Lets give the 6.2 diesel some love

[Itali83]

I actually like the 6.2 in my suburban also. Love the fuel economy because I daily it. I like the simplicity of it.

I also have to saw as an owner of a 12 valve 5 speed 1 ton dually Cummins owner, ANYONE who thinks the 6.2 has even a remote advantage over the Cummins is either a simple minded child, or just plain mental. I’ve had my Cummins loaded to 21k lbs gross and it literally didn’t know it was hauling anything. Still got 13.5mph’s loaded like that. Would get 20-21 mpg just driving it like a pickup. No need for glow plugs, I even disconnected the intake grid heater because I hated the unneeded amp draw every time I started it. Dead nuts simple and reliable. And if stock power wasn’t enough, a few turns of a few screws and hang the **** on.

so I have to say I respectfully disagree about any advantage the 6.2 has over the Cummins. To me the Cummins sounds the best also. Growing up around big rigs all my
Life, they’re the only ones that DONT sound like they’re choking on a box of rocks. They sound like the 14 liter big brother diesels.

Ben

 

[Bextreme04]

I've got a couple of big blocks too, but as I said 18.00 in fuel to get a burger with a 350 now it's 30.00 with a big block. Or 90.00 in fuel to go to the machine shop and back. Gotta pick and choose that's why I have different cars and trucks for different uses.

Yeah, the mileage is not great. I get about 8ish in mine with the 350/TH400/205. I'm hoping it should be closer to 12-15ish with the MPFI 454/4L80E/205 setup, but I won't know until I get the swap finished. Considering diesel is so much more expensive than diesel now anyways, I'm thinking it will almost break even fuel-cost wise and it will be WAAAAAYYYY more fun when I'm not towing

 

[Big Chip]

Besides @Blue Ox, I didn't think we had any 6.2 fans here.

You have obviously forgotten about the NOS master.

 

[1983 k20]

I'm with you , my grandpa owns 5 cummins . They sound terrible bawhhh everywhere they go . People don't give the 6.2 credit for the great little engine they are . It will last as long as a Cummins, no joke.

 

[1983 k20]

I'm with you , my grandpa owns 5 cummins . They sound terrible bawhhh everywhere they go . People don't give the 6.2 credit for the great little engine they are . It will last as long as a Cummins, no joke.

 

[1983 k20]

I with blue ox

 

[1983 k20]

Torque gets you moving... HP keeps it moving. Here's dyno sheets for a TBI 454 and a 6.2L diesel. Like I said, there is no comparison if you want shear towing ability. If you want diesel sound and

Mine is a 350, and it has no problem pulling heavy loads. 350/TH400 with 4.10's and 35's has easily pulled 4,000lbs of logs or 3/4" minus through the cascades like it isn't even in the back. Of course, that's at about 55mph with no need to drop any gears since it's wound up pretty high at that point. I'm assuming with the "drop it into 3rd" comment you have a 700R4 in it? I think that was standard for the diesels,

Yeah it's a 700r4.

The 350 isn't bad either . I own one to , nice and simple

 

[Blue Ox]

I forgot two, although somebody already touched on one of them.

Weight. The 5.9 is a lot heavier, necessitating stiffer springs to support the extra weight. So ride is compromised as is load carrying capacity. The more of it's own weight a truck has to carry around, the less cargo it can carry. And after all, isn't that the purpose of a truck?

Powerband. The Cummins low RPM range makes it pretty intractable for a light truck. Remember, it's an Ag/Industrial engine that somebody decided to stick in a Jeezus Chrysler.

FWIW, I've spent my life around engines too. Everything from 855 Cummins, Caterpillars, Volvos, Detroits and Internationals to Macks and Mercedes, MTUs, Mackintosh-Seymours, Delaval Enterprises, Electo-Motives and Fairbanks-Morse. And I've never heard a one of them sound as $#itty as a 5.9 unless they were broken.

