1985 Suburban w/ diesel

[1971K5]

I might get one in a trade and the owner doesn't know much about it and I haven't seen it. Did these come in 1/2 ton versions or 3/4 ton or both? I know these engines don't run well ( from what i've been told ) and it has a 700R4 ( according to owner, it was rebuilt 3000 miles ago. ) It's free regardless so I don't care too much but does anybody have any input about them.

[HecTiK]

I'm sure they come in both. I've seen a couple half-tons around town.

[atk1142]

Yes they come in both 1/2 and 3/4 ton. They aren't power houses, but you can get 20 mpg. The 700R4 won't hold up long if you're towing anything substantial with it.

[1967CJ5]

Agreed, they get in the low 20s if driven right, They are like 378 cubic inches. I liked mine, but it was stolen. i would love to have another one. Forget about the 700R4 doing any real work though.

[1971K5]

I'm assuming the bolt pattern is the same for a smallblock in case I swap it out. I don't even need it but I figure I can use it for something.

[Camarogenius]

Here's the perfect use for a Suburban!!!!! www.tremormuv.com

[KWTMECH]

crap, I just cut up an 88 suburban frame last week

[smokeeater]

Originally Posted by atk1142

Yes they come in both 1/2 and 3/4 ton. They aren't power houses, but you can get 20 mpg. The 700R4 won't hold up long if you're towing anything substantial with it.

A good trans cooler might help with this too......

[atk1142]

Originally Posted by smokeeater

A good trans cooler might help with this too......

The diesels came stock with a tranny cooler. But even with an additional cooler, the 700R4 just wasn't made to tow. You can have them built up, but it's easier to just throw in a 4-speed and be done with it.

[smokeeater]

Originally Posted by atk1142

The diesels came stock with a tranny cooler. But even with an additional cooler, the 700R4 just wasn't made to tow. You can have them built up, but it's easier to just throw in a 4-speed and be done with it.

The 85 3/4 ton diesel Burb that I had, had an aux cooler in addition to the one in the radiator.

I agree. The early 700R4 were crap. That's probably why mine had been converted to a TH400 at sometime before I bought it.

[jarvisjeep]

Originally Posted by atk1142

Yes they come in both 1/2 and 3/4 ton. They aren't power houses, but you can get 20 mpg. The 700R4 won't hold up long if you're towing anything substantial with it.

You can get 20mpg out of a cummins, and have tons of power, and tow well.

Anywho, the 88 and earlyer 700r4's have lots of problems. When you rebuild them they use all the updates(89 and up) stuff to they are okay. We had a guy who used to work for us thay had an 86ish deisel burb and he just conerted it to a 400 after his 700 went out. He doesnt get as good of milage as he doesnt have an overdrive gear. But he likes it better. my .2

[u2slow]

I'm firmly convinced the 20+ MPG specs are strictly highway driven. 6.2L of displacement eats fuel unless you can keep the rpms really low. (Which is more feasible with a i6 configuration Cummins IMO.)

I get 17MPG combined (say 80/20% split city/highway) with my fairly thrifty 6.2L, 465 trans, 3.21 ratio, 33" tires, 6000# Suburban combo.

I'm done with fullsize economy. Gonna get me a Focus or Jetta wagon

[bonsaitree]

I think if the 700 was built to the later model specs you should be fine. My burban has almost 180k on the ticker and the 700r4 is the only thing that hasn't given me any trouble yet. The truck has pulled a big camping trailer all over the country too. (the trips I actually remember were, between SA, Amarillo and the grand Canyon, and then a few trips to missouri and at least one to Kentucky.) People say the 700r4 wont tow, but from my experience.....it tows like a beast. Maybe I just got a good one.

[okeydokey]

Originally Posted by 1971K5

I'm assuming the bolt pattern is the same for a smallblock in case I swap it out. I don't even need it but I figure I can use it for something.

yupp, the bolt pattern is the same on the 6.2 as the sbc. 6.2s were externaly ballenced. and the torque converters were diffrent between the gas and diesel 700s.

as for people telling you these motors dont run well they run awsome. people are thinking of the olds 350 diesel gm used pre '82 thoes motors were crap, and then some. they were a gas motor turned into diesel. the 6.2 was never a gas motor, and was designed by detroit diesel.

a real good recource for that motor is thedieselplace.com

dont expect it to be perky or anything from a dead stop, it is a beast of a motor, but it will cruse around all day, and in my experience they are more reliable then gas motors (although a 5.7 is a lot cheeper to fix then a 6.2)

[justscoutin]

I"m getting 17 out of my crewcab with no overdrive, around town. If you wanna give away the 6.2 let me know. I"ll come pick it up. I want one to put in my 57 chevy 1ton.

[KILLER"B"3]

My 85 I gutted out the diesel and put in a 454. it already had the 400/208 in it.

[Tim84K10]

Originally Posted by okeydokey

as for people telling you these motors dont run well they run awsome. people are thinking of the olds 350 diesel gm used pre '82 thoes motors were crap, and then some. they were a gas motor turned into diesel. the 6.2 was never a gas motor, and was designed by detroit diesel.

The olds 350 diesel was not and never was a converted gas engine, that is a myth.

It still sucked though.

[bowtied_micky]

if you want to mod the 6.2, look at www.ssdieselsupply.com i think thats the link. they have tons of items and experience with the 6.2 & 6.5. Banks also still sells a massive kit for the engine that includes a turbo, intercooler (i think) intake and exhaust that is supposed to be very impressive.


micky

[[Memphis]]

Originally Posted by Tim84K10

The olds 350 diesel was not and never was a converted gas engine, that is a myth.

It still sucked though.

incorrect, my buddy just swapped one out of a 79' C10. However it did have over 400k km's on it. In it's place he dropped a 350 gas Olds

[cuc-v]

the 6.2 is a beast of an engine,keep it and if ur worried about the 700r4 than get a 400, but i would waite till the 700 starts going out to replace it...u might be surprised!

[Beater_K20]

Originally Posted by Tim84K10

The olds 350 diesel was not and never was a converted gas engine, that is a myth.

It still sucked though.

incorrect. many Olds guys use the diesel blocks for forced induction and nitrous setups. they're just a beefed Olds 350 block. even the acessory bosses and mounts are the same.