Bought an '85 6.2L and not sure what to do with it.

[russpopp]

I recently purchased a 1985 GMC Sierra 2500, with the 6.2L, and 3 speed with granny low. I've completely fallen in love with this truck. It has 60k original miles. I live in Wisconsin, and I purchased it from an older gentleman who was the second owner. He bought it in 1988 from Oklahoma, with 50k miles on it then used it to take trash to the dump on the weekends. He maintained it mechanicaly very well up to 2 years ago when he parked it, outside. It had since gotten some rust, but not bad for an '85 in Wisconsin. When I went to get it he hadn't started it for 2 years, so he charged the batteries and it started right up. So far I can't really find any major problems. I changed the oil and put some fresh fuel in it, and have been driving it around town a little. It runs, stops and drives. The kicker is I purchased it for $500. So I know I got a deal. Now that you know a little background information, we can get to the part that brought me here.

Most everyone I talk to hates the 6.2L. Everyone talks big trash about how unreliable they are (heads, cracked blocks, blah blah), how it's not a "true diesel", and how it's not worth keeping. Then, I mention putting a banks turbo kit on it, and all I hear is how it can't handle a turbo and it will "blow the engine". It's frustrating, and it seems everyone is trying to burst my bubble.

I guess my question is should I sell it for profit, run it as is, or put the turbo in? I want to go the turbo route, but want more info from you guys... can the engine "handle" the turbo kit? It it worth putting a turbo on a non "true diesel"? I'm not the most mechanically knowledgeable person, and it I know it will be a lot of work, but I have all winter. I guess I want more information on personal experience with 6.2L with banks sidewinder turbo. Thank you so much for reading. I'm so lost here, and it's been wracking my brain 24/7 for two weeks now. :confused:

[Robyn]

Hello and welcome to TDP

The 6.2 was/is a great little work horse.

It is not 6.7 Cummins or a Power Stroke or a Dmax, but, it is a good engine.

There were issues over the years, but a huge number of these engines ran many hundreds of thousands of miles without a hicup.

The 6.2 is a true diesel, designed from the ground up as a diesel.
They were designed by Detroit diesel division for GM, to be a direct fit in the pickup and SUV line.

They were used in Pickups, Suburbans, K Blazers, Cab chassis, Motor homes
as well as being offered as a crate engine.

The notion that they are not a real diesel was hatched long ago by idiots that don't have a clue.

The 6.2/6.5 does not have any ties to any GM gas engines as far as the basic foundation.

These engines are an indirect inject diesel (pre cup engine)

GM designed these to allow a direct fit in the product line with minimal changes to make things easy.


300,000 miles is not unheard of

The only thing I would do if I were to install the Banks kit, would be to replace the head gaskets and head bolts.

Time is the issue, not miles, and the new gaskets are far better.

The Banks turbo kit WILL NOT blow the engine.

The Banks kit adds a very modest boost level and will not cause issue.

Again, these engine are not moose motors, and were designed basically to get good mileage as their strong point.

A bone stock 2500 series Burb 4x4 of the same year as your truck would knock down 25 mpg hwy easily.

These trucks are not rockets, but they will get things done.

If you decide to do a head gasket job and install the Banks kit, let us know and we can walk you through some of the little idiosyncrasies with the beastie.

These engines are pretty basic V8 stuff, but there are a couple little issues that must be done only a certain way.

Glad to have ya aboard. :)

Missy

[Subzilla]

340k miles on my '83 before the crankshaft broke. Only replaced heads at 300k.
295k miles on my '86....still going strong. Nothing done to engine innerds.

I put the ATS on my '83 which really woke it up and made it run like an old 350 gas. Ditto what Robyn said, these are true diesels. Putting the turbo is definitely a plus.

Love them?? Had my '83 for over 20 years now. The '86 for about 10.

These things a simple and cheap to work on. Go compare injector or pump or glow plug prices with others.

