6.2 questions. Diesel owners me pick your brain good

[Stomis]

I am strongly considering a 6.2 detroit swap for my s10 project.

My reasoning:

1)Fully mechanical. Advantages to water crossings and wiring simplicity.
2)Cheap and reliable. I would love to use a 4bt but the prices are ridiculous.
3)Good torque and fuel mileage

I'm very aware that this motor wont make the truck a hotrod, thats not what I'm after. I am curious as to how a 6.2 diesel truck drives. When people say they are slow how slow are we talking? I mean my girlfriends corolla is slow but its not like suzuki samurai slow for example.

Now other than the drive-ability issue my other question is regarding where the motor is sourced from. I've read some places to stay the hell away from 82-83 motors. Then I've read to stay away from any motor that didnt have serpentine accessories stock (not because of the v belts on older motors but rather some change that was made at the same time).

Please shed some light as to the common problems with these motors. Headgaskets I've heard of. I plan to tear down the motor I get and rebuild it using ARP head studs and a J code intake manifold.

Please share guys

 

[tRustyK5]

They're not that slow, and with a manual trans they can be peppy. Think 305...I had no complaints with my 81 that was one ton and running 40's.

The only thing about the 82 Red Block is it has coarse thread injectors. Other than that I haven't heard a reason to stay away.

Why the big hard on for serp? Very hard to find a 6.2 with the serp stuff, and the V belts work just fine. No special change to the rest of the motor when they went serp, other than I think the WP turns the other way.

I went with ARP studs when I did the head gaskets on the '83 pick-up. I highly recomend that as the stock TTY head bolts are a problem.

Rene

 

[yellowK20]

If you are dead set on Serp you could use later model 6.5 stuff

 

[Stomis]

No I'm not set on serp at all. Some article I read basically said that when they switched to serp there was some other change in the motor and to use serp belts as an external sign of the internal change.

Thats good to know. I prefer the smaller multi belt serp or v belt stuff.

Think 305 makes me happy. Thats not my idea of slow at all.

 

[yellowK20]

Just re-read your post again, theres no reason to stay away from any of the 6.2 's except for the reason Rene pointed out and that s just the heads the motor is stone cold reliable in stock and slightly modded form when not abused.


The head gasket issue is usually caused by driver abuse ( over heating do to overloading and or poor maintenance) ARP studs are good insurance if your gonna rebuild the engine if not run it until you have an issue and then add them .

As Rene said there not a hot rod but they are respectable I'd rather have a stock 6.2 than a stock TBI 305

 

[Stomis]

Just re-read your post again, theres no reason to stay away from any of the 6.2 's except for the reason Rene pointed out and that s just the heads the motor is stone cold reliable in stock and slightly modded form when not abused.


The head gasket issue is usually caused by driver abuse ( over heating do to overloading and or poor maintenance) ARP studs are good insurance if your gonna rebuild the engine if not run it until you have an issue and then add them .

As Rene said there not a hot rod but they are respectable I'd rather have a stock 6.2 than a stock TBI 305

Alright thats good to know. The rest of the diesel world really bashes the 6.2s

What should I pay for a 6.2?

O and does anyone know what the emissions concerns are repowering to a diesel? I really want to get the J manifold with no EGR, just one less thing to wire.

 

[yellowK20]

Can't help you on the emissions its a state by state thing, as for cost I think your best bet would be to find a donor rig

a good source would be a CUCV-1009 military Blazer you would have to buy a 12volt starter for it but there usually fairly low miles and you would have all the accessory drives and everything right there

 

[KirsL]

For tons of info on the 6.2/6.5 check out www.thedieselpage.com
Lots of nice people are there, similar to the group on this site.

The 82 blocks are actually better since they have a higher nickel content which makes them a little stronger then the later year motors. From 83-92 all the blocks are pretty much the same expect they changed between a one piece rear main seal and a two piece rear main seal. I cant remember which was first at the moment. Once you get into the 6.5 era though things change more often, but those all have electronic pumps which would need to be swapped out. Which is doable but adds to the cost of the repower.

As far as emissions, there isn't any emission testing on diesel powered vehicles under 18000lbs here in jersey. Talk to Mike(84cucv) he probably has some engines laying around.

The rest of the diesel world bashes on the 6.2/6.5 because they either misused the engine or are just telling things they heard from friend of a friend of a friend kinda deal. These engines were never intended to be used in the same manner as a B-series cummins is. They were built to give 350 like power with much greater fuel mileage. Now they can tow and well, but within reason.

 

[Stomis]

For tons of info on the 6.2/6.5 check out www.thedieselpage.com
Lots of nice people are there, similar to the group on this site.

The 82 blocks are actually better since they have a higher nickel content which makes them a little stronger then the later year motors. From 83-92 all the blocks are pretty much the same expect they changed between a one piece rear main seal and a two piece rear main seal. I cant remember which was first at the moment. Once you get into the 6.5 era though things change more often, but those all have electronic pumps which would need to be swapped out. Which is doable but adds to the cost of the repower.

