87 mercury v6. is there a way to tell 2.0 from 2.4 without pulling a head?

**derekfl** · 05-06-2023, 05:40 AM

on the head it says Dia. the circle next to that is blank where the 2.4 says 3-3/8. 2 piece head. is casting number different between 2.0 and 2.4 heads?B230090 the guy i got it from thought it was 150. no cowl. it had a 2.0 lower unit on it.

**LakeFever** · 05-06-2023, 06:44 AM

Theres numbers stamped into a squelch plug on top of the block. Theres also some large letters stamped into the block near the throttle arm. AA iirc is the 2.0L letters. The 2.0L have small carb bores except the XR2. Or just pull a head and measure the bore.

**derekfl** · 05-06-2023, 06:51 AM

Don’t wanna pull a head. Fear of broken bolts and next thing you know you are buying pistons and getting it bored out. Then your 400 buck motor is 3 grand… thanks though. Number in the plug says mercury 87. Doesn’t even tell you if it is a 175, 220, or 9.9. Or is there a site where I can research that number and it will tell me which motor it is? B230090. I thought the AA. BB JJ stuff started in the later era. 2.5 or 2.0. May 29 87 build date.

**Baker343** · 05-06-2023, 07:34 AM

The 2L had the bigger exhaust dumps

**LakeFever** · 05-06-2023, 08:06 AM

I gave ya what i got, im not fully informed on block id either. If your not pulling it apart and it’s a low buck old fishin mota then why care? I mean if the salts been at it so bad that you cant pop a head in fear of damage then the only value is in how even the compression is and how well it runs. Id start with compression test, if good then clean carbs, freshen all rubber hose and charge lines and see if it fires. If not then nee pair of switch boxes, if that dont work nee stator

**derekfl** · 05-06-2023, 08:48 AM

Compression is good. It runs pretty good. Trying to sell it so I have room and money for a couple of in-line motors which sure I’m more appropriate weight for my 18 foot boat. I would just like to know what it is so I’m not lying to people.

**LakeFever** · 05-06-2023, 09:09 AM

Mercury blackmax runs good even compression, was told its a 150, maybe you get lucky and its a 175/200. Price accordingly. Cant go wrong with an ad like that

**25two.stroke** · 05-06-2023, 12:56 PM

3-3/8 in the circle on the head means it is a 3-3/8" bore...so a 2.4L
2.0L would say 3-1/8

**25two.stroke** · 05-06-2023, 12:57 PM

Unless someone put 2.4 heads on a 2.0L, which is possible.

**derekfl** · 05-06-2023, 01:33 PM

But my circle is blank.

**mach351** · 05-06-2023, 03:58 PM

Weigh it…..2.0’s have big ass thick steel sleeves and are heavier than a 2.4

**derekfl** · 05-06-2023, 04:09 PM

yeah but when it has a mid and a clamp-trim pump, carbs etc attached... i was hoping there was a cyl head part number or something. heck, at 400 bucks running if it makes more than 100 buyer is getting a deal. just checked the watr pump. gonna fill drive with oil and get it attached and running and shifting and pumping water. then price may go up... thanks everybody. i am coming up the learning curve. i will be answering questions instead of asking constantly soon enough.