Bought a 1982 GMC Jimmy 6.2T today

[LaRell]

I've got a 1992 K2500 GMC Suburban that I love to death, but the gas mileage just kills me with the 454 it's got in it. I really wish I had had a little more patience and bought a 6.5TD Suburban from the beggining. I LOVE Suburbans, and wanted one with a diesel engine, but came accross this one and bought it rather than waiting a little longer to find a diesel one. DOH!!!
http://www.gothelicopters.com/images/AshleySide.jpg

I lifted it, and put big tires on it wich made the fuel mileage even worse! Had problems with the dang 4L80E tranny that was in it. Kept sticking in second gear. Took it to a tranny shop, they couldn't do anything, took it to the dealership and I think they fixed it only to discover another serious internal problem. So I rebuilt it, only to have more problems, so I finally yanked it out and put in an NV4500 5speed. Not a problem ever since, I love it!! Except for the terrible 9-10 miles per gallon gas mileage.

So I have been wanting to put a Cummins or Powerstroke in it, but I don't have the time to deal with all the custom work that would involve. I could, and would love to do it, but not right now. So I decided for ease of installation, to go with a 6.2 or 6.5. I also wanted to make sure I got an entire vehicle so I would have everything right there to make the swap. Just so happens that there was a 1982 GMC Jimmy with a 6.2 and the Banks turbo allready installed for sale here locally. The guy selling it was asking $2000. At first I thought it might be worth that, til I found out it doesn't even currently run.

This guy is a younger guy (So am I I guess at 25:-) but he really doesn't know much about diesel engines, and admitted to having no clue how a diesel engine really works. So I asked him some questions about how and when it stopped running. He said it never stopped running. It ran great right up til when he last drove it. But what it did was stopped starting as easy, and eventually stopped starting at all. I asked him what he'd done to try getting it going again, and he said all he did was replace the glow plug controller and a couple wires under the dash that he thought were burned. He even said the glow plugs were all original. So I am crossing my fingers. I ended up buying it from him today for $1200, and am almost positive that all I am going to have to do is replace the glow plugs and it will be running again just fine. If not, these engines are quite simple, and according to his history of how it quit starting over a period of time, I am pretty sure I have an easy fix on my hands.

As soon as I get it running, I am taking it out of the Jimmy and putting it in my 1992 Suburban. And putting the 454 from my suburban in the Jimmy. Since my suburban has the NV4500 I won't need the computer anymore at all so that can go in the Jimmy too.

I can't wait! I have wanted a Diesel Suburban for so long! And having allready put all the money into my current suburban for the lift, and 5 speed, I don't feel like spending thousands on a different one. It will take me a while to do this swap though since I work 14 hours a day 5 days a week. But that's one reason I went with the 6.2 for now. Will be a lot quicker and easier than a cummins or powerstroke swap. I'll do one of those later when I have more time.

Kind of funny that I own 3 GMC's now without even trying. They just kind of fall in my lap. Well, I mean, why wasn't one or two of the vehicles I came accross a chevy? Instead they have all been GMC. Although GMC's are not rare, Chevy is just more common. Even though they are the same thing with a different name:-) Weird.

[john8662]

I got all Chevy's! But the GMC's I've had the in the past were always much better to me!

Good idea on swapping that gas pot 454 out of the suburban, you'll like the ride much better afterwards with the D I E S E L!

From my first observation, I see a few pitfals you'll run into.

First, the Banks hardware from the '82 most likely will not fit in that body style truck (88+ style), but Banks did make updated hardware that would. I think you'll get into trouble with the exhaust manifold and turbo position. But, since you have the hardware, you might as well try it.

For a turbo you can ALWAYS install a turbo setup off a 6.5TD, which will actually bolt to the 6.2 engine and have no issues with clearning the body components of your rig.

Keep the stick for simplicity.

Neat project. I know what you mean about the Burbs! I've got a 95, been blown up for OVER a year now, getting pretty fricken pissed off driving around single cab trucks with no room for my "junk". But, I'd still like to put it back together if I can get all my ducks in a row ;). Don't ask about the engine stuff, it's been an absolute nightmere, from multiple angles...

But, a nice CC dually has been tempting me as of late so the 'Burb might be for sale if things don't improve quickly...

P.S. Nice mud flaps! At least your curteous to the other drivers out there who want to keep a windshield!

[LaRell]

P.S. Nice mud flaps! At least your curteous to the other drivers out there who want to keep a windshield!

That's kind of funny, most people tell me how stupid the mud flaps look and that I should take them off. Or they say "Dude, that's a sweet truck if it weren't for those stupid mud flaps!" I can't comprehend that attitude. I love my mudflaps. Like you said, they save peoples windshields, and I personally like the way they make the rear of my suburban look. So whatever. It's not their suburban, so they can just accept it:D

Yeah, now that you mention it the turbo on this 6.2 is mounted on the right side of the engine to where it could possibly be into the wheel well. But I have no problem with modifying my wheel well a little to accept it since my suburban is lifted so high and the tire does not need to occupy the wheel well:-) It's going to work one way or the other. I'll see to that:cool:

Am deffinently going to keep my NV4500 in there. I am not at all an auto transmission kind of guy. There are just too many moving parts and things to go wrong inside of an auto tranny. I own 6 vehicles right now and not one has an auto tranny. My suburban did, but that was a nightmare, so I am glad that it's gone.

I know a lot of people will say I should have put a 6.5 in there since I was doing it anyway. I have been looking for a 6.5 donor vehicle, but the only ones I've been able to find either cost more than I was wanting to spend, or it is a vehicle that if I were to buy it, I wouldn't want to take the engine out of it. I would just drive it. And then I would still be left with needing a diesel engine in my suburban. So, since I have no need for a GMC Jimmy, that is one way of assuring I will take the engine out of it and then get rid of it as soon as I'm done with the swap so I don't ad too much more to my collection of cars around here. It's kind of pathetic. I have:
1. 1985 Isuzu Trooper 1.9L 4cyl
2. 1975 VW Bus
3. 1976 GMC pickup 4-53T Diesel
4. 1982 GMC Jimmy 6.2T Diesel
5. 1992 GMC Suburban 454
6. 1967 Kenworth W900 Truck
7. 1997 Perterbilt 378 Truck
8. 1974 Tahiti Tri Hull Boat

Need to sell some vehicles I guess:-) No, actually you need one for every occasion.

[john8662]

If you run into too much trouble with the Banks turbo manifold and turbo placement, I do have a set of 6.5TD manifolds that I'd part with that will sure help the transition as well as other parts I don't need to be keeping anyways...

I know what you mean about the vehicles. I think there has to be a group somewhere to help us with that kind of problem.. Oh wait, I think we're here, when's the next meeting ;) ?