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6.2 debate.

lonewolf90

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Was wondering why most guys on here call the 6.2 a throw away motor. I know they don't make much power but I met a couple guys that had 6.2s and they were using them in the classic class truck pulls in my town did very well the one did have a banks turbo he out pulled a ford 6.9 diesel. I think if you don't take care of any motor it will break. I know guys he threw rods in 454bb but people don't call them junk. Seen a guy blow up a 426 hemi doing a burn out at the Woodward dream cruise in Detroit. Just don't push it to its limits and it will last. :x
 

Drock

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As ah newbie to diesel engines it seems to me in comparison to say, a Cummins. The 6.2 doesn't have the same longevity, power, or durability. That being said ,so it only lasts as long as a gasser 200,000 miles rather then 400,000. Not really too bad if you look at it that way I guess.
 

m16ty

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I think the main reason people call them "throw away engines" is the same reason they also call a Cat 3208 the same. They don't have sleeves so when they wear out or score a cylinder wall, it's cheaper just to get another engine than it is to do the machine work (bore and sleeve) to rebuild it.

It would be cost effective to bore and sleeve if they were a greatly sought after engine (as the Cummins 5.9) but they're not.

They aren't bad engines, they just are what they are. They get you down the road to where you need to go but that's about it.
 

southdave

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IDI technology cool aid was drunk in the 70s and eighties.. IMHO it would have been better if they used 453 or 353 Detroit, not to mention the whole 4b thing.. GM sell car and truck and the parts that go along with it so we got CUCV. and the th400.. remember the auto trannies where still kind of crap back then.. the whole thing was a stop gap thing.. durmaxs aren't much better.. the have same issue with head gasket to turbo to cracked blocks..
 

85CUCVtom

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I think the main reason people call them "throw away engines" is the same reason they also call a Cat 3208 the same. They don't have sleeves so when they wear out or score a cylinder wall, it's cheaper just to get another engine than it is to do the machine work (bore and sleeve) to rebuild it.

It would be cost effective to bore and sleeve if they were a greatly sought after engine (as the Cummins 5.9) but they're not.

They aren't bad engines, they just are what they are. They get you down the road to where you need to go but that's about it.
With running take out motors going for $500-$800 usually, I think this really hits the nail on the head. If it has a catastrophic failure it just easier and more cost effective to drop another one in. With that said, some people have problems right away and some people never have a problem at all. I think if you treat the 6.2L for what is is and don't treat it like a drag motor you will get a long life from it. Just my 2cents
 

Recovry4x4

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It's a parent bore engine and was never designed as a powerhouse. GM equated the power to be on par with a 305 gasser, nothing more. It was designed as a fuel miser and it did it's job. There are way to many folks trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip with the power thing. Once the supply of takeouts diminishes, there will be a market for viable rebuildable cores.
As long as there is a supply of takeouts, folks will continue to scrap them.
 

lonewolf90

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I see just always wonder that. I like the 6.2 and the 6.5. I also have a 2001 7.3 power stroke good engine there but I have had my problems with that and those a million motors. Even tho my buddy has a 6.5 that has 700,000 something on it runs great. 6.2/6.5 are Detroit motors I thought the duramax was Nissan or something like that
 

85CUCVtom

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It's a parent bore engine and was never designed as a powerhouse. GM equated the power to be on par with a 305 gasser, nothing more. It was designed as a fuel miser and it did it's job. There are way to many folks trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip with the power thing. Once the supply of takeouts diminishes, there will be a market for viable rebuildable cores.
As long as there is a supply of takeouts, folks will continue to scrap them.
Exactly!
 

lonewolf90

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I'm not trying to build it up just wonder why so many people seem to hate it. I been thinking on the nv4500 swap and a turbo from banks tops for my 86 m1008. Here is the info from the ford 6.9 just seeing how much different for the same year truck and there is not much.

