ipgregory
Adventurer
Sounds like he's in luck if he wants to go the 6.2 route then. His trucks old enough he could get a late 6.2 and still have the engine be no older than the truck.
School me on diesel fuel systems
- Thread starter Mrk1
- Start date
Sounds like he's in luck if he wants to go the 6.2 route then. His trucks old enough he could get a late 6.2 and still have the engine be no older than the truck.
rrclassicbt550
Farmer Jon
I am not trying to hi-jack this thread or anything, but I would like to say a bit in reference to and in defense of the 6.2...and in doings so, I will provide my two cents by using my current situation as an example to help give another perspective for those considering a 6.2 swap. As someone who just bought a 6.2 and is currently gathering parts to do this swap I will share my reasoning to hopefully help those who are considering doing this.
In my particular case, my end goal is not a baja racer, nor am I looking for a heavy-duty tow rig, and I am definitely not looking for a high horsepower/high torque parts breaker. My goal is a vehicle that is useable as a daily driver during the week, but is also able be taken out into the middle of no-where on the weekend, and then get me home for work on Monday.
Initially, whenever it did come time to fully rebuild my 3.5, I was planning to completely overhaul it, add a modestly uprated cam, and call it a day. Since then, I have found that between the declining quality of gasoline these days, the rising prices of that gas, and the rising cost of rebuilding the 3.5, it doesn’t financially make much sense for me to keep running it, or even to rebuild it (whenever its time did eventually come). So, I bought a military surplus 6.2L J code diesel with only 5k miles on it from new. As I am very capable with my hands but not blessed with large amounts of disposable funds lying around, I prefer to put in time instead of money. So doing a swap like this seems like a fun challenge and a good option for me. I can do the swap now and sell my 3.5 to help recoup some of the costs.
I have observed an interesting similarity between the Rover V8’s and the 6.2’s though. The fact is, they were and are still considered to be bad engines by a good-sized portion of people.
The 6.2’s have a very large amount of horror stories and negative statements attached to them. They are called slow, asthmatic, and underpowered. It is also said, “all” 6.2’s will crack around the main journals, the crankshafts snap in half, and many say they are not worth anything.
The Buick 215/Rover V8 was considered a bad engine because GM couldn’t get the production right, because if someone gets them into the red on the temp gauge they will slip a cylinder liner, and because it has been said that the wonders of a Lucas managed V8 will leave a person on the side of the road. They are also called very slow and underpowered engines, and I have heard many say that they are not worth anything as well.
However, if someone was to perhaps do some further investigating into the history involved behind many…not all…but many, of these horror stories, “truths”, and opinions, they might find some interesting facts. If a Rover V8 is very well maintained they will last a very long time (300k is not unheard of)…even if they are not maintained, they are still capable of lasting a very long time.
An example of this more “in-depth investigation” might help give you some background on the less heard but still true stories about Rovers and one of their fine V8’s. Again I will use a situation of mine as an example.
I bought my Rover for $550, firing on 7 out of 8 cylinders, with a warped water pump, and 185k on it…so you might be able to imagine what the rest of it looked like and what its previous maintenance schedule was like before it came into my hands.
The guy I bought it from had been driving it with the EFI warning light on for so long that the light bulb actually burnt out shortly after I bought it. You might think I trailered it home….nope, didn’t have the option. Unfortunately, when I asked him if it was drivable, I didn’t think to ask him what his definition of “drivable” was. I didn’t learn that his version of “drivable” meant a drive under 30 miles until I was there, so I had not thought to bring a trailer with me because he said it was a “drivable” vehicle….so, I drove it 170+ miles home. It was a slightly worrisome experience to say the least, but it made it home and did not leave me on the side of the road. Having since rebuilt the top end of the motor and replaced the water pump the 3.5 has run beautifully for many thousands of miles. I would not be afraid to do 1200 miles with it tomorrow (although my wallet shivers a bit at the thought of the fuel bill for that journey).
With the stories of the 6.2, I have heard many bad things from many people, but in doing further research, there are also many good stories like mine from many people as well. The good stories go along the same lines as the Rover V8’s. If they are installed properly, not abused, properly maintained, and don’t have power adders put on them, they will last a very long time…300k is not unheard of, which is similar to the Rover V8’s.
