags of the rocker cover, one says the usual tappet clearance, the other is a British Leyland tag (I'm assuming the cover is original here).  Its alot noisyer than the engine I took out, but for a diesel really doesnt have much smoke.  Power seems to be about equal.  The only other difference visible was a hook on top of the rocker cover to hold the air hose in place.  

If anyone has any info I'd appreciate to find out more.

Cheers

[muddyweb]

Engine number is the only way really... and it should have one of them...  if not... you ought to be asking why  :shock:

Have a good dig around the block... it should be visible from the top.

[tomarse]

I was told that the outer design/casting of the block was different between the 3 and 5 bearing engines, and that the 5 bearing has more lumpy/strutty bits on the outside.
I've never got round to comparing two myself to check this though.

[Rich_P]

Ah yes, I remember. A 5-bearing block has a pattern on the side, while the 3-bearing does not.  5-bearings are also usually painted red, while 3-bearings are duckegg-blue.

[hobbit]

I though the diesels were only done in the 3 bearing version

[Neil Jones]

Ah thanks, I'm guessing its 3 bearing then, under all the oil and grease muck I have noticed some light green (possible therefore actually duck egg blue) patches.  Thanks for the help, does this maybe account for the extra noise?  Anyway at some point I'll be sticking new injectors in and possibly doing the head up.