Smaller diesel engine, that would replace a gas inline four?

[AKMark]

6.2's were used from 1982 till 1993 or 94 in GM trucks and vans. They can be found used for pretty cheap. They are easy to work on. No computers required, note the 1 wire I mentioned in my post.

These engines were also used in Humvee's (H1's to the general public) for a long time. Parts are still plentiful.

I'd search craigslist or here for a good old complete truck and use as much of it as possible to build yours. It's cheaper that way than buying all the parts, unless you get some steals.

Just make sure it works good before the swap. I pulled a 6.2 out of a Burb that had been recovered from a theft almost 9 months earlier and left to rot. It ran great when I put it in my much nicer Burb body and it's 700R4 worked well too. It ran five months (many times idling for hours a day during -40's and -50's in Alaska) before I spun a bearing. Looking back, it could've been easily fixed with a new crank and bearings, but I pulled it and started to rebuild it when I came across a much nicer Body and went to that one, which ended up being a money pit.

Look around here, this site was started originally with the 6.2's in mind. LOTS OF INFO!!!

Have fun with the swap, you'll have a very unique truck by the time you get your license.

[Gearstix]

6.2's were used from 1982 till 1993 or 94 in GM trucks and vans. They can be found used for pretty cheap. They are easy to work on. No computers required, note the 1 wire I mentioned in my post.

These engines were also used in Humvee's (H1's to the general public) for a long time. Parts are still plentiful.

I'd search craigslist or here for a good old complete truck and use as much of it as possible to build yours. It's cheaper that way than buying all the parts, unless you get some steals.

Just make sure it works good before the swap. I pulled a 6.2 out of a Burb that had been recovered from a theft almost 9 months earlier and left to rot. It ran great when I put it in my much nicer Burb body and it's 700R4 worked well too. It ran five months (many times idling for hours a day during -40's and -50's in Alaska) before I spun a bearing. Looking back, it could've been easily fixed with a new crank and bearings, but I pulled it and started to rebuild it when I came across a much nicer Body and went to that one, which ended up being a money pit.

Look around here, this site was started originally with the 6.2's in mind. LOTS OF INFO!!!

Have fun with the swap, you'll have a very unique truck by the time you get your license.

I'm worried about mechanical failures and stuff, and expensive repairs.
I think I'll try to find a truck with a 6.2L... but might be hard... and might have a billion miles on it.
I'm gunna wait though and see if we move, if we move I'll have space to pull an engine. How difficult would it be to rebuild a 6.2?
Was there ever a factory turbo variant? Would it be worth it to turbocharge a 6.2? I don't think I would but, just curious.

Edit: I found this, but its 6 hours away and I don't have 1100 dollars right now, or I'd buy it.
http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...QAdIdZ55641893

[AKMark]

I'm worried about mechanical failures and stuff, and expensive repairs.
I think I'll try to find a truck with a 6.2L... but might be hard... and might have a billion miles on it.
I'm gunna wait though and see if we move, if we move I'll have space to pull an engine. How difficult would it be to rebuild a 6.2?
Was there ever a factory turbo variant? Would it be worth it to turbocharge a 6.2? I don't think I would but, just curious.

Mechanical failures in my opinion are cheaper than the electrical ones associated with the newer diesels. The old 6.2's worked well and most of them last a long time. The injectors for a 6.2L are around $50 a piece whereas a set for a Duramax are closer to $400+ each.

A 6.2 is no harder to rebuild than a 350 gasser, in fact I thought it was easier. Here's a decent breakdown on what a rebuild will cost you. At least this is what it cost me in Alaska (where things are normally more expenseive) only a year and a half ago.

Block prep (machine shop will do this and will bore it out if needed) $500 they also installed new cam bearings and checked my crankshaft for this price.

Rebuild kit $900 (had the machine shop order this, for .030 over as that's what the block needed to clean the cylinder walls. It included 8 pistons, all new bearings, seals, gaskets, and frost plugs. I think that's all that was included, I could be wrong.

I paid $15 each for the machine shop to verify my heads were crack free. The main problem was that I had to pull all the valves and springs. The nice part was the shop tanked them, tested them, and put in new stem seals while I reassembled them at their shop.

I had a great machine shop with a great reputation, make sure you find one that has experience with diesels.

Add to the prices $320 for new injectors, $250 for an injection pump rebuild, a $80 set of new glow plugs, a $40 radiator power flush, and about $120 for new fluids, including an extra oil & filter change done after the first 200 miles.

These are some of my favorite trans guys. Bowtieoverdrives.com Done business with them and their products are top notch. Their level 1 kit would handle a 6.2L no problem. Just specify the 1200 rpm stall converter when ordering. For $1K, it's a good deal. You'll pay several hundred for a trans that shifts and who knows what shape it's really in till you've had it a few months. Their lockup kits are great, I've had them in five different 700R4's and by some miracle, none of them has given up, even the one that pulled my 10K trailer from Alaska to here.

[AKMark]

Edit: I found this, but its 6 hours away and I don't have 1100 dollars right now, or I'd buy it.
http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...QAdIdZ55641893

If you are patient, keep an eye on craigslist, and you might find a steal!

[Gearstix]

About what mileage should a 6.2 be rebuilt?

[steponmebbbboom]

just a reality check, take it with a grain of salt if you wish, but id be hesitant to invest that kind of time and money on a minitruck that looks that rough.

for a first timer, especially a teenager on a shoestring budget, id be looking at smaller engines.

remember, that truck has a four cylinder in it, that means to drop a 6.2 in it not only the trans and rear end have to go as mentioned, but forget about the front suspension you have in there now.

and after all that, it's still been wiped hard across the nose.

youre young, this is your first project, lets keep your goals realistic and affordable so you can succeed.

[Gearstix]

just a reality check, take it with a grain of salt if you wish, but id be hesitant to invest that kind of time and money on a minitruck that looks that rough.

for a first timer, especially a teenager on a shoestring budget, id be looking at smaller engines.

remember, that truck has a four cylinder in it, that means to drop a 6.2 in it not only the trans and rear end have to go as mentioned, but forget about the front suspension you have in there now.

and after all that, it's still been wiped hard across the nose.

youre young, this is your first project, lets keep your goals realistic and affordable so you can succeed.

I've been planning on going airbags all the way around with a 3 link in the rear and a notch.

I'm sure the 6.2 is not my only option...
Is there any other simpler diesels I could put in the truck?
Rear end swap is no issue to me.

Heres some stuff I could get aswell for the 6.2
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

http://www.jegs.com/i/Dynomax/289/88332/10002/-1

Also, my uncle is a ticketed welder with a welding rig and my dad is a mechanic with a service truck.... so I don't think I'd have any issues with fab/repair..

[steponmebbbboom]

well, all the power to you if you can pull it off. i'm just looking at risk versus reward. you seemed a little less confident in some of your earlier posts here, sorry if i misunderstood.

you brought up cost, fuel mileage, mechanical failures and expensive repairs, reliability, all good arguments for a small engine (title of your post) that needs the least mods to your truck as possible.

you wanna go whole hog, be my guest. you'll find lots of support here either way. good luck!

[Gearstix]

Well, what are some of my options as regards to engine/trans combos?
6.2L, what else....? I dunno about VW diesel, im not sure where I'd find one.

Keeping the stock rear end might be a bonus... if I bag the truck, most kits are meant for the stock rear end.