6.2 overall health diagnosis

[Jarlaxle]

My wife has the Snail: Tatonka Products Bummer body on 1986 K-5 Blazer running gear (6.2/TH700). The IP and all 8 injectors have been replaced, engine never rebuilt & has about 210,000 miles on it. I have a GM truck manual, but it doesn't have anything on the 6.2 in it...so I'm asking here.

On a 1986 6.2 Detroit, what are the specs for cranking compression and oil pressure?

Assuming it's healthy overall...any ideas for turbocharging it?

 

[jonathan]

get a chilton diesel manual

 

[towcat]

if you're over 300 psi evenly, it's good. if you're at a even 400 psi, that's great.
i suggest looking for a Banks kit and finding a Te06H turbo off a 6.9/7.3 idi to wake up the whole mess.
I've done two of these conversions and it's a night and day difference between what Banks origianlly supplied and the conversion.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Blarg. Did the checks yesterday...compression is fairly even in all 8, but here are the numbers...
Left bank, F to R: 290, 288, 291, 276
Right bank, same: 287, 279, 290, 271

I think the rings are on their way out.

 

[opusd2]

You're still pretty even across the board, that's a good sign. I'd say running as a NA vehicle you'll have a bit of time before you'll have to re-ring.

Well, providing something unexpected happens. But that's life.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Update: With 49-degree outside temps, the Blazer flat wouldn't start without being plugged in this morning. Not wanting to ether it, Liz took her Grand National to work (terrible sacrifice, I know)...after the block heater ran an hour and a half, the engine popped easily, though with the same blue/white cloud it has always emitted. I took it to go shopping and it ran fine. (Though I think it's time to put the hardtop on, that soft top has zero insulation value.)

I asked Liz about oil consumption...she said it used oil, and told me to dig her maintainence/fuel log out of the console. The result isn't promising...near as I can tell, it's using a quart of oil (15W-40) about every 800-1000 miles & the rate seems to be increacing. Yep, I think the rings are going south.

So...if we're going through the monumental task of an engine swap, I want to upgrade. I have a friend who can get into auctions (his brother works at a dealer), what should I tell him I need him to find?

 

[opusd2]

Either another 6.2 or a ring kit.

 

[towcat]

.......Liz took her Grand National to work (terrible sacrifice, I know)...

whoa....
back up.
she owns a Buick GN? what year? got any pics?

 

[Jarlaxle]

Either another 6.2 or a ring kit.

I was wondering if a later 6.5 (ideally a 6.5 turbo) might be a direct swap or close to it.