Replace dead 6.5 with a 6.2?

[BuffaloGuy]

I've got a '93 K2500 with ~270,000 miles on the truck. The motor is shot. I've run across a fella by the name of Tom Sanders at www.dieselfixers.com who has suggested that I replace it with a rebiult 6.2 that he can provide for $1495 + exchange.

He says that a 6.2 is more durable and cheaper than a 6.5 and the power loss will be minimal. Makes sense to me. I especailly like the cheaper part since all I really want to do is sell the truck and I think if I put a motor in it I will get my money back and then some.

Here are my questions:

1. Anybody heard of this fella and are his products and service A-OK?
2. What issues will I have to deal with swapping a 6.2 for a 6.5?

I have a brand new high performance turbo and the fuel system is the good old mechanical system and it has quite a bit of life left in it too. The rest of the truck is all functional and in very good shape. I hate to just dump it for little or no money.

Thanks for your help guys. You are tops!

[More Power]

A few things to ponder...

1- The 6.5L pistons were anodized, where the original 6.2L pistons weren't. This allowed the 6.5 to handle higher combustion/EGT temperatures. Banks recommended 1100 degree max for the 6.2 (when installing their turbo kit), where the 6.5 can run at 1250 (both measured in the exhaust manifold). There's a power difference between 1100 and 1250.

2- I haven't heard where the 6.2 is stronger that the 6.5. I'd like to see some data to support what you heard....

3- We've not had a "Tom Sanders" as a subscriber here in TDP.

4- The 1982-1990 6.2L diesel cylinder heads had their injectors laying a little more horizontal than the 1991/1992 and newer versions. A more upright injector angle better fits the side mounted factory 6.5 turbocharger.

5- If you use a 6.2 in place of a 6.5, make sure you use a 6.5 water pump. The V-belt water pumps spin opposite to the serpentine versions.

6- Regarding engine swaps, the EPA forbids swapping in an engine older than the vehicle. But, I doubt anyone would know unless you told them. ;)

Jim

[skittle]

You've almost made the design life of 300k! Not bad, I'd say. I've alway's pondered what that really means, "design life". I guess I've alway's thought of the stock 6.5L as a great 1/2 ton engine, intermittent towing, lighter towing, etc.

I suspect the 6.2 could be considered weaker. The heads had larger valves for the natural aspiration, thus less head area and coolant flow between the valve, subsequently more apt to crack due to heat cycles.

However, the 6.2 block might be stronger than the '97 and later 6.5's simply due to the piston cooling nozzle porting drilled in the later?

I am pretty certain that you will have to use the 6.5 heads if you plan to install the stock turbo, due to injector inteference.

The problem with an old 6.2 block is that they've been thru some stress cycling and who knows what you'd really be getting into.

Most of us Diesel Junkies or in these things for the long haul. If you're doing the work yourself, some "oh scheits" aren't a big deal. But for some of us that don't like to mess with spending labor after labor on "used" experiments... I'd much rather buy a "known" good thing rather than a "cheaper" used thing. Example, labor for changing head gaskets will be about the same as an engine r&r. When my stock (except for dual stats) '95 started consuming coolant at 233k, the choice was easy. A Kennedy remain was $5300 minus $800 core plus about $1500 r&r, plus about $1,000 in other goodies just to make sure things were all freshened up under the hood. The sad part is having to spend about $7,000 on a pickup that books for about $5,000. The happy part is being able to head out on a trip 4 states away and all you have to do is worry about fuel prices and fsd's. I now have another 50k on the rig and I'm pretty confident it'll run longer than I'll need. A great deal of confidence is in the maintenance of the rest of the rig as well.

But for now, America is still a free place you can do whatever you like!

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!!

[BigGun J]

I talked to Tom about web cracking and he said he was not experencing it in the military take outs as seen in the civilian motors. I purchased a 6.2 from him that he said he freshioned up. When I pulled the military pan to install the civilian pan I was excited to see the white rebuild grease. As I looked closer at the main webs I could see very small cracks starting. Tom did not respond to my phone call. My project is going much slower then I had anticipated. I have not got to the point and tried to start the motor yet. Also when I opened the IP to swap solinoids it was quite dirty, rusty inside. I have put alot of effort into fitting it into a Toyota Landcruiser and I hope it starts and runs! He has good feedback from ebay buyers? When I pulled the pan it was a sad day. When I pulled the top off the IP it stung again.

Jim

[kreider]

I dealt with www.dieselfixers.com a few years back, they advertised a 6.2 repower video to ease the conversion, really talked it up on their site.

I ordered online and waited..and waited...and waited.....

Finally called them up and they gave me a story, we'll ship it out....

a few more phone calls and they were becoming annoyed with me and told me they had no more videos or something along those lines.

Finally said just reimburse me,

Didn't notice a change on my card statement for the first few months, it may have been takin' care of but I just gave up.

I'm very glad you posted your concerns here, I have ALWAYS wanted to state my feelings...

They sure have a slick website....snake oil slick...

good luck

Irv

[Pipeline Mechanic]

FWIW,

I bought my 6.2 from "Tom", I have been in their shop. It was wall to wall 6.2 military parts and the same vehicles were there a month later when I went back. I had to pay for the engine and wait a few days for them examine
my core, which I already disassembled completely. Also the parts were already
cleaned for inspection, he charged me $200 for the cracked heads....

They sincerely pissed of a local pump shop by taking GM injectors in 5 gal bucket fulls at a time to have them tested, because pop testing is free.
They never bought an injector, just used the ones that tested good.

A truck that they rebuilt while I was there at their shop, was at the pump shop getting a new IP over a failed lift pump.

The engine I bought ran good, but I only put 367mi on it. Truck is gone now.

There is my 2 cents, tread lightly.