6.2 2wd 1/2

[Marty68]

I am thinking about buying this to clean up and drive what opinions do you gents have?? https://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/5398709914.html

[68Timber]

I would pass on that one and wait and watch. There's a CL thread over at dieselplace, guys living in the PNW post links to clean 6.2 trucks often at half that price.

[lilpoindexter]

I think it's decent, I don't think his price is out of line. I bought my '78 on a whim, and I have to smog it every 2 years here in CA. Had i thought of it, i would have bought an early 80s with a 6.2 and never have to smog...

[barry1982]

I kinda like it..... but than again I have a BIG soft spot for 6.2 diesels. If it's original miles, has lots of life left ... providing you don't drive it hard. Not sure if you have any experience with 6.2's.... they are not at all like modern, powerful diesels. They were built as an "economy" engine, not a powerhouse.
I have seen guys get 3-4 hundred thousand miles out of them before an overhaul. Also saw "young bucks" blow them up in 20 thousand miles.
I guess it all depends on what you want it to do.

[Marty68]

I have nearly zero experience with diesels I worked in a chevy dealer's body shop in the mid 80s early 90s. sanded a lot ALOT of this blue off and code 17 silver. I think this truck would be cool lowered a bit and a fake "outlaw trucking cour d'alane id" on the door. wash the lacquer primer off clean rust scabs apply epoxy primer. drive. and drive I drive 50 miles each way to work.

[D13]

if the truck is just surface rust, then that's not too bad a price. But unless you like to drive SLOW you should pass. These things are roughly equivalent to a 305. Maintainence is expensive. As an example, belts are unique in section, standard belts wil slip, have to special order belts. Crank pulley is rubber torsion, $250. All bolts are metric. Holly carb, $350 vs rebuilt injectors and pump $600-1200. And so on.
I consistantly get 23mpg out of my 6.2 1/2 ton. Mine is fully loaded too.
Pluses - should be the red block which is the best block of the early ones, spin on fuel filters (note these are hard to find in the middle of the night, always keep spares)
minuses - probably 1st gen 700R4 which if it goes just buy a newer one and rewire it for the diesel.

[Marty68]

I now question the "all option truck" he said it has "no cruise" my memory from the dealership is like this. if it had side moldings it had everything. if it had no moldings it was a custom deluxe which could have some options. this truck does not look like it had the moldings removed. there would be those holes at the rear of the fender and rear of the box I don't see them. looks clean. he is sending me a start up video and some pictures of rockers/ corners inner rockers etc.

[barry1982]

I agree the diesels are a little more expensive to maintain. Oil change is 8 quarts rather than 5.....( fram PH5 filter fits) You will notice a fuel savings driving 100 miles a day.....hopefully you don't have to do much passing....?
Old 6.2's kick into passing gear, make alot of noise, but don't pass quickly.
They do come with dual exhaust from factory. I "straight piped" mine. Not really load, sounds kinda cool.

[Marty68]

my drive is 1 mile non interstate the rest interstate and I have no problem driving only 65. Saturn gets 33 mpg every tank for last 200k miles. hoping it doesn't have 3.08 gears rather 3.42

[barry1982]

Well, don't think you will get 33 with the old 6.2. Likely mid-high twenties.
The diff ratio is anyones guess... could be 273/308/342. Think you can determine ratio if you have the VIN, providing it hasn't been changed. You can get away with a little taller gears in a 6.2 than a 350.

[Marty68]

old truck cool.... Saturn.... not cool. $4/gal can drive uncool. I will never pay $10k for a rusted out 150k mile gas hog

[Marty68]

drive it away price is now $2k. wife says .... aren't two trucks enough? if you want it get it.
if it is truly as rust free as it looks I may be driving 1500 miles in a 34 year old truck.

[barry1982]

Once again..... being the 6.2 guy I am..... would grab that truck for 2K. Even if you don't like it.... don't imagine it would be difficult to get your money back, especially if it's fairly rust free.

