[1973GMC_1500]

Originally Posted by Russell

I've said it a million times before -- Despite some visual similarities, the 350 Olds is NOT a gasoline engine converted to diesel. You CAN NOT install gasoline heads on the diesel block, they are very different. That said, the 350 diesel does indeed deserve it's bad name, it is the 6.2L that does not deserve the 350's reputation.

If the engine is a gasser, then someone swapped in an Olds gasoline engine to replace it

Exactly. There WERE a lot of bad 5.7s. Once they switched to the DX block in '81, things got better. For the most part, they were ok. I would say there's a 99% chance the original engine in that '78 has been replaced with a DX block (goodwrech engine).

I sold my '81 C1500 with a 5.7 because I never had the money for a new injection pump. I wish I woulda kept it.

As long as you don't tow much or beat the s*** out of it, a 5.7 will be just fine.

I want a diesel car, Found an '81 Lesabre with a 5.7L diesel, I can buy it this spring when the ground dries up. I can already see dual exhaust with glasspacks in it's future