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Pointers on a [DIESEL] '83 Blazer....

TheBeast_88K5

TheBeast_88K5

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I might be trading my Diesel F-250, for a Diesel '83-K5.
It's a 100K, Family-truck, survivor.

Supposedly it's unmolested, minus a 4" lift.

I just need pointers on what to look for, on an '83 Diesel.
From the sounds of it, it's just a plain old family rig.

I know about the normal truck/k5 stuff...
Like frame cracks, steering slop, modifications, etc.

I just wanna make sure there's no particular things, I need to look for... :thinking:
Like those little, "GM designed _____ screwy. So, you need to make sure it's still attached." - things.
 
check the motor out

for signs of oil leaking..i assume its non turbo (or no turbo added)

anything missing (a/c etc) Make sure it starts and runs good.. Drive it. look for signs of bogging, or over revving, in case the transmission is beat on or the motor has a knock or tick thats being covered up. Maintenance logs? added performance parts added (installed correctly)

rear end play? kid owned or adult owned? ( i know some dumb ass people that would neutral drop etc and then tell you its never been beat on)
 
since you are in cali i would make sure that all the smog stuff is there for sure.dont know what kind of inspections if any there are on diesel trucks.im guessing you wont have to worry about rust as well.id look for leaks around the injector pump and also how long it takes to start.low compression from worn engine will take more to crank up and get the compression high enough to burn the fuel.watch the exaust and see how quick the smoke clears after it starts.if it stays black or smokes a lot could be worn rings or leaky injectors.basic use the truck in all gears and transfer case in all gears and look for leaks and anything that feels worn.
 
RIPPEDK5 said:
check the motor out

for signs of oil leaking..i assume its non turbo (or no turbo added)

anything missing (a/c etc) Make sure it starts and runs good.. Drive it. look for signs of bogging, or over revving, in case the transmission is beat on or the motor has a knock or tick thats being covered up. Maintenance logs? added performance parts added (installed correctly)

rear end play? kid owned or adult owned? ( i know some dumb ass people that would neutral drop etc and then tell you its never been beat on)
Click to expand...

Makes sense...

- It's n/a (non-turbo).

- It supposedly is BONE stock, 'cept for the lift.

- I always check maintanence papers.
*If I don't see it on paper, it never happened, imo. :waytogo:
*I'm currently arguing w/ the Ford dealership, for the engine rebuild papers, on the F250.... From 2000.

- I'll check for oil leaks, but everything I own leaks oil. :haha:

- I wanna see how many owner's she's hadm for sure.... :thinking:
 
Also:

How do the 6.2's do on road trips?
Are they total dogs?

I'm gonna swap my axle's under it.
So, I'll be on 4.10's.

If I ran 33" tires, how would it tow a trailer>?
Say a 2,500lbs. one....?

I guess the easiest way to ask, is: "How do they compare to a healthy, stock 350tbi."
 
Last edited:
TheBeast_88K5 said:
Also:

How do the 6.2's do on road trips?
Are they total dogs?

I'm gonna swap my axle's under it.
So, I'll be on 4.10's.

If I ran 33" tires, how would it tow a trailer>?
Say a 2,500lbs. one....?

I guess the easiest way to ask, is: "How do they compare to a healthy, stock 350tbi."
Click to expand...

If you give me enough notice I can go with you to check it out. As for comparison, it's as good as a stock 350 but twice the mileage.
Now with a turbo added, it will be like a healthy 350, and 3 times the mileage.
It will easily pull a 2500lbs trailer.
 
imiceman44 said:
If you give me enough notice I can go with you to check it out. As for comparison, it's as good as a stock 350 but twice the mileage.
Now with a turbo added, it will be like a healthy 350, and 3 times the mileage.
Click to expand...

How bad is the mileage on your 350's? :eek1:
 
It'll honestly double the mileage of a 350, towing or not. Mine towed a 4000 lb trailer 900 miles just fine. I had issues that were unrelated to the 6.2...plugged fuel filter at one point (my fault) and a 4 month old starter that packed it in once we got here. Other than that it towed fine and averaged 16 mpg doing it.

Towing similar with my old 350 usually netted me 6-8 mpg.

Empty it averages 22-24 mpg on the highway, and about 20 in town.

Go browse the diesel forum here, lots of info and known issues to read about in there.
 
After you drive it, check for bubbles in the coolant overflow.

6.2s get stupid mileage unloaded (18-25) but mpg drops fast with any load.

Power depends ALOT on elevation with these things, to compare one here to a tbi 350, I would say 3/4 the power but twice the mileage compared to a tbi 350.
 
Thanks for the info, all around.... :D

My tbi350 gets about 10-12mpg.
I hadn't really considered mileage, but that's a huge plus.

I just want a decent, unmolested rig.

I could toss the frame braces on, do a shackle flip, swap my axles in,
and be smog free, in a nice rig.

Hopefully....
 
I love my 89 it gets about 18 mpg average, I use it to tow Horton, not so much fun but towed a Jeep the other day with it and it was a breeze. Well not a breeze but it wasn't a big deal.

4.10s with 33s oughta work well, I have 4.56s with 35s and I like it
 
Id be weary of the 700r4 if its an auto. never know what some ****head has done in the past, and theyre not overly strong when stock.
 
I'm kinda leaning toward the BTO Level 2... :thinking:

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700R4L2KCASE.JPG


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^That says "Performance oriented applications".

Would this be okay for a rig that:

- Has a stock 6.2 diesel. (will do Banks turbo, eventually.)
- Drives about 30 miles a day, city/freeway.
- Drives to the trail/wheels on weekends.
- Ocassionally, drive a couple hundred miles, on road trips.
 
TheBeast_88K5 said:
^That says "Performance oriented applications".

Would this be okay for a rig that:

- Has a stock 6.2 diesel. (will do Banks turbo, eventually.)
- Drives about 30 miles a day, city/freeway.
- Drives to the trail/wheels on weekends.
- Ocassionally, drive a couple hundred miles, on road trips.
Click to expand...

a few years back when I was having trouble with 700s in my diesel burb, I called one of the hotrod 700 builders. They said even though the trans was rated for 500ftlbs, that it was not diesel rated.

Might want to ask them about that?

I have a feeling that they just figured I was going to be trouble since I had broken 5 in 5 years.
 
Yea... I've only gotten one to it's last leg, in two years. :haha:

Obviously, I'll call and talk to them about it.
Don't even know if I'm getting the rig, for sure, yet... :D
 
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