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The DSPRO budget Blazer build

I've begun taking apart the new engine. It's all red (is that Original paint?), and appears to have a J-code manifold already on it! So now I have 2, hehehe. OOPS.

Anyhow, this engine says 1981 on the block, and has a spin on fuel filter mounted to the manifold. I read that J-codes came in 3/4 ton and 1 ton pickups, so that's what this must have come out of.

Here's the top view of the new engine:

15199263429_f9bc71052f_c.jpg


Gasket looked nice, and had the correct port-covering.

15199510750_c8c53ef235_c.jpg


15199719588_4616a76658_c.jpg


Should I keep the spin on here, or move it to the firewall? Seem like it might be hard to get to here.

15199572749_67543111c2_c.jpg


Also, the C code has this thin flywheel:

15199645270_525286f582_z.jpg


And the J has this big thick one:

15386018982_b3f128e6dd_z.jpg


Which one should I use?

Research suggests this is a 660 "Red Block," which is rumored to be of slightly better material than the black blocks...

15386022882_a22792c29e_c.jpg
 
The thin one is a flex plate for an automatic. The thick one is a flywheel for a manual trans. That should make the choice for you.

The red block is good. Only oddball thing on those is the injectors are coarse thread, unlike every other year of 6.2 which had fine thread.

Do yourself a favor and compare the gaskets to the manifold itself, if yours is anything like mine you might want to spend some time port matching. My ports were small, and didn't match the gaskets by a fair bit. Some ports got opened up almost 1/4".
 
yes if you can easy and correctly move the second spin on filter to the fire wall . as there hard to get to on the back of the intake from what I have read by others.
 
The torque converter is an Oregon converter built unit. That's who my guy works for. Solid units.
On another note Ryan. PM me your number. We'll swap digits and if you need any assistance or parts in the near future call me.
 
First, welcome to the Diesel club! 6.2 engines are pretty neat, in my own biased opinion. Great to see another diesel build! :thumb:


Second, Red = 1982 model year (first year of production).

Third, secondary spin-off filters like the one you have on your new engine were used on '82 & '83 trucks. Installed in stock location they are a pain to get to. I found it fastest to remove the fuel lines and mounting bolts and take the assembly out, change the filter element, and then reinstall the assembly. I ended up ditching it when I swapped to a 6.5 intake manifold (bolt holes in wrong place). The engine's donor truck would have originally come with a larger spin-on primary filter connected to the suction side of the fuel pump (secondary is downstream). It would have been mounted on the firewall like your current box filter is. Box filters (1984 and forward) have 4 individual sealing points (IIRC) and a bad rap for leaking. :doah: Might be worth swapping out while you have the fuel system apart. You could use just your secondary filter or you could add another spin-on filter like this one.


Fourth, I am in the process of swapping in an NV4500 on my rig. If you're going with the auto I would be willing to buy that manual flywheel if you can get it shipped to the Midwest cheaply. :whistle:


Congratulations on your rig! Looks like a great build!
 
First, welcome to the Diesel club! 6.2 engines are pretty neat, in my own biased opinion. Great to see another diesel build! :thumb:


Second, Red = 1982 model year (first year of production).

Third, secondary spin-off filters like the one you have on your new engine were used on '82 & '83 trucks. Installed in stock location they are a pain to get to. I found it fastest to remove the fuel lines and mounting bolts and take the assembly out, change the filter element, and then reinstall the assembly. I ended up ditching it when I swapped to a 6.5 intake manifold (bolt holes in wrong place). The engine's donor truck would have originally come with a larger spin-on primary filter connected to the suction side of the fuel pump (secondary is downstream). It would have been mounted on the firewall like your current box filter is. Box filters (1984 and forward) have 4 individual sealing points (IIRC) and a bad rap for leaking. :doah: Might be worth swapping out while you have the fuel system apart. You could use just your secondary filter or you could add another spin-on filter like this one.


