In the 1980s and 1990s there were a lot of mediocre diesel engines offered from manufacturers in a variety of cars and trucks. But none of them were awesome, until the diesel game changed with Cummins being added to Dodge trucks. And even then it wasn’t great yet. That would come later. One of the most prolific, and underwhelming, diesel engines offered back then was the 6.2L Diesel that came in Chevrolet and GMC trucks as well as military vehicles. The 6.2L was anemic in its naturally aspirated stock form, but was good in that it was a direct drop in anywhere that a 350 small block ever lived. The exhaust, hoses, and more, all connected right up to the same place for both engines. They were a simple swap, which is why my dad did a 6.2L swap when his 350 got tired in his 1974 Suburban.
The 6.2L was introduced in 1982 and over the years it got more powerful and arguably more reliable, but it was never a powerhouse. Even when GM increased displacement to 6.5L and added a turbo, it wasn’t anything special. But can it be? Modern diesel engines make stupid power. It isn’t uncommon for a new diesel pickup to have 800-1000 lb ft of torque which is nuts. But these trucks are also considerably bigger than the trucks of the 1980s, 90’s and even 2000’s.
There are a die hard group of people who love the 6.2/6.5 and who have built them into reliable and powerful engines. But Duramax power numbers? Not 2024 Duramax power numbers. But still good enough?
Let’s see what the Willomet crew had to do to make big power with their 6.2L.
Video Description:
I had a lot of coffee, so we manage to cover pretty much everything about our 6.5 diesel engine build and how to get a Duramax level of torque (500+ lb-ft). Think of this as a parts recipe you can chop up to suit your plans, so whether you already have a 6.2 or 6.5 or you’re looking to build one, there’s a lot of good detail in here for y’all. Hope y’all enjoy. David
