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1983 6.2

MrArmyAnt

MrArmyAnt

1/2 ton status
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Dec 29, 2004
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Location
Texas, Kick a$$! (Grapevine, DFW; also Norman, OK)
I am still looking for qa k5, found a few 305's in decent shape sub 900 bucks, then found a 6.2l 700r4 for 1500, talked him down to 1000. Will take photos today and post them. Supposedly its frame is rust free but floor board has rust which scares the crap out of me. I wanted a gas first cause I can somewhat work on them but eventually wanted to swap a diesel in. power steering leaks a little and supposedly the engines glow plugs are going a little bad so its hard to start in the cold. rust scares me to death, but seeing as how it came up to ok from tx it shouldn't be too bad in structural locations, plus I can weld.

Any comments? Anyone here prefer diesel for offroading? glowplugs easy to replace?
 
As long as the GP's haven't mushroomed at the tip they should be the same as changing a spark plug. As far as I know (I have an 83 6.2) GP's don't go alittle bad. A few might go bad, once one goes bad they all will start to follow over time.
I was worried about working on a diesel compared to a gas too. But now I'm starting to like it, now that I know what I'm doing.
 
6.2's are super easy to work on. it's all mechanical and logical - very little electrics. :) nice thing about the diesel is good low-rpm torque, fuel injected so you're good at all angles. glow plugs are easier to replace than spark plugs (no gapping/worrying about switching cables/etc.) you'll hate it for mudding tho. it will feel gutless until you get good gears in the axles. i've got 4.10's and 35's and it gets up and goes pretty good, but it would be nice to have something a bit deeper. i don't have an over drive tho,so i can't handly my hwy rpms w/ a lower gear for sake of fuel (get 19mpg at 60mph w/ 4.10s/35's/1:1 top gear). :)
 
colbystephens said:
6.2's are super easy to work on. it's all mechanical and logical - very little electrics. :) nice thing about the diesel is good low-rpm torque, fuel injected so you're good at all angles. glow plugs are easier to replace than spark plugs (no gapping/worrying about switching cables/etc.) you'll hate it for mudding tho. it will feel gutless until you get good gears in the axles. i've got 4.10's and 35's and it gets up and goes pretty good, but it would be nice to have something a bit deeper. i don't have an over drive tho,so i can't handly my hwy rpms w/ a lower gear for sake of fuel (get 19mpg at 60mph w/ 4.10s/35's/1:1 top gear). :)
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I got some photos, the floor panelts and bottom door seal is rusted out, need to find the replacement kit. I'll post them later along with another one down in tx im looking at. How hard is it to conver a gas motor to run propain? seems like constant pressure would be better.

rock crawling is secondary to mudding and river riding. the 208 has the low gears tho.

i want to spend less than a grand on whatever it is. not cause i dont have more but because im a tight wad. found some with 305's pretty cheap, 1250 with decent interior (to be ripped out anyway) or 850.
 
yep. click on "manage attatchments" to attatch a photo directly from your computer. or, if there's a image on the net, type
 
Simple?

MrArmyAnt said:
Any comments? Anyone here prefer diesel for offroading? glowplugs easy to replace?
Click to expand...

Glow plugs are not always easy to replace. I've worked on several where they won't budge - even with heat short of breaking off. I've got over 30 vehicles with 6.2s and I was working in a diesel shop in 82 when they first came out. The older OEM plugs used to burn out pretty easy - any cycle over 9 seconds and they'd burst. The new style plugs don't since they have built-in current limiters. The Delco 60Gs (actually reboxed and made by Beru) or the Wellmans are worlds better than the older original plugs.

In regard to diesels being easy to work on? I'll argue that. You need some special tools to check, adjust, or repair the fuel injectors, the fuel advance on the fuel injection pump, etc. Detailed repair information for the Stanadyne injection pump is not for sale to the general public - only for registered repair people. And - although many people with gas engine experience work on carburetors and distributors, how many take apart fuel injection pumps and repair them properly? Not many. How many mechanics own a timing light diesel pulse adapter for checking timing advance? Or, how many own a diesel injector tester? Swelled glow-plug extractor? Etc.

I think the 6.2 is often described as being simple because certain components are unitized - but they are ALL still there and more esoteric. It is every bit as complicated as a gas engine - and in some ways, more so.
 
If the injection pump is giving you trouble, you remove it, get it rebuilt, and reinstall. Feed it good lubricated and filtered fuel, and it will last a long time. Not too pricey to rebuild the glow plug system, and again, a properly functioning system that has not been hacked and rigged together will give you a good life of service. If you end up buying, and need some engine parts, let me know.
 
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