Fourth, I am in the process of swapping in an NV4500 on my rig. If you're going with the auto I would be willing to buy that manual flywheel if you can get it shipped to the Midwest cheaply. :whistle:


Congratulations on your rig! Looks like a great build!

Thanks! I have a NAPA spin-on separator/filter for the firewall that uses the 3123 filters. Do I need and primary AND a secondary, or is that one enough?

I'm not sure what it'd cost to ship that thing, it weighs a ton. I can get a quote, but I'd imagine it'd be like $30-$50 UPS?
 
Thanks! I have a NAPA spin-on separator/filter for the firewall that uses the 3123 filters. Do I need and primary AND a secondary, or is that one enough?

This is somewhat discretionary. The 1984+ trucks use a single 10-micron filter and survive just fine. The primary filter on my '83 is a 10-micron, and the secondary is 2-micron, IIRC (Checked Autozone for the first 2 numbers, for some reason I'm not able to check the third :dunno:). So most 6.2 trucks are running on a single filter and I've not heard of any ill effects. That was my justification for ditching my secondary filter, rather than fabbing up the bracket that would have been required when I performed my manifold swap. So I'm running a single 10-micron filter on my firewall, and I believe that to be equivalent to the box filters that newer trucks run, except for lacking the heater element for cold starts (and my truck hasn't had any problems yet, even up in the Northwoods).

I'm not sure what it'd cost to ship that thing, it weighs a ton. I can get a quote, but I'd imagine it'd be like $30-$50 UPS?

What would you want for purchase price? If it's cheap enough (compared to the $140 that Autozone wants for a new unit) I'd be willing to risk getting a used one (that may have to be machined down). Shipping is to 49848
 
I've ordered the Gasket through NAPA, due wednesday. I've also moved the starter, alternator and a few other bits over to the new motor. I purchased oil (Rotella T as suggested here on the forum) and new oil and fuel filters.

$568 - $80 For filters/oil/Gasket/misc at NAPA.

$488 Remaining

Oh and seat covers from Fred Meyers for $23.

$465.
 
I'm liking the budget tracking. If I tried that with mine now it would look like a dried up well cause the hole I dug is so deep
 
I'm liking the budget tracking. If I tried that with mine now it would look like a dried up well cause the hole I dug is so deep

I second that. Mine looked less like a budget list and more like a 'might as well' list which isn't always a bad thing, but a budgeted build helps keep you on track and prioritize what absolutely MUST be done.
 
I've ordered the Gasket through NAPA, due wednesday. I've also moved the starter, alternator and a few other bits over to the new motor. I purchased oil (Rotella T as suggested here on the forum) and new oil and fuel filters.

If you walk into Autozone and ask for a replacement starter (when yours eventually goes), you will find they offer 2 (or 4) styles of starter for this engine. A geared-style (AC Delco MT-28) and an ungeared-style (AC Delco MT-27). These trucks came with MT-27 starters (the gear-reduction style didn't come out until later), but the MT-28 will crank a cold engine quite a bit faster than the MT-27. Not sure which one(s) you have, but definitely worth remembering when your starter burns out (or you're having trouble starting in the wintertime).

And don't be surprised if the guy in Autozone has no idea what you're talking about when you ask for an MT-28. Just tell him you want a starter from a 6.5L engine (they only came with the newer style, so you're guaranteed to wind up with the gear-reduction starter).

Or you could do as I did and ask for the year-specific starter...and get handed a box with a little card detailing the different "interchangeable" styles of starter that they stock. I happened to get the newer style, quite by accident! :)

Whichever one you run, make sure you have and use a correct support bracket. Lifespan can be pretty short without one (and sometimes bad failure modes pop up as well).
 
If you walk into Autozone and ask for a replacement starter (when yours eventually goes), you will find they offer 2 (or 4) styles of starter for this engine. A geared-style (AC Delco MT-28) and an ungeared-style (AC Delco MT-27). These trucks came with MT-27 starters (the gear-reduction style didn't come out until later), but the MT-28 will crank a cold engine quite a bit faster than the MT-27. Not sure which one(s) you have, but definitely worth remembering when your starter burns out (or you're having trouble starting in the wintertime).