International Navistar
Production Years:
1983-1987 (for Ford Trucks)
Applications:
Ford F250, F350
Configuration:
V-8
Firing Order:
1-2-7-3-4-5-6-8 (stamped on intake manifold)
Block/Head:
• Cast iron engine block.
• Cast Iron heads, 7/16" head bolts.
Displacement:
420 cubic inches, 6.9 liters
Compression:
20.7:1 (1983) 21.5:1 (1984+)
Bore:
4.00 inches
Stroke:
4.18 inches
Injection:
indirect injection (IDI), mechanical, Stanadyne DB-2 rotary pump.
Aspiration:
naturally aspirated, non-turbo
Weight:
860 lbs. (approx)
Peak Horsepower:
155 - 175 HP @ 3,300 RPM depending on factory injection pump calibration. There were also seperate calibrations for high and low altitude locations.
Peak Torque:
318 lb-ft. @ 1,400 RPM
 

Skinny

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All of those 80's diesel engines are pretty close in power and reliability. I would probably lean towards the 7.3 (I guess it would have been Navistar branding at the time) in terms of best light duty diesels. Keep in mind that the Cummins is not in the same class at all. The 7.3 is still a glorified school bus engine, just about as fast as one too. All of them are great for what they are...reliability and fuel economy.

The new diesels make great power but are difficult to service in most 1 tons (ie. 3 hour belt changes, SST's required, need to remove cab), still have major issues with expensive parts, and now are getting worse fuel economy with emissions. I think you pick your engine based on your power needs and what type of durability required and go from there. Maybe you will luck out and someone makes the truck already. The 6.2 serves me just fine but I wouldn't waste money trying to make it something its not.
 

Recovry4x4

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I'm not trying to build it up just wonder why so many people seem to hate it
Easy answer here. It's because of the internet. Someone once posted that it was a converted gasser and once that was out, it was doomed. The internet and the majority of it's users never let facts get in their way to telling a story or voicing their displeasure.
 

Skinny

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I always find the "6.2 is a converted gas engine" conversation amusing. My brain immediately goes, "you suck at math, can't recognize that 5.7 and 6.2 don't match, and I'm stabbing you in the head inside of my head right now".
 

southdave

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they suck.. like pothead girlfriend

It is this simple V8 have no business in the diesel realm. inline design is a lot better for longevity and maintainability.. but where stuck with turd of motor that is rapidly going in to obselesince with fuel and epa requirements some parts. most people will eventually willn't have there trucks in 2 to 3yrs on this site. All you have to do is search on the internet for how to fix this or that for 6.2 6.5 diesel, there is whole cottage industry that was thriving about ten ago with these motors with parts pieces and information all for sale. The proof is in the pudding, they are of poor design and the CUCV is at the panicle. So if you want to keep it around one must improve the mech. skills give up bowling golf, girlfriends ect.. because you have new mistress her name is 6.2 and they are sucking the life out out of me..lol Remember you can't fix stupid design just throw money at it.
 
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11Echo

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I see just always wonder that. I like the 6.2 and the 6.5. I also have a 2001 7.3 power stroke good engine there but I have had my problems with that and those a million motors. Even tho my buddy has a 6.5 that has 700,000 something on it runs great. 6.2/6.5 are Detroit motors I thought the duramax was Nissan or something like that

The Duramax is a GM motor built in the USA. GM hired Isuzu engineers to design the engine and oversee it's development.

http://www.dieselpowermag.com/features/1303dp_history_of_the_duramax_diesel_engine/
 

11Echo

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Last edited:

lonewolf90

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I have seen those 350 diesel in a Oldsmobile one time those where a bad thing gm did. Why do v8s not belong in the diesel world. I seen at the Detroit auto show the 2016/17 dodge ram is going to a v8 that Cummings is developing it for them. Thanks for that 11echo I thought they were imported from over seas.
 

Recovry4x4

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I was going to say, Moraine assembly was the same plant that produced the 6.2 family. They ran a substantial number of "Warranty Engines" through there right before the shutdown and retool for the Duramax. As far as the V8 stuff, I can't speak intelligently but there was massive numbers of 8V92 engines produced and used around the globe. It was an 80's fuel miser, it was designed just for that task and did exactly what it was designed to do. EPA has been the death of many an engine design.
 

Skinny

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It is this simple V8 have no business in the diesel realm. inline design is a lot better for longevity and maintainability.. but where stuck with turd of motor that is rapidly going in to obselesince with fuel and epa requirements some parts. most people will eventually willn't have there trucks in 2 to 3yrs on this site. All you have to do is search on the internet for how to fix this or that for 6.2 6.5 diesel, there is whole cottage industry that was thriving about ten ago with these motors with parts pieces and information all for sale. The proof is in the pudding, they are of poor design and the CUCV is at the panicle. So if you want to keep it around one must improve the mech. skills give up bowling golf, girlfriends ect.. because you have new mistress her name is 6.2 and they are sucking the life out out of me..lol Remember you can't fix stupid design just throw money at it.
I'm not sure if this is in English???
 
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