1/2 ton burb tow rig?

[Pookster]

Well I would have to disagree:
Everyone seems to think that a tow vehicle should tow without breaking a sweat and going 80 MPH up a 10% hill.
Well I have towed with a 350 gas powered truck, with a 454 gas powered truck, with a 6.2 N/A diesel truck and a 6.2 with banks turbo diesel truck.
They all slow down on hills, some feel more the load than others and they all did the job.
Now I agree the cummins truck I was in ( I didn't drive it) but I could feel the power there yes, but it still did the same job a little faster.
If one can't afford the cummins, or the gas mileage of a nice built 454, they can still get the job done on a lower budget.

Id have to agree with this too. Yes on some hills, the new diesels with 600ftlbs of torque will literally eat up an old 6.2. The new trucks can probably pull 15000lbs uphill at 90mph. Is it necessary? No. Is it nice? Sure.

but for me hills are only 10% of the trip, the rest is pretty flat. And Im not towing all the time. 20 mpg + on a 4wd 3/4 ton truck is tough. I think some of the new powerstrokes might be able to do it.

 

[6.2Blazer]

For towing, I'd keep lookin. Turbo'ed or not, the 6.2's are disgustingly gutless, even unloaded. Add any kind of weight and you'll be holding up traffic everywhere you go. In '82 those engines were rated at 130hp & 240lb tq. The turbo helps, but just not enough. I'm not just talkin out my ass either...I owned an '83 K20 w/6.2 and drove a '79 c30 with a swapped in 6.2 w/banks kit. Driven countless hummvees and cucv's being in the army as well. The only vehicle I'd want a 6.2 in would be a shortbed 2wd run around truck, for the mileage. That's all the 6.2's are good for.

It all depends on the perspective. If you are comparing the engine to any of the newer diesels than I agree, but compared to many of the older diesel or gas powered engines a turbo'd 6.2 is halfway decent. Years ago Fourwheeler had a project K5 and had a list of dyno runs (it's still on their website) and listed 172 HP and 451 ft-lb torque at the rear wheels with a Banks turbo. That is pretty respectable. Go tow something with a stock mid-80's truck with a big-block 454 or 460 and use it to compare to a 6.2.