6.2 or 6.5 into an oldsmobile station wagon...

[Camarogenius]

Looking at an olds station wagon for her wifeyness. She loves it, but I haven't gotten it running yet. (Been sitting for a few years) I would really love to have a diesel with an overdrive in it. I know that they came with the optional 5.7 converted gasser diesel, but I've never heard a good report on them.

I've swapped 6.2's into pickups before, with no trouble, but I'm wondering about the reduced under hood area on the olds.

Will I have room for a 6.2 or 6.5 with a turbo? Also, I don't want any computerized junk in the way, so What year donor truck should I be hunting for to get a 6.5 turbo engine and a 700R4?

Is the 700R4 diesel tranny a lock up model?
Thanks in advance.

 

[towcat]

I've never done a 6.2/6.5 into a pasenger car but the idea is not that out of wack. As far as the hood clearence goes, I have no idea, but the basic longblock dimensions are of a SBC, you really shouldn't have a problem with making one fit. If you want to be cautious, then measure up from the valve cover of a SBC to the top of the air cleaner.
Oh yea, the THM700 is an OD trans
goo luck and keep us posted

 

[ameristar1]

Uses the same mounts and brackets as a small block Chevy, has small block Chevy bellhousing pattern. Get on the DieselPage and give the site owner a call, he can set you straight about what works and doesn't on the 6.2/6.5 diesels.

 

[PackRat]

What year model is it? What's it got for an engine, now?

 

[Camarogenius]

It's an '87 and it has an oldsmobile gasser in it right now.

 

[opusd2]

I know I am going to get a lot of slack for saying this, but I have had good luck with the 5.7l diesels in 80's cars. I have owned three of them, and other than routine maintenance I haven't had any issues. But they can be picky engines to own. You have to take care of them, like a person should ANY OTHER ENGINE. The worst luck I have had with these vehicles have been the cars' ECM's and glow plug controls. That is it. My brother and I even got an old Pontiac Bonneville with that diesel to run in an enduro. Even after running it out of coolant, allowing it to cool down, adding antifreeze and water, it started right up with no oil pressure issues or blown head gaskets. But we also did rebuild it 6 months prior and subsequently re-torqued the heads afterward. Still I do believe I may be in the minority since I would own another one in a heartbeat. In fact my folks are still running an 86 Chevy Caprice they bought in the early 90s and also own an Eldorado with the 5.7 that needs a tranny.

But like I said, these engines do require proper building and service to be the great engine with Awesome MPG (mid 30s+ with AC running) they could be.

 

[Clydesdale]

It's an '87 and it has an oldsmobile gasser in it right now.

BOP pattern died in 77.... has a Chevy gasser in it right now.

 

[ameristar1]

I know I am going to get a lot of slack for saying this, but I have had good luck with the 5.7l diesels in 80's cars. I have owned three of them, and other than routine maintenance I haven't had any issues. But they can be picky engines to own. You have to take care of them, like a person should ANY OTHER ENGINE. The worst luck I have had with these vehicles have been the cars' ECM's and glow plug controls. That is it. My brother and I even got an old Pontiac Bonneville with that diesel to run in an enduro. Even after running it out of coolant, allowing it to cool down, adding antifreeze and water, it started right up with no oil pressure issues or blown head gaskets. But we also did rebuild it 6 months prior and subsequently re-torqued the heads afterward. Still I do believe I may be in the minority since I would own another one in a heartbeat. In fact my folks are still running an 86 Chevy Caprice they bought in the early 90s and also own an Eldorado with the 5.7 that needs a tranny.

But like I said, these engines do require proper building and service to be the great engine with Awesome MPG (mid 30s+ with AC running) they could be.

These engines, like the 6.2/6.5 just got a bad rep just because they were not well understood. Since we have the info and better materials to work with versus what was out 20 years ago, that 5.7 can be made into a pretty decent diesel. I know that GM did some research on the 4.3 V-6 diesel with tuned intake and exhaust manifolds and it out accelerated the gasser.

 

[PackRat]

BOP pattern died in 77.... has a Chevy gasser in it right now.

Or not.

The 403 wasn't even born until 77. The 350N(diesel) was used until 85 in cars, and 80 in pickups.

Your 87 is a 307 Olds.

Your tranny may well be a uni-bolt pattern(BOP + Chevy), but it might not perform correctly behind a diesel, or last very long.

 

[Clydesdale]

Learn sumthin every day... I knew the 5.7 dismals were BOP... I thought the 403 was a little older engine than that.. I stand corrected...

Can I say for the more part... by the mid 80's.. there was only Chevy 305/350's in all the line up,Chev to Cadillac.

Well, rear drive.. not working the 4.1/4.5/4.9 into that equation.. You could get a Sedan DeVille with a Chev 350.. Bought a 94 Roadmaster for a steal once, as the dealer whom bought it thought it was a Caprice.. wanted the Drivetrain, I got it for a bout 100 more than he paid, I saw the auction papaerwork.. shared with him later, it was a 350/700r4.......

 

[Diesel JD]

Hey my grandfather owned one of the 5.7s, I think it was a 79 Delta 88. Big tank of a car. He used it like a truck and never had any big problems with it until right before he died when it was apparent the IP was about to die with him. It ran one more time after he passed away and made the 3 hr trek from Plymouth NC to Wilmington NC with his 20' behind it to my uncle's house. Sadly it never started again and my uncle couldn't fix it/didn't want to mess with it. Too bad my head was still in the sand about vehicles and diesels then. There is a forum for Olds diesels out there not quite as cool as this one but still very informative. I hear that the big problems with the head gaskets had to do with reusing head bolts which unlike our Ford/IH bolts are TTY and should never be reused. Upgraded head bolts can be had, and ARP head studs are also available. With studs or upgraded head bolts and gaskets even a turbo is possible. The other trouble came from the fact that GM didn't see fit to equip these things with a water separator. Of course that should be added.