6.2 diesel question?

[hidesertwheelin]

I am looking at a 85' Suburban witha 6.2 diesel in it as a tow vehical. I don't know anything about diesels . How many miles do they last? What problems should I look for? How much are they to replace? Thanks for any help.

 

[adamforsythe]

If the engines are taking care of I know the 7.3L, 6.9L and 6.0L Ford diesel engine can last from 300,000 - 500,000 miles. The same goes for the 6.2L if it has been taken care of.
Thanks
Adam

 

[velocitiii]

You might want to read up on the 6.2 a little more on the diesel section before you drop those coins. The 6.2 isn't a "real" diesel in that it is basically a modified small block. They don't seem to hold up as well as the other engines designed as diesels to begin with.

 

[adamforsythe]

Hello,
This is true. The 6.2L is not a very good engine. BUT I have seen more then 1 6.2L with over 300,000 miles on it and it was still going strong.
Thanks
ADam

 

[u2slow]

The 6.2L is a real diesel - it just isn't a PSD or a Cummins.

I'm happy with mine. IMO, it tows as well as a 350, just not as quickly.

Decide what you're going to do mostly. The 1/2-ton with the OD will get great economy when you're running empty, at the cost of towing capacity. The 3/4-tons usually don't have OD but the axle gearing are brakes are much more favourable for towing.

 

[jac6695]

The 6.2L is a real diesel - it just isn't a PSD or a Cummins.

I'm happy with mine. IMO, it tows as well as a 350, just not as quickly.

Decide what you're going to do mostly. The 1/2-ton with the OD will get great economy when you're running empty, at the cost of towing capacity. The 3/4-tons usually don't have OD but the axle gearing are brakes are much more favourable for towing.

Exactly. The 6.2 is NOT based off of a "modified" small block. It was designed as a diesel and will last a long time if taken care of. Read some of the posts in the diesel forum here. You can easily get more power out of a 6.2, and have quite a bit more power then a 350, and will do a decent job towing anything that a Sub can handle.

 

[tRustyK5]

You might want to read up on the 6.2 a little more on the diesel section before you drop those coins. The 6.2 isn't a "real" diesel in that it is basically a modified small block. They don't seem to hold up as well as the other engines designed as diesels to begin with.

Amazing how that myth persists...

The 5.7 is the diesel engine you're thinking of and was based on the Oldsmobile 350 at the time. They did modify the block, but as you know the motor still had a lot of problems (although some did run for quite a while)

The 6.2 was designed and built for GM by Detroit diesel...from the ground up.

For towing I think the 6.2 could be decent as long as it was geared low enough like the 3/4 and one tons were. A 1/2 ton with high gears and OD tranny is probably going to be a poor choice. The 6.2 doesn't mind revving...

Rene