Generic 6.2 Questions

[cwlehner]

I just recently aquired my '83 6.2 K30, didn't get an owners manual, and have a few general questions.

What grade oil should I use and what is the crankcase capacity?

Are there any tricks that I need to know about before changing the fuel filter? The last thing I want to do is get air in it.

Lastly what is considered normal coolant operating temp. I think it may be running cool, but am not sure.

Thanks!
Chad

[john8662]

Congrats,

As for the oil, you can pick your brand, most use Delo or Shell Rotella. The weight that you need to use is 15w-40 and it take right at 7 quarts of oil to fill it up.

For general information about 6.2's for maintenance you might want to get a Haynes manual at your local autoparts store. There is one that just covers diesels. Its a basic repair manual that has things like fuel filter change instructions and other maintenance procedures.

Being that your truck is an 83 model you have 2 fuel filters in your system, a primary and secondary fuel filter. The primary is the one on the firewall that looks like an oil filter with a drain on the bottom. The secondary fuel filter is located on the back of the intake manifold underneath the air cleaner. I think that the secondary is a round filter, not the square filter (look first). Of course this applies to the civilian trucks, if this is a military truck you'll have to tell us what system you have.

First I would change the primary fuel filter, drain the fuel out of the filter then unscrew it from the base. Install the new filter after applying a thin layer of grease on the seal on the filter (easier removal next time). Open the petcock on the top of the fuel filter base on the firewall, you might want to connect a hose to the end of the open petcock and then into a jar so you won't make as big of a mess. Next you will then find the big red/pink wire on the injection pump of the engine. You will want to disconnect this wire, because you are about to purge the fuel filter system. Once you disconnect this wire the engine won't try to start (it powers the fuel shut-off solenoid). With the petcock open on the fuel filter base crank the engine over in 8 second invervals until you get fuel out of the petcock on the fuel filter base. Once you are getting steady fuel from the petcock while cranking, you can then put the red/pink wire back on the top of the injection pump and start the engine. I'd let it run awhile and smooth out to get the rest of the air out of the system.

Next change the secondary fuel filter, there isn't a way to bleed this one, so you will be carefull in taking it on and off. You will want to fill the new filter with fresh clean diesel fuel before installing it. The engine will crank up after changing this filter but might stall, you should be able to get it running easily as long as you don't get to much air in the system, hence filling that filter.

Engine temperature? I run all my 6.2's with 180 degree stats, but I live in Hot Texas. With a 180 stat you will see temps at the second mark of the gauge, or in between the second a middle marks on the factory gauge. With a 195 factory stat you will see temps below the 200/210 center mark.

Good luck!

[Subzilla]

What John said but I also fill up the primary with fuel and very carefully screw it back in place. It has always started with no stalling and no additional priming.

[moondoggie]

Good Day!

No offense intended :D , but I've found that books other than the factory manuals have wasted my time & occassionally even misled me. If you haven't already bought one, you might want to get a factory shop manual for your truck, which might still be available from Helm (http://www.helminc.com) (Click in colored text.). I have NEVER regretted the $75 - $120 I've paid for factory manuals, & I'm the cheapest guy you're likely to ever know.

If memory serves, those early 6.2's only required CD-rated oil, which any oil with a C rating that's available now will far surpass. My 82 said 15W-40 summer, 10W-30 winter, which is what I ran for years. I now run Rotella 5W-40 Synthetic year-round, because it's available at WalMart at a really good price ($12.84/gallon).

Blessings!

Brian Johnson, #5044

[wthif]

Originally posted by Subzilla:
What John said but I also fill up the primary with fuel and very carefully screw it back in place. It has always started with no stalling and no additional priming. I would like to second Subzilla's comment. On my truck the primary filter was on the suction side of the fuel pump; which would make it very difficult to fill using fuel pump. When my fules sytem was stock I just filled up both filters before installing them and never had a problem starting my truck. ;)

[NH2112]

It might not be the best way to do things but to prime the Stanadyne model 80 I'm using as a primary on the suction side of the lift pump, I just open the air bleed and use a blowgun in the filler neck (with a rag to seal it) to pressurize the fuel tank. :D Eventually I may ditch the mechanical lift pump in favor of an electric, or run the 2 together.

[catmandoo]

moondogie,you know it on the manuals,them haynes manuals are junk.i wouldn't even start a fire with one,and the chilton's aren't much better they tell ya just enough to confuse ya ,get the factory helms and be done with it.

[Ratau]

I just browsed the HELM page. The only manual they got is the glove box owner

[catmandoo]

couldn't tell ya,try ebay for the manual

[john8662]

Yes, I know the Hayes manuals are not that good, heck I have the GM manuals for my 86 truck and suburban for a reason. I just think that someone could pick up the hayes Diesel Techbook manual easily (at most auto stores) for BASIC diesel information, and we all know how BASIC these manuals are. But they do cover where things are at, and some maintenance and trouble tables for basic things going wrong. Anything else, yeah, worthless.

On the primary fuel filter dilema, of whether to fill it or not, it would sure be easier to prime if it wasn't completly dry. I would recommend filling both filters, its been awhile since I worked on the 82-83 model fuel system, since the 84+ use a totally different single filter system for water separation and filtration.

[doncannon]

I would like to add that I use atf in my diesel rabbit. My truck has a add on electric pump to fill the fuel filter. I will help clean the injectors when you change fuel filters.
Hope this helps,
don

[NH2112]

Actually I think the Haynes diesel manual is quite good, but so damned unorganized that it just seems like there's nothing worthwhile in it. Pick one up, read through it several times, and mark relevant sections using those colored tabs for notebooks.

[86burb]

Check out www.books4cars.com (http://www.books4cars.com) , A good source for manuals (some original,some reprint).