Re: What's wrong with Chevy/GMC diesel pickups?

Posted by jdemaris on January 12, 2006 at 06:29:04 from (69.67.230.41):

In Reply to: Re: What's wrong with Chevy/GMC diesel pickups? posted by Mike M on January 12, 2006 at 05:29:18:

I generally agree with your ranking of engines if worked hard. I love the older Cummins engines - but I'm not real impressed with the new ones. I've seen several of the HO 5.9s with problems associated with pump and head-bolt failures. I drove a new Dodge when they first introduced the PU with the 5.9. Every time I stomped on the accelerator the driver's door sprung open from the cab and frame flexing. It was pretty funny. It did it consistently. Ends up the engine had more torque than the Dodge frame would handle.
So, in the first years Dodge had to play catch-up beefing up the frame and transmissions with many recalls.
Now, as far as me having unusual "good luck" with 6.2s? It's not luck and it's not unusual, just using a little knowledge. I've got two that I bought off the dealer's lot as "junk trade-ins" and both were supposed to be in need of new engines. In both cases bad injectors made them knock and the dealer assumed the engines were blown. I've also seen many IDI GMs and Fords get ruined with overuse of ether instead of fixing the glow-plugs.
I know several people still driving their 6.2s with very high miles - but in my area - sheet-metal has a lifespan of about 10 years. So, most stop getting used due to rust - not engine failure. My neighbor who runs and owns a saw mill still has, and drives his 82 one-ton 6.2 4WD pickup although there is almost no metal left on it. Since then he's bought a new IH powered Ford and Chevy with the Isuzu diesel - but he still drives and plows snow with the 82 - and he tells me the odometer has turned over three times in it. I don't think he'll ever part with it until the frame breaks in half (that did happen to me recently with my 69 Power Wagon).
I'm not sure if you are giving equal "negative" acclaim to the 6.2/6.5 and the 5.7 - but one has nothing to do with the other. The 350 cubic inch 5.7 was an Oldsmobile gas engine that G.M. converted to diesel. In cold weather areas it did not hold up and I worked on many new trucks under warranty. In fact, at one time, we had as many Chevy and GMC trucks in our Deere shop as we did tractors - since the local GM dealer didn't know how to work on them. Strangely though, at the same time I knew several people down south that claimed they weren't having the same problems. So maybe cold starting added to the early head-gasket failures?
The 379 cubic inch 6.2 diesels (and later 6.5s) were totally new engines, designed from the ground up by Detroit Diesel, in contract for it's parent company at the time, General Motors. Now, AM makes the engines for the military. I haven't heard much about the 6.2s or 6.5s blowing up in military use unless a missle hits them.

Replies:

• Re: What's wrong with Chevy/GMC diesel pickups? Mike M 07:16:13 01/12/06 (1)
  • Re: What's wrong with Chevy/GMC diesel pickups? jdemaris 10:30:52 01/12/06 (0)

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