Finally got a diesel

[87suburban]

ok ya'll, i finally bought a 6.2L diesel for my suburban that im planning on rebuilding. the guy said its an 84, but when looking around on the block i found on the passenger side bell housing where they casted the month an year on it an i think it might be older than what he told me. the engine has the non-EGR intake, an on the driver side of the block by #7 cylinder has "2 J". for the rebuild, i plan on doing some upgrades to the engine. anyway can ya'll give me some good info on doing a rebuild to the engine as well as putting it in my suburban. also since my suburban has TBI, does anyone know how much pressure an flow it puts out? an if so, could i use that electric fuel pump to run the 6.2 if i have to regulate it?

thanks
ron

[big bear]

congrats on the purchase man, i look forward to the swap

[Captkaos]

Can't use the EFI pump.

[87suburban]

big bear:
Thanks bud, my first step is rebuilding the engine an get it running. the only problem that i have with it, is when i went an looked at it i couldnt hear it run. so i dont know if there is any damage in the bottom end, an im just going to rebuild it to save me a headache an it'll give me a reason to clean it up an out to.

Captkaos:
the EFI pump has to much pressure an flow i take it?

[Edahall]

Make sure the oil pan is removed to check for cracks in the main web.  It's better to repair them now than risk the bottom end letting go.

The heads without doubt will be cracked between the valve seats.  Have copper tubes installed in water jacket to prevent cracks from ever leaking water into the combustion chamber.  You don't want to risk hydro-locking your engine.

Ditch the timing chain and go for a timing Gear.  Timing chains stretch and cause problems down the road.  Besides all the other diesels used timing gears from the factory.

Ditch the factory harmonic balancer and go for a Fluid Damper.  Anything that can help the weak bottom end such as this is will be good insurance against catastrophic failure.

Get a set of headers and a free flowing dual 2-1/2" exhaust system.  This alone will add 50-60 hp which the engine desperately needs.  You'll also pay back the investment in better fuel economy.

Don't have the crank ground if it needs it.  Buy a new crank or find a good used one.  They're weak as they are and grinding them weakens then even more.

Anyways good luck on the conversion.  I did all the things listed above to my 1982 6.2 Suburban and it has given me excellent reliability, fuel economy and performance.

[Captkaos]

This is good info Edahall.  I know nothing about diesels...
Who's headers do you recommend?
Crank manufacturer?
how is the webbing repair preformed?  got any pics?

[Edahall]

This is good info Edahall.  I know nothing about diesels...
Who's headers do you recommend?
Crank manufacturer?
how is the webbing repair preformed?  got any pics?

 I recommend Stan Headers.  They build high quality headers that fit on our trucks equipped with the 6.2L diesel.  At sea level, it'll get you 90% of the power of what a Banks turbo would otherwise provide.  A 6.2L with headers will have better low RPM performance while the 6.2L with a turbo will have a little more top end power.

For crank manufacturers, I recommend a SCAT crankshaft from them directly or better yet, a forged crankshaft from Peninsular Diesel.  Another option might be Clearwater which sells crankshafts cast in china and machined here.  They also sell heads , cranks, blocks, etc.

Cranks in the main webs can be repaired using LOCK-N-STITCH.  The cranks should be repaired because if not, they'll keep growing and one day, the whole bottom end will fall out.  Also, I might mention that 6.2L diesel engines that are equipped with turbo's tend to have more problems with the bottom end than non aspirated 6.2L.


Cracked block example:



LOCK-N-STITCH repair insert


Crack repaired


I should mention that as long as the cracks are not out of the bolt hole or are not at the register cut, this repair can be performed.  Also, it's a good preventative measure to do all six outer center holes whether cracked or not.

[87suburban]

ok. with my 6.2 i planned on putting timing gears an replacing the harmonic balancer. also i plan on using main studs an head studs instead of bolts, an with the main studs i plan on adding a stud gurdle kit. for a master rebuild kit for the 6.2L, what part store would be the best to get the kit from as well has the best deal?

[87suburban]

another thing, with the 6.2L, when they casted the block did they cast the month an year on the bell housing? cause i think mines older than what the guy that i bought it off of told me.

[Edahall]

Nothing wrong with the older blocks.  They're actually preferred.

The year date code gets stamped onto the runner of the intake manifold, near the driver's side valve cover. T for 1982, U for 1983, F for 1984, D for 1985, H for 1986, etc.

Some blocks have an extra code stamped right onto the block that goes like this: First letter is the month made . . . A is January, B is February, C is March, etc.
Next two numbers tell the day of the month it was produced. Then the last number is the year. So, if you had a B228, it would be "February 22, 1988."

Also, look at the bell housing flange.  If the actual date is stamped there, you've got an 81 or 82 block.  What color is your block?

[87suburban]

im not sure what color the block is, its still caked with grease yet. im still in the process of tearing it down, so i can get it cleaned out an cleaned up. anyway i noticed that on the passenger side of the block on the bell housing, it looks as though they casted "9- -82". which leads me to think it might be an 82 block instead of an 84, however im not quite sure yet.

[big bear]

side question, where in ohio are you ?     

[87suburban]

rayland, its between steubenville an wheeling.

[Stewart G Griffin]

General question regarding the 6.2's:

When rebuilding one of these, how does the machine shop know what specs the engine should be at and what specs the engine can be bored out to etc.?

For example, dealing with small block chevys, most machine shops are familiar with this engine and know what specs and tolerances are acceptable and do-able because the engine is so popular and has been out for so long and the info is readily available.

But what about other engines specifically the 6-2?

[Edahall]

General question regarding the 6.2's:

When rebuilding one of these, how does the machine shop know what specs the engine should be at and what specs the engine can be bored out to etc.?

For example, dealing with small block chevys, most machine shops are familiar with this engine and know what specs and tolerances are acceptable and do-able because the engine is so popular and has been out for so long and the info is readily available.

But what about other engines specifically the 6-2?

If the machine shop doesn't know the specs on this engine, I think I would not walk away but run.  Find a machine shop that has experience in machining / rebuilding this engine.  FYI, the 6.2 can be bored out to .060".  Boring more than that is asking for trouble.  Some have tried to bore out a 6.2 to 6.5 and the cylinders split.