And don't be surprised if the guy in Autozone has no idea what you're talking about when you ask for an MT-28. Just tell him you want a starter from a 6.5L engine (they only came with the newer style, so you're guaranteed to wind up with the gear-reduction starter).

Or you could do as I did and ask for the year-specific starter...and get handed a box with a little card detailing the different "interchangeable" styles of starter that they stock. I happened to get the newer style, quite by accident! :)

Whichever one you run, make sure you have and use a correct support bracket. Lifespan can be pretty short without one (and sometimes bad failure modes pop up as well).

Thank's for the tips!

I like having the budget to stick too, as it keeps me from getting carried away. My father-in-law gave me some BMW wheels and tires he didnt want. Sold those on CL, as well as some other junk, and the Blazer fund just got a little bump!

$468+$392 CL sales of superfluous crap = $860
 
I broke the green plastic clip at the end of my TV cable, as seen in this picture:

TVCableInfo1.jpg


Can this be purchased/replaced on it's own, or am I buying a whole new TV cable?
 
Reckon you could get a new clip off a cable at the junk yard and then either cable barrel it on or silver solder a new end on.
 
Spent $56 at Napa.

$804.

I ordered a new TV Cable since my local pick-n-pull didnt have the piece I needed.
 
I spent most of today putting the engine in the truck. I got the mounts tightened, tranny connected to motor,exhaust hooked up, belts tight, all the oil lines, power steering, AC, and just about everything else other than electrical.

I also discovered that if you plan to change your TV cable, drain your tranny first! Quite the mess- I got about 1/3 of it in a bucket. :)

I might need some help plugging in wires. I'm guessing with the emissions stuff removed I'll have a few loose ends.

15374439168_4fcde04333_z.jpg


15373978109_31dbbde0ce_z.jpg
 
I spent most of today putting the engine in the truck. I got the mounts tightened, tranny connected to motor,exhaust hooked up, belts tight, all the oil lines, power steering, AC, and just about everything else other than electrical.

I also discovered that if you plan to change your TV cable, drain your tranny first! Quite the mess- I got about 1/3 of it in a bucket. :)

I might need some help plugging in wires. I'm guessing with the emissions stuff removed I'll have a few loose ends.

Well done! Lookin' great! :waytogo:

As for loose ends, you should have two connectors above the driver-side exhaust manifold left over from the vacuum actuators. And the wiring for the box-filter on the firewall if you don't reuse it. Other than that, the 6.2 doesn't start with very many wires, so you shouldn't have much left over. :thumb:
 
Those red engines...

Great thread! Thanks for posting. The red-painted engines were only made the first year of 6.2 production, as noted. They are the most economical version of the 6.2 family since the prechambers are configured specifically for economy. The Diesel Place has some good info on different prechambers, but you have to dig to find it. Since your engine was in a manual truck, and had a non-EGR manifold, it was probably in a 3/4-ton special-order or a one-ton originally. All the 1/2-ton '82 red engines were EGR. You really should change the crankshaft damper before you ever run that engine -- a bad damper is very likely what caused the failure in the engine you just pulled. You can get away with a Dorman #594-128 if you change it every 50K miles or so, but a Fluidampr #800191 is a one-time purchase. You'll break a main web sooner or later if you don't effectively dampen the nose of that crank. Again, fantastic thread; makes me want to get my daily driver Jimmy fixed up before my boy starts to drive.
 
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That Fluidamper is sweet, but out of my budget right now. I gave the Balancer a good inspection on this 'new' motor, so hopefully she holds up for a while until I can afford an upgrade.

I hooked up more electrical last night, and turned the key. Systems powered up, which is good! I also put oil and coolant back in it and turned the engine over a few times. I appear to have a small coolant leak at the back of the engine, coming from a small tapped pipe-fitting thing that some little tube line screws into. Probably loose.

I'm going to perform a fuel system/air bleed when I next have free time, then see if it starts!
 

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