Are the 300SD's Pure Diesel Engines!?
 

Well I noticed that my dad's chevy pick up is a gasoline Engine transformed into a diesel. I guess to cut cost.

But I am wondering if my OM617 was built from the ground up?

Probably was, just wondering....

Yes, OM617 is descended from OM616, OM615, OM621 and other diesels.

Yes, it was. :)

and what motor would that be?

the 6.2 and the 6.5 are designed and built by detroit deisel and share NO parts with a gasolene engine. And contrary to popular opinion the 5.7 diesel wasn't a gasolene to diesel conversion.

Ha dont be to fooled. My father has an 87 6.2 L and it is very much converted. You can see right away. I think thats why they don't last as long...

Detroit (my apologies to Michigan)
 

You must always remember ...Detroit's Q.C. is the CONSUMER.
They'll put ANY excrement on the road , if some fool will buy it!

Engineers ...IN AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE Pursuits ????????????
"might as well dis-CUSS MILITARY INTELLIGENCE!

#2 Detroit has not the savy to produce an automotive DIESEL
#2a The Seven Sisters loose out if We go Diesel.

We can almost say that for any American Company. ;)

General Motors is the main reason that diesel engines have a "bad" reputation amongst the general public in the US.

In the late 70s/early 80s when Mercedes and VW diesels were getting popular here, and VERY popular elsewhere in the world, GM wanted to jump on the bandwagon. In their rush introduce diesel-engined cars to compete with MB, VW, and others, they produced some poorly engineered and weakly built models which WERE basically conversions using a beefed-up version of the existing GM gasoline-burning small block V-8 engine design. Certain components of these engines were not adequate for the forces inherent in a diesel engine, and also many US customers, repair shops, and car dealers did not know how to maintain diesel engines. Subsequently most of them didn't last very long.

Click on the link below and scroll down a bit...there's two different articles on the "Oldsmobile 350 Diesel".

http://popularhotrodding.com/features/0408phr_worst/

This ended up being such a fiasco for GM that it badly tainted the "average American's" perception of diesel-engined cars, and this negative image persists in the minds of many people to the present day.

We'd probably have a LOT more diesel-engined cars in the US if it weren't for this huge blunder by General Motors. Fortunately the negative perception that it caused here didn't reach Europe and elsewhere in the world.

I think I remember reading that nearly 50% of the cars on the road in Europe are diesels....The percentages are high in Australia, Japan, and most of the Middle East as well.

Hopefully they will become more commonly embraced in the US eventually. With fuel prices being what they are lately, that process might be sped up a bit.

Mike

What looks converted?
 

What is it about the 6.2L engine that makes you say that it looks converted? I'm not an expert on GM diesels by any means, but the only engines I was aware of that were based on gasoline engines were the earlier Olds and Caddy 350 diesels.

SteveM

The 6.2 was a "from the ground up" diesel - but it has amazingly poor power output. As recall the 6.2 GM Diesel put put less power AND torque than the 3.0 liter 617 Turbodiesel!!!

I've driven a Chevy Suburban with a 6.2 Diesel - it kind of reminded my of a 240D automatic on a cold morning.

I'd love to have a 1996/97 Cummins diesel Dodge truck, but they are holding too much resale value for me.

Considering the 1984 GMC 6.2 diesels. Am I better off just getting a 350 gas GM?

Ken300D

Yup, the only gaso-converted-to-dsl attempt by GM was the 350 cid in the 80ish era. Also used in that era in Chev trucks.

Ken,
It's kind of funny. A couple of guys will be talking. One will say something about his diesel truck, and the other guy will ask "Ford or Dodge". Chevy isn't even considered, and that's as it should be...

**edit** I'm sure someone will rave about his random chevy diesel being so reliable and long lasting, but like Volvo diesels, that is the exception, certainly not the rule...

Was there also an Olds 4.3 V6 diesel? Was it converted or engineered?

Yeah right just like the power stroke is.

I have one and there isn't a damn part except maybe some bolts that will fit any other GM engine. I am a LONG TIME GM guy, going back 30 years.

You are blowing smoke on this one.

With routine maintenance these last just about as long.

What kills them are harmonic balancers that go bad and are not replaced when they should be.

Their IP's are not as long lived as soem but they are cheap to get rebuilt.

AND they are not subject to the cavitation related failure the powerstroke is famous for, AND the parts are nowwhere near as expensive. I will not argue they are the best out there but they are nowhere near what YOU are trying to paint them as.