The thing is, both engines were/are considered to be bad engines by many, but it seems to me to be, yet another example of the 2 in 12 rule…if something good happens to a person they will tell an average of 2 people about it, if something bad befalls them, they will tell 12 people about it.
In my case, I am choosing to listen to the fewer good stories and opinions of the quiet majority, over the louder people who have had bad experiences. If I am wrong….then I get stuck some place, but thankfully…parts are cheap and readily available nearly everywhere I intend to go.
My father always taught me, “The likelihood of a part breaking, is in direct proportion to the amount of parts contained therein”. By swapping to the 6.2 I reduce the amount of parts contained therein, I double the fuel mileage, have cheaper repair costs if it ever does break, and gain the ability to run on more fuel options. Plus, I can make the adapters, fabricate the parts, and do 99%+ of the work myself, which will keep the costs down. I am looking to have the swap done for $2500 or less (including the $900 purchase price of the engine)…and that is less than it would cost to do the rebuild I was initially planning on doing with my 3.5.
So, for those looking to do the swap, don’t get too scared by too many people and negative stories. Do some research; if your capable of handling a good portion of the swap then you are more likely to be able to maintain the engine properly after you have done the swap and that seems to be the key factor in all of these stories about whether the motor survives or not. Look after your vehicle and it will look after you…
In my particular case, my end goal is not a baja racer, nor am I looking for a heavy-duty tow rig, and I am definitely not looking for a high horsepower/high torque parts breaker. My goal is a vehicle that is useable as a daily driver during the week, but is also able be taken out into the middle of no-where on the weekend, and then get me home for work on Monday.
Initially, whenever it did come time to fully rebuild my 3.5, I was planning to completely overhaul it, add a modestly uprated cam, and call it a day. Since then, I have found that between the declining quality of gasoline these days, the rising prices of that gas, and the rising cost of rebuilding the 3.5, it doesn’t financially make much sense for me to keep running it, or even to rebuild it (whenever its time did eventually come). So, I bought a military surplus 6.2L J code diesel with only 5k miles on it from new. As I am very capable with my hands but not blessed with large amounts of disposable funds lying around, I prefer to put in time instead of money. So doing a swap like this seems like a fun challenge and a good option for me. I can do the swap now and sell my 3.5 to help recoup some of the costs.
I have observed an interesting similarity between the Rover V8’s and the 6.2’s though. The fact is, they were and are still considered to be bad engines by a good-sized portion of people.
The 6.2’s have a very large amount of horror stories and negative statements attached to them. They are called slow, asthmatic, and underpowered. It is also said, “all” 6.2’s will crack around the main journals, the crankshafts snap in half, and many say they are not worth anything.
The Buick 215/Rover V8 was considered a bad engine because GM couldn’t get the production right, because if someone gets them into the red on the temp gauge they will slip a cylinder liner, and because it has been said that the wonders of a Lucas managed V8 will leave a person on the side of the road. They are also called very slow and underpowered engines, and I have heard many say that they are not worth anything as well.
However, if someone was to perhaps do some further investigating into the history involved behind many…not all…but many, of these horror stories, “truths”, and opinions, they might find some interesting facts. If a Rover V8 is very well maintained they will last a very long time (300k is not unheard of)…even if they are not maintained, they are still capable of lasting a very long time.
An example of this more “in-depth investigation” might help give you some background on the less heard but still true stories about Rovers and one of their fine V8’s. Again I will use a situation of mine as an example.
I bought my Rover for $550, firing on 7 out of 8 cylinders, with a warped water pump, and 185k on it…so you might be able to imagine what the rest of it looked like and what its previous maintenance schedule was like before it came into my hands.