As far as emissions, there isn't any emission testing on diesel powered vehicles under 18000lbs here in jersey. Talk to Mike(84cucv) he probably has some engines laying around.

The rest of the diesel world bashes on the 6.2/6.5 because they either misused the engine or are just telling things they heard from friend of a friend of a friend kinda deal. These engines were never intended to be used in the same manner as a B-series cummins is. They were built to give 350 like power with much greater fuel mileage. Now they can tow and well, but within reason.

Alright man thank you. And yeah once I have a place to throw the motor I'm gonna call mike up. I know hes gotta have one kickin around.

 

[Stomis]

O so do you just go to the inspection station, they saftey you, and slap a sticker on it?

 

[Corey 78K5]

The rest of the diesel world bashes on the 6.2/6.5 because they either misused the engine or are just telling things they heard from friend of a friend of a friend kinda deal. These engines were never intended to be used in the same manner as a B-series cummins is. They were built to give 350 like power with much greater fuel mileage. Now they can tow and well, but within reason.

Very well said.
One thing to look for on the 6.2/6.5 block when buying a used engine is to check the outer starter bolt hole. Not using a starter brace or over tightening the bolt can crack the area of the block there. I have seen it on a few of them.

 

[82355]

They are not a Detroit Diesel.

Martin

 

[diesel4me]

I'd say my 6.2 has more guts than a carbed 305 would,though it might not have the same blazing acceleration off the line as one,I'm sure it has much more low end torque than one,and in an S-10,I bet a 6.2 will make it fly right along!..you might need a beefier rear axle than the stock one,if my 6.2 can spin the tires taking off in a 6,000 lb 3/4 ton 4x4,I'd think in an S-10 weighing half as much it'll have no trouble peling rubber....mileage will be in the 20's too!..

 

[Stomis]

They are not a Detroit Diesel.

Martin

Arguable. Are they detroit by traditional design? No

But are they designed and partially produced by Detroit Diesel? Yes

I'd say my 6.2 has more guts than a carbed 305 would,though it might not have the same blazing acceleration off the line as one,I'm sure it has much more low end torque than one,and in an S-10,I bet a 6.2 will make it fly right along!..you might need a beefier rear axle than the stock one,if my 6.2 can spin the tires taking off in a 6,000 lb 3/4 ton 4x4,I'd think in an S-10 weighing half as much it'll have no trouble peling rubber....mileage will be in the 20's too!..

O absolutely. This isnt just a repower project. Gonna be a solid axle swap, auto to manual swap, fullsize tcase swap, and a repower

Will be 6.2 Diesel/late model nv3500/241 SYE tcase/v6 toyota rears front and rear.

 

[82355]

Arguable. Are they detroit by traditional design? No

But are they designed and partially produced by Detroit Diesel? Yes

That is all fine and dandy. Go to your local Detroit Diesel Distributor and see if they can get you any parts for one.

Martin

 

[Stomis]

That is all fine and dandy. Go to your local Detroit Diesel Distributor and see if they can get you any parts for one.

Martin

K this just in I really dont care.

It was designed by detroit for GM when GM owned a large portion of Detroit. I honestly couldnt care if you cant get parts for it at a detroit distributor.

Troll on somewhere else.

 

[Corey 78K5]

No need for that Stomis. He was just making a point. He wasn't trolling.

 

[82355]

I am not trolling. Neither a 6.2 or a 6.5 is a Detroit Diesel.

Early Series 60 Detroit Diesels had blocks and gear cases cast by John Deere. They have JDFW (John Deere Foundry Works) casting marks all over them. Does that make a Series 60 Detroit a John Deere engine???

Martin

 

[Stomis]

I am not trolling. Neither a 6.2 or a 6.5 is a Detroit Diesel.

Early Series 60 Detroit Diesels had blocks and gear cases cast by John Deere. They have JDFW (John Deere Foundry Works) casting marks all over them. Does that make a Series 60 Detroit a John Deere engine???

Martin

I feel like thats not the same scenario at all.

Detroit designed the 6.2/6.5 for GM. GM manufactured it. So based on your comparison that would make the 6.2 a detroit no matter who its manufactured by. A huge part of GM's are made in mexico. Does that make them a Mexican car? NO.

The point is I really dont care either way. I dont care if it was made by nazis in WWII and manufactured by 6 armed aliens on the moon its not the point.

 

[82355]

How is it a different scenario? One company had another company make them engine parts. It would be different if they bought the engines from Detroit. They didn't. Like a Cummins in a Dodge, or an International in a Ford.

Detroit built them to GM's specs, which weren't on par with what Detroit wanted them built as, so they want nothing to do with them. You can get parts for an 8.2 Liter Detroit that GM used in their medium duty trucks from a Detroit Diesel distributor. You can't get 6.2 or 6.5 parts.

Martin