6.2 Chevy motor?

[crash9]

Pickup trucks come in handy – right? I need one – right? OK – I just want one, but it’s got to be an old beater. Wouldn’t want to make folks think I’d spend serious money on a truck to haul stuff in.
So I’m looking at an 86’ (a little to new for my tastes) long bed Chevy with the 6.2 diesel. It started out as a county vehicle, so it’s never left AZ and I’d assume had a pretty solid maintenance program. Starts right up and seems to have less blow by than my 240D. I don’t know if it’s 188,800 or 288,800 but the motor seems strong, and I typically get much more mileage out of vehicles than they are known for. An engine rebuilder has told me that the 6.2 is a long lasting motor, but when I get on the truck forums they’re talking about IP’s going at 100,000 and motors at 200,000. That’s not ½ of what I’d call long lasting. My gut instinct is that it’s just fine for runs to the dump, lumber yard, gravel pit, and trailering my collection back and forth to their respective shops, but I’d like a perspective from you guys, if you're familiar with the motor.
Thanks in advance

[boneheaddoctor]

A county vehicle will have maintenance records you could call and get or at least inquire about. That will give you milage.

My truck was ex-county, had documented 67,000 miles when I bought it. Fire dept had it.

paint a line across the Harmonic balancer, inner and outerparts seperate and rotate, thats what causes failure on most of these. IP is cheap for rebuilt ones. I would replace the balancer with a white line painted across the middle, thats what I did. These can go well over 200,000 if properly maintained. Not a powerhouse but a economicle motor.

I have had over 4 ton of dirt in mine (3 feet over the sides of the 8' bed of heavy clay) and except for it dragging its tail for being seriously overloaded it pulled it effortlessly.

[crash9]

Thanks – Now (if you’ve got the time) could you give me a grade school explanation for what the white line is for and exactly what we’re doing here? Does this really mean the lower end is weak? I’ve heard the term harmonic balancer, but am not completely clear on why you’d want to rotate it – seems like that would unbalance it? Sounds like something that could be fast, ugly, and with no warning.

[P.E.Haiges]

Crash9,

THe IP on the 6.2 Chevy ENGINE don't last 100,000, more like 40,000. But they put a part in the rebuilds that does not wear out like the original. Very few IP have not been rebuilt by now, so you may be OK. Rebuilt IP cost less than $400 if you need one.

P E H

[Pete Burton]

We had a 85 Suburban bought with about 90K on it. Sold it about 4 years later with 186K for $150 less. Motor was surprisingly strong. Replaced the water pumpand a few minor things, not bad all together. Had a diesel shop replace the IP with a rebuild, there's something on the stanadyne pump that nearly always goes, and the rebuild nails it. Not too expensive either. Design of that pump makes it less susceptable to wear from low sulfur diesel as compared to the bosch pump, according to a Stanadyne engineer I spoke to. The only real problem I had was some intermittent glow circuit problem I never completely resolved. Probably for lack of serious enough effort on my part. We had to sell it because we had 4 kids and there was no 3rd seat

[boneheaddoctor]

Originally Posted by P.E.Haiges

Crash9,

THe IP on the 6.2 Chevy ENGINE don't last 100,000, more like 40,000. But they put a part in the rebuilds that does not wear out like the original. Very few IP have not been rebuilt by now, so you may be OK. Rebuilt IP cost less than $400 if you need one.

P E H

I'll diagree with that statement...

the 5.7 that was true.....not the 6.2

The white line will let you see when the harmonic balancer fails visually, center and outside will become misaligned the white line makes it easy to see.

the pump is less durable because it has 2 plungers feeding 8 cylinders so works 4 times as hard as a MB pump that has one plunger per cylinder.......

[rwthomas1]

Many people will tell you that the GM diesels are crap that should be avoided, never should have been made, are poory designed, converted gas motors, etc. Quite simply they are incorrect. True, the GM diesel has its issues but they are largely known and easily remedied with knowledge and maintenence. As noted, watch the harmonic damper. When it goes it will allow the crank to break and sometimes even cracks the block. All the heads crack between the intake and exhaust valves. This is a non-issue in 99% of the engines as it almost never penetrates the water jacket. Even if it does there is a nifty home-repair kit that allows you to sleeve the water passages and the head is good as new. This is commonly done on rebuilt heads. I have an original injection pump in my truck with 208K. They die early from water and poor fuel. Change the fuel filters often and consider a big aftermarket filter like a Racor. Plenty of these engine go 250-300K without being opened up. For the kind of use you are planning it should serve you well. I am a member of the www.thedieselpage.com It is a paid site but well worth the $19/yr if you own a GM diesel. RT

Let's put it this way: any 6.2 chevy that is sent in for core, you get a 6.5 back... I wonder why?

