stay with 6.2 or go with a5.9

S

stevenh

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i bought a 3500gmc with 6.2 i was going to trash it and put a 5.9 in its place but saw diesel power rebuild on a 6.2 so i dont know if it will be cheaper to go with the 6.2 or go with the 5.9 both engines need major rebuilds plus my head started to turn on maybe a blower on the 6.2 since it was a 350 block would that even be possible i know they are putting superchargers on diesel now so any help would be appreciated
 
the 6.2 isn't a 350 block...

if you feel that you'll be satisfied with 120rwhp, stick with the 6.2... if you think you might want a little more power, I'd swap a Cummins in it
 
A maxed out 6.2 still isnt half the motor a Cummins is. Hell, I'd take a 6.0 over that clunker...
 
with the money you would have in that 6.2, you would have twice the motor with a 5.9 under the hood. also with a truck of that age it would be a walk in the park to get a cummins under the hood of that thing, unless you went to a CR or 24v they just require a few more electronic stuff.
 
Having owned a couple of 6.2's in my life, and having maintained several at work, you would be MUCH better off with the 5.9. This is one rare occasion where more displacement means much less engine!
 
stevenh said:
i bought a 3500gmc with 6.2 i was going to trash it and put a 5.9 in its place but saw diesel power rebuild on a 6.2 so i dont know if it will be cheaper to go with the 6.2 or go with the 5.9 both engines need major rebuilds plus my head started to turn on maybe a blower on the 6.2 since it was a 350 block would that even be possible i know they are putting superchargers on diesel now so any help would be appreciated
Click to expand...

Arg.... Even the 5.7 diesel isn't a 350 block... It's based off of the 350 Olds block, but it isn't the same. The mains are bigger, the webbing in the block is beefier, the rods are heavier. The 6.2/6.5 is physically the same size as a big block.

Anyway, everyone is right, the 6.2 is a boat anchor... The blocks don't even hold up well to stock power. $.02
 
The 6.2 is its own block. I had 2 trucks with 6.2L's that I would swap. One would break, then I would drive the other and fix the broken one. I had the 190hp pump and a WH1C on one. It developed massive blow-by and blew out all the gaskets... If you want low power in a light vehicle they are fine otherwise, the 5.9 is several classes above!

I have done very little to my 5.9 12v with the 215 pump and I cannot imagine the 6.2 ever getting close to what it does and being reliable at the same time.

Just my .02
 
Our 6.2 is one hell of a farm truck... granted it doesn't know what power is. But if all it has to do is follow a tractor who needs power, plus with true duals they are loud as f*#%!
 
You can make some pretty good power with a 6.2--compared to stock. Not to mention a lot lighter and a little more polite.

I had a 6.2 in my truck--studded top and bottom, H1C, intercooled, custom DP, fueled up a bunch. It kept up to a mild 454 TBI in the same size truck, and towed a heckuva lot easier.

All that being said, I'm now running a Cummins in the same truck . . . . :doh: Lots more potential for the money, and once the swap is done maintenance and durability are so much better.
 
bmarlatt said:
Our 6.2 is one hell of a farm truck... granted it doesn't know what power is. But if all it has to do is follow a tractor who needs power, plus with true duals they are loud as f*#%!
Click to expand...

This is true, our 82 will wake the dead... But not before killing every mosquito in the county :bang

BustedWrench said:
You can make some pretty good power with a 6.2--compared to stock. Not to mention a lot lighter and a little more polite.

I had a 6.2 in my truck--studded top and bottom, H1C, intercooled, custom DP, fueled up a bunch. It kept up to a mild 454 TBI in the same size truck, and towed a heckuva lot easier.

All that being said, I'm now running a Cummins in the same truck . . . . :doh: Lots more potential for the money, and once the swap is done maintenance and durability are so much better.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "a little more polite"? It's too much like work to try and get more power out of them IMO. The IDI doesn't respond well to turbo charging and the blocks are WEAK. Our 82 is on it's 3rd block and IIRC 4th set of heads, and it's bone stock, other than 81 HD 1-ton heads and an 83 HD 1-ton cam (this combination of stock parts equals about 30% better intake breathing through bigger valves and more intake duration/lift) as well as a little pump tweaking... It's still pretty gutless on top of it, but I chalk that up to all the tools it's loaded with and the TH350/3.08 gearing :doh: been trying to convince dad a 700R4 and at least 3.50s (preferably 3.73s) would work a LOT better. But he plans on replacing the TH350 with the TH400 sitting in the corner of the shop :(
 
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