[Yukon6.2]

Hi ruspopp
Ignore the naysayers.
I ended up with my signature truck as roadkill,frost plug failure resulting in overheat.I loved the truck 1 ton 4x4 crew cab,but didn't know a thing about the 6.2.I found this site and started reading,now i love the 6.2-6.5.I will be driving my truck till they take my license.I have accumulated enough spare parts to keep a few trucks running till i die.
Very simple engines,and parts are cheep compared to modern diesels,plus you don't have to be a computer tech to work on them.
I have hauled some very heavy loads with my truck,heavier than i should have but taking it easy and remembering what is under the hood got the job done,and still turning in impressive MPG's.Our 03 gasser gets worse mileage empty than the old 6.2 loaded.
When i got my truck i had to replace the heads,plus it had been running for years with a bent rod,there was a ridge in the cly i had to cut out when i found the bent rod.That was 9 years ago still working hard for me.
If you enjoy working on your own vehicles,you will get great service from the truck.I was working on a custom turbo setup,with after cooler.I'm hoping to finish it one day and install it,building a house bumped it way down the list of things to do.We are living in the house so i see it moving up the list.
Do a bunch of reading,ask questions and you will get to love the truck if you like simple cheep trucks.
Thomas

[joeq]

Welcome aboard Rusty,
Don't feel bad about the rot. I'm in the same boat. Collecting sheet metal to fix er up again.
Not sure why you bought your 85, but I'm guessing it's more than just a good price. they've got a unique style, that ooozes "truck". I wish I had your GMC badges. I'm sure you know your 6.2 has it's limitations, but I'll guarantee it'll do all you'll need it to. just remember, "simplicity" is the key here. Once you work out your bugs, the truck will be like the energizer bunny. Will keep going and going. I've contemplated a turbo also, but really don't do all that much hauling. If I came across an exceptional deal, I might go for it. But am satisfied with how it performs now.
Happy surfing on the forum.
P.S. We all like pics, so don't be shy. I particularly like the before shots, as much as the after.

[Dieselfume1]

There's something to be said for an engine that's injection pump costs as much as one or two duramax injectors.! pretty cheap comparably to work on!

If you overload, overfuel, or overboost the 6.2 bad things can happen. it doesn't handle abuse well. as others said, it was a great engine for the purpose it was designed. problem is, many people ask for more.

GM probably wasn't thinking that I'd be pulling 30k behind my 01 duramax on a tandem dualed trailer for several trips per year, but it does it and has no problems. a 6.2 won't do the same job.


" a man's got to know his limitations" and his truck's.

[DmaxMaverick]

......GM probably wasn't thinking that I'd be pulling 30k behind my 01 duramax on a tandem dualed trailer for several trips per year, but it does it and has no problems. a 6.2 won't do the same job......

Sure they did. GM didn't intend for you to be doing it in a light duty truck, though. Several medium duty trucks equipped with the D/A are rated at that. Just not a pickup. The light duty truck chassis wasn't designed for that load. The powertrain was. The rear axle on your truck is rated by AAM at 10.5K. GM downrates the axle rating according to the tires/wheels. Power at the flywheel is irrelevant. The remainder of the powertrain is selected to accommodate the rated load.

And, the 6.2L will do the same job. Horsepower is relative to time and distance. Less power only means more time or less distance for the same task. You could do the same job with a lawn mower engine. Hardly practical, but you could. In the agriculture arena, stock GM Diesels have been used to move loads, successfully, to haul loads near twice what you're doing, since they've been available. Of course, they're aren't flying down the interstate at 70, but they got the job done, quite well and very economically.

[Yukon6.2]

[
GM probably wasn't thinking that I'd be pulling 30k behind my 01 duramax on a tandem dualed trailer for several trips per year, but it does it and has no problems. a 6.2 won't do the same job.


" a man's got to know his limitations" and his truck's.[/QUOTE]

I have pulled those weights with my 6.2.It will do the job,the driver has to do a responsible job taking care of it while asking it to punch above it's weight class,but it will get the job done.
We have one hill about 5 miles from town and it's a good 5 miles of hills and short level stretches.30 mph was about max pulling that hill.At that speed there wasn't any overheat issues and it just took a long time to get to the top.
I have to pull a load like that a couple times a year.Been doing it every year since i got my truck,i just pack a lunch and listen to tunes and watch my gauges,no problem,I'm sure i will enjoy the extra power when i get my turbo system installed.But until that time the truck still needs to do it's job.
Thomas