As for the IP, I have NEVER seen a GM 4.3, 5.7, 6.2, or 6.5 diesel with more than 100K that does not have a rebuilt IP. And trust me, they are not an easy swap out.

[boneheaddoctor]

Originally Posted by 82-300td

Let's put it this way: any 6.2 chevy that is sent in for core, you get a 6.5 back... I wonder why?

As for the IP, I have NEVER seen a GM 4.3, 5.7, 6.2, or 6.5 diesel with more than 100K that does not have a rebuilt IP. And trust me, they are not an easy swap out.

Are ANY Injector pumps an easy swap????????????????????

[mfreborg]

I bought an '83 6.2 Suburban with 50K and sold it several years later when it was at 250K, still going strong. Sadly, the body rust would end the vehicle's life well before the engine's time was up. The seller had replaced the IP at 45K and then I replaced it again at 190K (used--$50 at salvage yard). Other than a decided lack of pulling power in hills and a couple glow plug controllers, for me it was a great cost-effective vehicle driveline-wise. On the highway I got 22 mpg (my dad's '83 2wd half ton pick up would regularly get 26-28 mpg).

[psfred]

The Stanadyne pump is more reliable than the rotarty distributor Bosch VE pump (I'm in the process of getting a rebuild done for the second time on the Volvo -- MUST use sulfur "replacement" additive or they chew up). The in-line pumps run forever.

Peter

[Tirebiter]

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

Are ANY Injector pumps an easy swap????????????????????

Yep. The MFI pump on a six cylinder Porsche is easy. One hour R&R.
Go for a pump on a turbo cat diesel in a boat's engine bay and you may never again curse the Benz pump.

[boneheaddoctor]

Originally Posted by Tirebiter

Yep. The MFI pump on a six cylinder Porsche is easy. One hour R&R.
Go for a pump on a turbo cat diesel in a boat's engine bay and you may never again curse the Benz pump.

OK, there is ONE anyway......

[rwthomas1]

82-300TD,
I have a 93 GM with the original injection pump. I have every single receipt for service for all 208K of its life. The reason the 6.2 becomes a 6.5 is the 6.2 is no longer in production. The 6.5 was its replacement and has had several upgrades to the design. Removing a Stanadyne pump is easy. Remove air cleaner or turbo intake pipe, 6 bolts and 1 clamp. Remove intake manifold, I think its 12 bolts. Intake is not connected to coolant system so that doesn't have to be drained. Remove the 4 upper injector lines completely. The lower lines may simply be detached from the pump and left hanging. Remove oil filler and index crankshaft to remove pump timing gear bolts through access hole. Remove 3 pump retaining nuts, two fuel lines, unclip accelerator cable and CC cable, stop solenoid wire and the pump is in your hands. I have done it in under 2 hours while drinking beer. Its really quite straightforward. Oh yeah, this is on other GM's, not mine! RT

[crash9]

Well I bought that truck and am now going through the initial paranoia of not knowing the quirks. This breaking crank business has me a little jumpy; especially, as I’ve read that the damage gets done when people continue to drive with the crank broken! What! I’m not that familiar, but wouldn’t it be shaking pretty wildly – even when under no load? When this thing drops into OD there does seem to be a little more of a shake and a more pronounced rattle, but I would think if there were a problem it would not be something you’d just wonder about.
This ain’t no Merc – seems to be almost idling at 55 in OD – I would think that not keeping it wound up a little more would be putting to much load on it. I’d be afraid to have this thing in the OD on any kind of incline. Just seems like it’s lugging too much, and I can see how that could break the tranny and load up the engine.
The only way I can really get a feel for the motor is when the hoods up and under no load. It seems smooth and doesn’t knock as it’s revved – Wouldn’t I get some shaking if there were any crank issues?