[Marty68]

I am going to look it over. a little nervous about hopping in a 35 year old truck and driving it 1500 miles....

[68Timber]

Eh, as long as you have a back up plan/safety net, go for it. You've been stewing on that one a while, may as well drive it back.

[barry1982]

I would give it a quick "once over" Check the obvious.... rad/heater hoses, tires, spare and probably wouldn't hurt to get an oil change before the trip.
For the time it takes, I would also check all of the fluid levels, including the diff.

[Gmc.guy]

I bought this one last summer 800 bucks. This is how I got it. I since took running boards and the huge white "wild rose country Alberta" mud flaps off. It has 700r4 and 2.73. I wouldn't sell it cheap. Paint has never been touched You can punch it to the floor and you cannot even hardly feel the tranny shift, just the exhaust sounds different

[Gmc.guy]

The only mark is the tape sticky on the dash.

[barry1982]

You got a great deal on that truck Cody. How many KM on it? Looks like the previous owner took good care of it. I picked up an 82' 6.2 LWB 1/2 t with the rare A833 3 speed standard with O/D at a farm auction a couple years back. The old farmer bought it brand new. Only has 140 original km. Problem is the old guy didn't wash it properly. Has some major rust issues. I started restoring it. Have the cab pretty well done, and will be bolting on new box sides,fenders, and doors in spring.

[Gmc.guy]

It has just over 100,000. It never spent a night outside He was about 60 when he ordered it new. He was about 70 pounds too. So no slide wear on the driver seat either. Haha

[Gmc.guy]

Originally Posted by Marty68

I am going to look it over. a little nervous about hopping in a 35 year old truck and driving it 1500 miles....

Being nervous is part of the fun. I would bet anything that a drive like that with a new truck would make a sweet story and add a lot sentimental value to you If you do go look at it and it's not what you want. Just don't buy it. Don't think you are in it too far to turn back

[Cabnchassis]

Comparing a 6.2 to a 305 may work on paper but in reality it's nowhere close. I work out of both a 6.2 and a TBI 350 and there isn't a huge difference when you're loaded overall. Every chevy engine from the 80s and 90s has trade offs. The small blocks make more power on paper but they put it down higher in the revs where it isn't as useful for heavy work. The 6.2 puts all it's torque down in the bottom end (where you need it), gets fuel mileage a small block will never approach, has less doohickeys (mostly smog bs) to go out on you, and never needs smog. They are slow when loaded on steep grades but they'll accomplish anything the highway patrol legally allows you to do.

Hopefully he has receipts so you can check the mileage to some extent. I see too many chevys for sale with "original miles" and a 5 digit odo. My burb is clean enough to pass off as 100-200k but I rolled I just rolled 320k in it.

When you look at it, crawl under and look at the starter. check for cracks around the mounting bolts as good as you can. There is a bracket that mounts to the block near the exhaust manifold that holds the back of the starter up (a little stud sticks out of the back of the starter to grab the bracket). They are known for tearing the ears (starter bolt holes) right off the block when that bracket is left off. It's isn't something that can be repaired properly and can only be repaired at all by a machine shop.

When it cold starts you may seem some white smoke but if it smokes at all after that consult a diesel guy before buying. These engines don't smoke at all when they're running right.

Good luck, hope it turns out as advertised.

[Gmc.guy]

Same goes the other way too. I have seen trucks 3-4 years old that have 75,000 that you would swear have 400,000. Oilfield and logging trucks up here take a beating. On the one I posted above the starter and batteries were changed around every 45,000 km I guess trying to start them on low batteries kills the starters pretty quick. I have all paperwork for this truck from the dealer to the last year he drove it

[barry1982]

I still think at 2k it's pretty hard to go wrong on that truck. Cody, you got an unbelievable deal on yours at $800. I have seen similar trucks on Kijiji go for considerably more.