Well, I bought my first diesel

[tRustyK5]

Meh, just bump the timing a bit and she'll sound just like a CTD.

The 6.2 in my Jimmy is loud, probably should back the timing off a hair. The 6.2 in the 83 1/2 ton isn't as loud...

Rene

 

[Russell]

Is it worth my time to change out the factory air box? That seems like a really tiny hole for such a big engine, lol

I was thinking of maybe extending the studs for the air cleaner, and flipping the lid like a guy does on a gasser. Does anyone sell an actual open element air cleaner for a 6.2?

Next question is about propane injection, if I were to get the tank and stuff from a propane K5, could I just put a tighter regulator on the line, and put it on a switch to help on bigger hills? Are there legality concerns with propane injection?

 

[tRustyK5]

I carved a factory air cleaner to make an open element assembly. I initially did it to try and help it pass the E-test here (more air=less smoke)

I have to say...it's damn loud!!!!

There is the silencer assembly you could chuck and run a 4" flex tube from the rad support to the air cleaner. That'd be a touch louder but should flow a bit more air.

Dunno on the propane...honestly aside from doing a turbo I don't see the value in some of the other power adders for a 6.2. It was just not built to make 10 billion hp like the CTD's and other newer diesels.

In your shoes I'd drive it NA first and at least make a more experience related decision on the power level before making all these plans. You might be surprised how it is in stock form...or at the very least have a good baseline to start with.

I'm very happy with both my 6.2's when it comes to power...and both are NA. The '83 is so stock it's ridiculous, and the 6.2 in my '81 Jimmy has been twiddled with a little. I port matched the intake and bumped the timing a hair on the '81. Better flowing exhaust for both of them is high on the 'next mod' list though.

Rene

 

[imiceman44]

Is it worth my time to change out the factory air box? That seems like a really tiny hole for such a big engine, lol

I was thinking of maybe extending the studs for the air cleaner, and flipping the lid like a guy does on a gasser. Does anyone sell an actual open element air cleaner for a 6.2?

Next question is about propane injection, if I were to get the tank and stuff from a propane K5, could I just put a tighter regulator on the line, and put it on a switch to help on bigger hills? Are there legality concerns with propane injection?

Propane on a N/A 6.2 will work but you need less than 5 PSI of flow and only when at WOT it gives some good power for hills but you don't want to have any Propane flowing when you are part throtle, you will notice right away the engine pinging the valves clattering, you could kill the engine if you keep using it like that.
I'd say use it as is first like Rene said give it some time before you start adding power.

 

[Russell]

I'm just doing research right now, I was planning on doing the lid flip right away since it is a free "upgrade", but if it is going to make it super noisy, I just might have to figure out something else...

If I did run propane, I'd put an electric solenoid into the gas flow line, and use a TH400 kickdown switch on the gas pedal so it opens up only at WOT. I have noticed that the truck pours out a fair bit of black smoke at WOT, so that was the reason I was thinking that propane would be good, kinda get the EGTs down, and make sure I'm burning all the fuel that is going into the engine. I also figured that opening up the air cleaner would probally help with that problem as well...

Exhaust is already good stuff, dual 2.5" pipes with an H-pipe crossover, but I think I'm going to replace the mufflers with a set of straight through style Flo Pros, Aerochambers or something instead of the stock style Midas mufflers it has right now.

 

[imiceman44]

I'm just doing research right now, I was planning on doing the lid flip right away since it is a free "upgrade", but if it is going to make it super noisy, I just might have to figure out something else...

If I did run propane, I'd put an electric solenoid into the gas flow line, and use a TH400 kickdown switch on the gas pedal so it opens up only at WOT. I have noticed that the truck pours out a fair bit of black smoke at WOT, so that was the reason I was thinking that propane would be good, kinda get the EGTs down, and make sure I'm burning all the fuel that is going into the engine. I also figured that opening up the air cleaner would probally help with that problem as well...

Exhaust is already good stuff, dual 2.5" pipes with an H-pipe crossover, but I think I'm going to replace the mufflers with a set of straight through style Flo Pros, Aerochambers or something instead of the stock style Midas mufflers it has right now.

Opening up the airflow would definitely help with the black smoke although that also means too much fuel.
The propane will help get a better burn, and the th400 kick down switch is a good way of controling the on off solenoid.
One good way of getting more air in i you can make it work is getting the tall 6" air filters.
Or if you can make dual openings on your air cleaner housing instead of the one

 

[Russell]

Well, I changed the air-filter out, and dang! That old one looked ok, but the black smoke is gone, and it revs 3x faster, lol

Got the transmission all buttoned up, I've got 4 gears, but my TV adjustment is way out, and it needs more fluid... Bangs through all 3 gears right away, and bogs the whole way up to 45 where it hits O/D. TV pressure is way too low, which is strange, cause I know the TV cable is as tight as it gets right now... Gotta shorten the linkages or something.

Once I get it figured out, I'm thinking I might start daily driving the thing for a while. Gas just got crazy expensive here again, diesel is literally 25 - 30% cheaper, and the 6.2L will get better mileage than my current DD.... At least until diesel gets expensive again, then I'll go back to my 96, lol

 

[tRustyK5]

The 700's behind the 6.2's do shift really early...my 83 is into third with the convertor locked by 40 km/h when driving 'normal'. It drops into OD at 58 km/h at light throttle.

Rene

 

[imiceman44]

The 700's behind the 6.2's do shift really early...my 83 is into third with the convertor locked by 40 km/h when driving 'normal'. It drops into OD at 58 km/h at light throttle.

Rene

Yeah my 6.2/700 van did the same thing, I didn't have enough experience in them at the time to know if it was normal.
The governor is set for low speed shifts and same with the TC

Sierra classic:
Make sure you have enough fluid in the tranny before you drive it hard, if it's low it will bang into gears, and you will kill the tranny.
Good to hear about the air filter.