newbie diesel question

[big83chevy4x4]

im looking at buying a 90 burb with a 6.2. he says it did run but now won't start. he thinks it is something electrical because the glowplug indicator isn't lighting up. i can get this cheap, the body is great, little rust for michigan, the only problem is the 6.2 (that i know of so far). id like to fix this up for a DD.

i know nothing about diesels, is this an easy fix? maybe a glowplug controller relay if there is one?
edumicate me.

also its a 2wd 1/2 ton with 235/75r15 tires and probably 3.08s, any idea what milage it would get?

 

[tRustyK5]

8 dead GP's, bad GP relay or bad controller. I'd start with the GP relay, just a big glorified solenoid on one fender. Mine cost me all of $15 or so. It'll pretty much never start without the glow plugs working (at least some of them anyways)

Rene

 

[big83chevy4x4]

what i found on advance auto, a relay costs $67, a GP switch is $11, and GP are $10 each. these good prices? anything else it could posibly be? i just don't wanna buy something that im gonna sink alot of money into and still not run.

 

[afroman006]

If you want just spend $7 on a plain jane ford starter solenoid and make a manual controller. Much cheaper

 

[diesel4me]

jump it...

You could simply put 12v to the side of the relay the glow plugs are hooked to using a jumper cable or wire (10 ga or thicker) for about 10 seconds,then try to start it..or use wd-40 as starting fluid,if the owner is willing to let you fool with it so you can hear it run,before buying it....

The glow plug relay should not cost much more than 20 bucks..the controller is expensive..and can be troublesome..I'd convert it to manual operation,its not too difficult..

I'd guess you could get between 16-22 mpg with a 1/2 ton 2wd with highway gears..might not win any drag races at stoplights though..better mileage than ANY gasoline motor would deliver...

If the price is cheap,I'd buy it!..my 82 K20 I got for practically its scrap value,because of similar problems after someone swapped another 6.2 in it,but didn't know squat about diesels,and could not get it to start..its been one of my best trucks to date,and its fairly rust free for its age..I think it spent most of its life in the garage waiting to be fixed,rather than driven!..

Many diesel trucks here get junked,or sold cheaply if they make the owner late for work a few times in cold weather,and the owners balk at fixing them properly due to cost,or using block heaters to help them start..wish I came across a few I saw in the junkyard before they called them to haul them away!--many of them had better than average sheet metal,and were loaded silverado's,etc.... ..

 

[big83chevy4x4]

the truck is on ebay, a little over 40 miles from me. i can't just go poking around under the hood to see if i can get it running.

but it looks like its going for more than i can afford. maybe i can get it, but my cousin told me about another 4x4 diesel truck (not sure if 1/2 or 3/4 ton) that i can get for $500 that was run out of fuel. im keeping my eyes open for a diesel i can drive everyday and haul my truck around if i have to.