opinion on the 6.2 diesel engine

[big10ratrod77]

well i was wandering around on craigslist yester day and i found a 85 chevy with a 6.2 and a 700 r4 for like 900 dollers well it sparked my intrest... been looking around found the banks turbo kit and other little odds and ends for more power and stuff but i want to hear yalls opinion on the 6.2 diesel. ive heard a lot of stuff about them like they are good on gas and stuff but my dad has told me they were like a 305 in the power department.
so... were they good engines?
whats the mileage potential of a 6.2?
can i get a decent amount of power out of the engine?
how reliable are they?
im not looking a tow rig couse i already have one of those im just keeping my options open for a "next project"

[Trick76]

I get 23 mpg doing 70 on the freeway. They are not powerful, I have heard that the banks kit makes them feel like a stock TBI 350. Mine has 160k and runs like a champ, only failure was the 700r4, and the glow plug controller.

Derek

[Matt Man]

Originally Posted by big10ratrod77

well i was wandering around on craigslist yester day and i found a 85 chevy with a 6.2 and a 700 r4 for like 900 dollers well it sparked my intrest... been looking around found the banks turbo kit and other little odds and ends for more power and stuff but i want to hear yalls opinion on the 6.2 diesel. ive heard a lot of stuff about them like they are good on gas and stuff but my dad has told me they were like a 305 in the power department.
so... were they good engines?
whats the mileage potential of a 6.2?
can i get a decent amount of power out of the engine?
how reliable are they?
im not looking a tow rig couse i already have one of those im just keeping my options open for a "next project"

Ive heard that the newer ones like after 86 or something were very reliable, but the earlier ones are more prone to breaking. But yes low on power but good MPG, which is fine with me. If you put a turbo on it it should wake her up good.

[irishman999]

Awesome motor, i would love to have one in place of my 305.

[GmtGmt]

they are awesome

some put over 20MPG in there trucks

a stock J code motor they have about 145HP and 257 lb·ft and army the trucks has 165 and 330 lb·ft with turbo they have about 190-200HP.
the stock Injection pump cant push more fuel only to about 220HP.
adding Turbo and Free flow exhurst thats what they really like and you will feel a diffrence.

Reliable yes and no many of these engine has been Mistreated by use of ether and other starting fluids because they are really a pain to start when cold. a big no no is Starting Fluids Dont ever use it, the Pree Cubs can be shot out of the head and the Pushrods can bend.

the worst is the 82-84 Glow Plug Controler they trash they allways break.

get a truck from 85 or newer and a Manual Tranny they a very slugish with Autos behind them.

[D13]

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=20

Basically they are a 305 in power.

Unless the truck is being driven every day and can be shown to be running great, expect to put $600 in new parts (glows, fuel filter, injectors, and pump). These motors do not like to sit.

I bought mine 3 years ago, wish I had bought a gasser instead, the parts bill has been 4x the fuel cost savings, and the truck has only been on the road 25% of the time.

So far water pump, injector pump, injectors, injector lines, intake and gaskets, 3 fuel filters, fuel lines, CDR, glow plug override, crank pulley, braks 'cause it sat over winter while I chased down parts, etc. Next is another set of injectors and crank pulley (hint - the factory pulley is over $300!).

23mph in a fully optioned 1/2 ton with air. When it runs.

[Shawn5488]

I am not going to go on a rampage badmouthing them, do a google search and see what the rest of the world has to say about them, its not good!

My personal feelings about them are you either have a good one or a bad one, they do get great mileage, don't dare turn one up or even think of a turbo, it will destroy it! Just keep fresh fuel and oil in it and hope for the best...

[PRattenbury]

Buy a truck with no engine in it, and put in a 94-98 Cummins if you want a diesel. You'll be glad you did. 190 horse out of the box for 94-up. By the time you get to 98 you get 215 horse. After 98 you get into 24 valve computer-controlled engines. More trouble to do a conversion. And with a Cummins, you can turn em WAY up before you gotta worry about it breaking.

[irishman999]

I got a 83 suburban with the 6.2 that had been sitting for about 5 years, I put fresh diesel in the tank and changed the oil, i treated oil and fuel with "seafoam" and started it. I know the suburban weighs more than my 1/2 ton pickup and i think the suburban had more power than i've felt in my truck with the 305. The glowplug controller should be replaced with a 20 dollar controller from the 7.3 power stroke and it will work great.

[bikes&bowties]

is turning the injector pump up on one of these as simple as a little screw like on a 12 valve cummins? Sure it might smoke the motor but I am interested... You could go through 5 6.2's for the price of 1 cummins... and they drop right in with no clearance issues. Also would you still get high teens with the injector pump turned up ?

[irishman999]

Originally Posted by bikes&bowties

is turning the injector pump up on one of these as simple as a little screw like on a 12 valve cummins? Sure it might smoke the motor but I am interested... You could go through 5 6.2's for the price of 1 cummins... and they drop right in with no clearance issues. Also would you still get high teens with the injector pump turned up ?

On www.Dieselplace.com they said you can turn it up about 1/4 if i recall and gain a little bit of power, i dont think its like cranking up a cummins at all.

[gchemist]

Originally Posted by Shawn5488

I am not going to go on a rampage badmouthing them, do a google search and see what the rest of the world has to say about them, its not good!

My personal feelings about them are you either have a good one or a bad one, they do get great mileage, don't dare turn one up or even think of a turbo, it will destroy it! Just keep fresh fuel and oil in it and hope for the best...

