Re: Don't want to start a diesel truck battle, but

Posted by jdemaris on November 28, 2003 at 17:36:34 from (209.23.28.182):

In Reply to: Don't want to start a diesel truck battle, but.... posted by Tom on November 28, 2003 at 06:50:16:

I've experienced a lot of exaggerated fuel mileage claims. Some from people I know
well and are not chronic liars or boasters, so who knows? Maybe with large or dual fuel
tanks, some people just figure they're getting good mileage since the fuel gauge needle
moves slow.
I worked for a John Deere dealer when Chevy came out with the first diesel powered
full size pickup trucks. Two mechanics I worked with went out and bought new ones.
What pieces of junk! I'm sure all have heard the horror stories of the G.M. 350 c.i. diesel,
made from an Oldsmobile gas engine. The local Chevy dealer was sending all the broken
trucks to our Deere shop, since the Chevy guys didn't know how to work on them.
Anyway, moving on a bit. Thanks to the miserable reputation of those first engines,
G.M. carried a stigma for a long time. And thanks to that, I've gotten some pretty good
deals on the later 6.2s. Kind of hard to convince people sometimes that Detroit Diesel
designed the later engines, and not Chevy. Our military seems to like them though.
My first was an 87 Suburban. I knew the original owner and was always bugging him
about mileage. Claimed he got 30 m.p.g. When the vehicle's odometer hit 250,000 miles
I bought it for $500. His mechanic told him it had a rod knock and needed a new engine.
It was just a bad injector. I rebuilt the injection pump and put in new injectors ($30
piece) and have put another 200K miles on it. So, at is sits, it has 450,000 miles and runs
great. Does eat a quart of oil every 1000 miles. And the mileage? Absolute best I've
ever gotten was 19 and I average around 16. Granted I live in the mountains where
everything is uphill or downhill.
Since my first 6.2, I got two more. Both K-5 Blazers that I use as plow-trucks. Both 6.2
automatics, one with the 4 speed overdrive and one with the 3 speed T-400. Both get the
same mileage, avg. 16 and up to 22 on the highway.
6.2s are simple and reliable. Not big on power, though. I've also had some
almost-overheating problems on long pulls with a trailer on steep hills. I say almost,
because I've never boiled over yet or broke anything, but seems I've come close.
So now I'm looking for a truck with a little better trailer pulling capability. I'd like to
find a G.M. 6.5 with the older mechanical injection system. It's more reliable than the
newer units; that's the way our military orders them for their trucks and Humvees.
Seems, though, around here there are Fords for sale in much more abundance than G.M.s.
They sell for less too, not sure why. I've had Chevy in my blood for close to 50 years, but
it's looking like I might get a Ford. Hope I can live with it. Must admit, when I sit in a
Ford nothing feels right. But, maybe it's all in my head. Anyway, I've got no problem with
International equipment, and it's their engine.
Back to mileage that is verified, got a friend with his second Ford 7.3 truck, best he's
gotten is 17 m.p.g. Another friend has a Dodge with the Cummins 5.9, best he's gotten is
18 m.p.g. and lots of Dodge related problems, but the engine has been fine. Out of all the
trucks, I guess the Cummins is the only engine rated as a "medium duty" diesel. All the
rest are "light."

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