Don't misunderstand, I don't think the 6.2L is a legendary engine by any stretch. It has some serious limitations. But again, you have to take it in the context of when it was designed and what it was designed for. GM was first to the field with pickup truck diesels having introduced the 6.2 in 1982. Ford put the Navistar 6.9 in their trucks in 1983 and Chysler was last offering a diesel in their pickups. None of these offerings was the powerhouse that they've evolved into. They were all low horsepower engines aimed at fuel economy. Comparing the 6.2 to more modern engines or engines aimed at a different application like a fuel injected big block is comparing apples to oranges. You might as well throw in a gas turbine for comparison.

Along those lines did anybody notice that GM offered the 6.2 across the entire C/K product line, whereas the Cummins and 6.9/7.3 were only available in heavier trucks? No diesel Broncos, or Ramchargers. That says a lot about what GM had in mind for it's powerplant.

 

[1983 k20]

It's TRUE . The one truck I drive is a k10 6.2 diesel with a th400 in it . The combination of peak torque and horsepower makes it 2x easier to spin the tires . It sounds good , not like the low groan of the cummins .

 

[1983 k20]

With a GM anyone with any c/k vehicle can say the have a diesel . Pair it with a manual and you have a indestructible piece of machinery

 

[BKING33]

they work even better with a nv4500 5 speed. mine does well with banks turbo in a 2wd burb. no powerhouse for sure.
drive it everday avg 19-21 mpg. have no problem cruising at 70.

 

[Ricko1966]

I actually like the 6.2 in my suburban also. Love the fuel economy because I daily it. I like the simplicity of it.

I also have to saw as an owner of a 12 valve 5 speed 1 ton dually Cummins owner, ANYONE who thinks the 6.2 has even a remote advantage over the Cummins is either a simple minded child, or just plain mental. I’ve had my Cummins loaded to 21k lbs gross and it literally didn’t know it was hauling anything. Still got 13.5mph’s loaded like that. Would get 20-21 mpg just driving it like a pickup. No need for glow plugs, I even disconnected the intake grid heater because I hated the unneeded amp draw every time I started it. Dead nuts simple and reliable. And if stock power wasn’t enough, a few turns of a few screws and hang the **** on.

so I have to say I respectfully disagree about any advantage the 6.2 has over the Cummins. To me the Cummins sounds the best also. Growing up around big rigs all my
Life, they’re the only ones that DONT sound like they’re choking on a box of rocks. They sound like the 14 liter big brother diesels.

Ben

Only reason I have a diesel, period, is the dollars and cents of it.I got everything I needed and more for 600.00 and drove it home to use what I needed and sell the rest, again so easy a 4 year old could do it. Those were the advantages I mentioned, it's a bolt in, it's dirt cheap, and it's dirt simple. I guess I'm mental and a small minded child but I think those are great advantages for a square body owner.

 

[Itali83]

Only reason I have a diesel, period, is the dollars and cents of it.I got everything I needed and more for 600.00 and drove it home to use what I needed and sell the rest, again so easy a 4 year old could do it. Those were the advantages I mentioned, it's a bolt in, it's dirt cheap, and it's dirt simple. I guess I'm mental and a small minded child but I think those are great advantages for a square body owner.

I also said I like my 6.2 in my square body and love the mileage it gets.

I was saying anyone who thinks they are better than a Cummins is mental. Don’t get triggered, we’re on the same team but I felt the need to state some facts from an owner of both diesels.

Ben

 

[Ricko1966]

I also said I like my 6.2 in my square body and love the mileage it gets.

I was saying anyone who thinks they are better than a Cummins is mental. Don’t get triggered, we’re on the same team but I felt the need to state some facts from an owner of both diesels.

Ben

I'm all good man, wasn't upset was just reiterating the advantages I see in a 6.2 to a cummins in my sitch.For a square I think the 6.2 has definate advantages. For a dodge hands down the cummins is the wiser choice.

 

[CSFJ]

Well, for all the 6.2 aficionados, I have a 6.2 out of an m-1008 cucv truck for sale. I was told when I purchased it that it had 10k on the odometer, judging by the accumulation of grunge, or lack there, is probably accurate. Comes complete from air cleaner to oil pan, has both alternators, and the 24v starter. I picked it up as an extra when I had my m-1008. Asking $500, can be picked up in Davison, Michigan.

I'll be putting together a for sale thread for this and the rest of the remaining squarebody parts that are still lingering in my garage soon.