The problem is the search. Only people with problems post and look for solutions. The other majority is out driving around! I saw a nice 87 SWB GMC 6.2 diesel at a parts store. Man if would have sold it I would have bought it on site!

[bikes&bowties]

Originally Posted by irishman999

On www.Dieselplace.com they said you can turn it up about 1/4 if i recall and gain a little bit of power, i dont think its like cranking up a cummins at all.

i saw at an 8th turn you start having to watch your EGT's closely... i am sure a turbo would help keep it cooler with the extra fuel but thats more money

[Stitch]

See my sig. I get 26 mpg in town. I have 3.42s that rev the engine alittle high on the interstate so the mileage goes down a touch on the highway. I will say that I have had minimal problems with mine. I've been told I'm lucky. I think if you take care of your junk it takes care of you. Also I have my pump turned up. It gave it a little but you have to remember it's not turbo'd so it doesn't affect it like it would a cummins. It will though when I put the turbo I have in the garage on it. More than half the people that talk trash about 6.2s have never owned one. Because if they have or had owned one they wouldn't be talking trash. It really gets pathetic sometimes how people follow a crowd. The 6.2 gets a bad rap because it was a diesel offered in our trucks along with the olds 5.7 diesel. The olds 5.7 diesel is rumored to be piece of junk. Don't know personally because I've never had one but I will tell you that 6.2 is a very reliable motor even though it's grouped in with the 5.7 olds because it's a diesel and most people think they're one in the same. But there not. End rant.

[bikes&bowties]

does yours smoke with the pump turned up? exhaust mod?

[Stitch]

It smokes for about 5 seconds before it shifts if I put it to the wood. Under normal driving it doesn't smoke. And when it does smoke it's faint not like rolling coal with a cummins or stroke. It'll smoke more probably when I put the turbo on it. But I'll have a pyrometer and boost gauge hooked up so I make sure it doesn't boost too much or get too hot. The more fuel you throw at it the higher the egts go up. High egts are not good.

[68Timber]

In stock trim, they are durable, reliable, and slow. Slow can be remedied and still have the other two. The 6.2 falls into the "good engine" category to me.

[bikes&bowties]

Originally Posted by Fat Hoe

It smokes for about 5 seconds before it shifts if I put it to the wood. Under normal driving it doesn't smoke. And when it does smoke it's faint not like rolling coal with a cummins or stroke. It'll smoke more probably when I put the turbo on it. But I'll have a pyrometer and boost gauge hooked up so I make sure it doesn't boost too much or get too hot. The more fuel you throw at it the higher the egts go up. High egts are not good.

IMO every diesel modded or not should have those gauges (boost if it has a turbo that is lol). shouldnt the turbo make it smoke less at high rpms (spooled up and putting in more air). how much is the pump turned up?

[Stitch]

I turned the pump until I got the amount of smoke I posted about. Don't know exactly hoe much it's turned up. Somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 turn. And the turbo will make more smoke most likely be aide even though it uses more fuel, it cools the egts down enough to turn it up and waste more fuel in essence more smoke

[Stitch]

Originally Posted by BRUISER

In stock trim, they are durable, reliable, and slow. Slow can be remedied and still have the other two. The 6.2 falls into the "good engine" category to me.

I agree 100%.

[iroc12valve]

they are great motors if you are over the age of 35 lol
all kidding aside they were good SOLID powerplants, u do a little maintanence here and there it pays of ten-fold, but for power they aspire to a 305 again BUT they are great at working e.g. 0-60 14 seconds empty 0-60 with 1500lbs 14 seconds 0-60 with a car trailer and a car maybe 15 seconds

[hitcher]

been meaning to ask how other 6.2 owners were getting on with theirs . bought my 88 a couple weeks ago and am in the process of fixing it up . engine fired up straight away after being sat for a year . going through the whole thing servicing everything before i start driving it . the mpg's you guys are posting seems pretty good especially compared to the 18mpg im getting from my 97 with a 6.5 turbo .
oh yea does anyone recomend any fuel additives to the tank ?

[irishman999]

Originally Posted by hitcher

been meaning to ask how other 6.2 owners were getting on with theirs . bought my 88 a couple weeks ago and am in the process of fixing it up . engine fired up straight away after being sat for a year . going through the whole thing servicing everything before i start driving it . the mpg's you guys are posting seems pretty good especially compared to the 18mpg im getting from my 97 with a 6.5 turbo .
oh yea does anyone recomend any fuel additives to the tank ?

According to what i read on Dieselplace.com dont use atf, Seafoam is awesome stuff. Use it in oil and fuel. The one I fired up sat for a while and ran rough at first, after the seafoam treatment the injectors were working perfect.

[hitcher]

is Seafoam the brand name ? and can i buy it like at napa and orielys ?

[bikes&bowties]

Originally Posted by Fat Hoe

I turned the pump until I got the amount of smoke I posted about. Don't know exactly hoe much it's turned up. Somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 turn. And the turbo will make more smoke most likely be aide even though it uses more fuel, it cools the egts down enough to turn it up and waste more fuel in essence more smoke

what im thinking is even if you turn it up more it will still have the air to get a more complete burn at WFO. thus less smoke.. but it will smoke more at lower rpms because its dumping the fuel without the air from a spooled up turbo.... Either way thats awesome that you get 26 mpg with it turned up enough to leave a haze... even with big tires I could get high teens... with that type of mileage i could live with not being able to burn up my 35's