The guy I bought it from had been driving it with the EFI warning light on for so long that the light bulb actually burnt out shortly after I bought it. You might think I trailered it home….nope, didn’t have the option. Unfortunately, when I asked him if it was drivable, I didn’t think to ask him what his definition of “drivable” was. I didn’t learn that his version of “drivable” meant a drive under 30 miles until I was there, so I had not thought to bring a trailer with me because he said it was a “drivable” vehicle….so, I drove it 170+ miles home. It was a slightly worrisome experience to say the least, but it made it home and did not leave me on the side of the road. Having since rebuilt the top end of the motor and replaced the water pump the 3.5 has run beautifully for many thousands of miles. I would not be afraid to do 1200 miles with it tomorrow (although my wallet shivers a bit at the thought of the fuel bill for that journey).
With the stories of the 6.2, I have heard many bad things from many people, but in doing further research, there are also many good stories like mine from many people as well. The good stories go along the same lines as the Rover V8’s. If they are installed properly, not abused, properly maintained, and don’t have power adders put on them, they will last a very long time…300k is not unheard of, which is similar to the Rover V8’s.
The thing is, both engines were/are considered to be bad engines by many, but it seems to me to be, yet another example of the 2 in 12 rule…if something good happens to a person they will tell an average of 2 people about it, if something bad befalls them, they will tell 12 people about it.
In my case, I am choosing to listen to the fewer good stories and opinions of the quiet majority, over the louder people who have had bad experiences. If I am wrong….then I get stuck some place, but thankfully…parts are cheap and readily available nearly everywhere I intend to go.
My father always taught me, “The likelihood of a part breaking, is in direct proportion to the amount of parts contained therein”. By swapping to the 6.2 I reduce the amount of parts contained therein, I double the fuel mileage, have cheaper repair costs if it ever does break, and gain the ability to run on more fuel options. Plus, I can make the adapters, fabricate the parts, and do 99%+ of the work myself, which will keep the costs down. I am looking to have the swap done for $2500 or less (including the $900 purchase price of the engine)…and that is less than it would cost to do the rebuild I was initially planning on doing with my 3.5.
So, for those looking to do the swap, don’t get too scared by too many people and negative stories. Do some research; if your capable of handling a good portion of the swap then you are more likely to be able to maintain the engine properly after you have done the swap and that seems to be the key factor in all of these stories about whether the motor survives or not. Look after your vehicle and it will look after you…
aka rover
Adventurer
Its nice to see these trucks RRC stay on the road, My experiance with these motors have not been very good, I had a military contract doing general maintance on these motors, and they allways seemed to be bleeding oil " no different then a rover" and breaking the blocks at the starter bolts. I have lost count on how many broke a chunk of its engine block clean off. And a motor from the goverment that has 5 k miles could very easy have thousands of hours on it from idleing. And I would be more worried about the quality of diesel fuel in the few years over gasoline. But then again you can run alot of blends in the diesel to offset the poor fuel quality. But then again I still opt for the diesel over a gasser.
I would think the 6.2 in a light weight rig like the RRC would probably do fine power wise and would be under worked compared to some of the heavier 1 tons I worked on. I will be fallowing this build and am interested what kind of MPG it will return.
Good job guys keep the conversions going!
I would think the 6.2 in a light weight rig like the RRC would probably do fine power wise and would be under worked compared to some of the heavier 1 tons I worked on. I will be fallowing this build and am interested what kind of MPG it will return.
Good job guys keep the conversions going!
rrclassicbt550
Farmer Jon
Thank you for the advice about the starter bolts, I will see if I can fabricate some kind of reinforcement bracket to help with that. You are right that the motor could have spent a great deal of its time idling, but it has also been sitting for quite a few years too, which is why I will be pulling it apart to check on its condition. I want to see its condition with my own eyes to help provide a little more security and peace of mind.
You also right about the quality of diesel, but like you said, different blends can be used to offset that. The ability to run different blends and have other options is a very influential part of why I chose this particular conversion and why I am switching to diesel.
Speaking of builds...your build is coming along very nicely! I am thoroughly enjoying it and quietly taking notes haha. Please keep up the good work Sir!
I look forward to seeing your conversion when you are able to get to it.
Good luck on the new business!!
rrclassicbt550
Farmer Jon
I haven't heard back from him for a few weeks now, but I think his Defender is due to arrive stateside any day, so he might be otherwise occupied.