My new Suburban

The choice between a Diesel and gas engine is up to the individual.  I have both 6.2 Diesel and 350 TBI powered vehicals.  There is definately more maintanance with a Diesel than a gas engine.  The parts are more expensive for the Diesel.  I would expect more than one set of glow plugs in that 180K miles snoman.  I don't replace the glow plugs as a set, only as needed.  I do test them at least once a year if not more.  One other thing to keep in mind if it has been several years since you have run a Diesel;  the low sulfer Diesel that they came out with a couple years ago reduced fuel economy by about 2 to 2 1/2 MPG.  Now this past year they increased the soy oil from 10% to 20% so now the fuel will gel at 10 degrees warmer than before with number 2 Diesel fuel.  One more problem with the low sulfer Diesel is that the injection pumps don't last as long now unless you put a lubricating addative in the fuel.  Don't get me wrong, I still like my 6.2 but the 350 gas is hard to beat.  If you will be doing mostly idle, the 6.2 Diesel will still use less fuel, but above that it is a toss up.  Where I live Diesel fuel is .50/gal. more than 87 Octane and .44/gal. more than 89 Octane right now.  

i didnt mean you to GO sno, iknow you know alot about the 350 and the diesels but hes down in AZ and it really dont get cold down there like up north. i was just giving AZdesertdog somemore info to look at so he can decide which route to go.
ive had my share of 350s too and made tremendous power but couldnt get mileage because i had a th350 behind it.i think the best i got was 14 mpg but that was driving arounfd town at 45mph,driving on the interstate was a diff story cause i was always in it doing 90mph+ and id probably get 6-7mpg.
and yes you do have more maintanence to do on a 6.2/6.5
but if you want your gas engine to run excellent you have to maintain that just as well with more parts.  
IT WASNT ME, IT WAS THE ONE ARMED MAN!

SNO MAN,IT WOULD BE COOL TO HAVE A KIT TO RUN A HEATED COOLANT LINE INTO SOME THING THAT WOULD RADIATE HEAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK,HAVE A VALVE AND BYPASS TO CIRCULATE,A LA BIG RIG, A MILLION DOLLAR IDEA FOR SOME ENTERPRISING SOUL,BETCHA THERES AN UNTAPPED MARKET SOME WHERE...MAYBEE...?  

you guys really need to go for a ride in one of my 6.5's
or better yet try to keep up loaded or empty with your 350...I wont be the one watching the fuel gage move.. LOL. one of mine is 18:1 compression and has no trouble starting, even when it's below 0.

 
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ohhhh looks cool but it wont beat my 04.5 ram 3500 cummins 600, heheheh, jk  
solid axle chevys cant be beat
78 K5: 350 V8,700r4,np208, 8 lug D44 4:88, 14 bolt 10.5 4:88 with detroit locker and 35 inc parenelli jones dirt grip tires

it will waste your ram without a load, loaded it will at best keep up, you'll be sweating to keep ahead.  others have already tried,  
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You should try and keep up with my 350 top end. For than a 6.5 is not match. About a year ago I was on highway cruising in my 2000 K3500 (which is stock except for a hypertech tune and higher octane fuel as I NEVER use 87 in it)  when this new PS 6.0 with a lift and chipped and smoking come by me showing off a bit  a against my better judgment I stepped into mine some  and when he punched his and stepped into it further just enough to stay with him and then he  topped out somewhere around 100 to 105 and I just want past him and the look on his face was priceless!! Diesel can have some impressive lower RPM torque but at high speeds you have to gear them tall because of limited RPM range and torque advantage is lost to taller effective drive ratios. My Vortec 350 was still pulling strong I was turning just under 5000 in drive when I easily passed him at about 110.                                                                                                                                                     Back in later 90's I had some friend that you to travel around mid west doing computer shows hauling big heavy trailers loaded with hardware for show and the "boys" with 6.5's and 7.3 and even CTD's then learned that on late night high speed runs at speeds of 80 to 85 and above to make time pulling 4 ton and heavier trailer that they could not keep up with those towing with 454's and when you pushed them to limit like this then MPG with diesels was nothing to brag about either. Again not anti diesel here but some see torque number and get lost and for get that 600 FT LBs at 1500 RPM is THE SAME HP as 300FT LBs at 3000 RPM! It is all in the gears and trannies and matching power curve to road needs and Detriot has not matched its gas motors well in recent years because if they did they would have a harder time selling the high dollar option of a diesel. If you are lucky enough to have of old Dodge 8.0 V10 in a truck, a recent Ford V10 with a 4.30 axle ratio or a 8.1 with a 4.10 axle ratio you can tow with the best of them and then some at speeds above 80. One more thing, back in 2003 I was in CO on highway and there was this 5th wheel TT passing everything even going up long grades so I chased it down and my burb (expecting to find a turbo diesel of some kind) and passed it doing a bit of 80 and guess what, It was a gas motored truck pulling it. A old V10 dodge.  

thats where people don't realize the benefit of a gear vendor and the gm6.5 will rev, speeds over a 100 is nothing. gasoline plainly does not have the pull power, they can run with the diesel on the flat and fall far behind in the hills.

hmmm I wonder why you can't buy a v-10 anymore?  LOL  
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WHY CANT YOU BUY A V10 ANYMORE?
BECAUSE THERE POINTLESS...IF YOUR GONNA PULL STUFF YOU MIGHT AS WELL BUY A DIESEL,AND TRY CHANGING THE PLUGS ON A  V10...GOOD LUCK GETTING YOUR HAND IN THERE TO DO IT.
\MY FATHER IN LAW HAD A V10 FORD F350 AND WHEN IT CAME TIME TO CHANGE THE PLUGS HE WASNT HAPPY  
IT WASNT ME, IT WAS THE ONE ARMED MAN!

I Know that you guys are well seasoned very experienced drivers.so please understand when i say this.what are yall doing towing anything at over a 100 mph? again no disrespect intended.look ive done more than my share of bad,got the high dollar tickets to prove it.Please be careful guys.  

WELL INEVER TOWED ANYTHING OVER 100MPH W/MY 6.2 BUT I CAN SAY I DID 105MPH JUST NORTH OF SAN DIEGO W/IT EVEN A CHP PASSED ME GOING 120MPH TO CATCH SOME OTHER DUDE.
BUT NO I DONT EVEN LIKE PULLING A U HAUL TRAILER LET ALONE MY OWN TRAILER FASTER THATN 55MPH  
IT WASNT ME, IT WAS THE ONE ARMED MAN!

yep, alot of the stock 1/2t chevy diesel's have 3:14 gears and they can fly down the road.  
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because I can...LOL, whats the difference in 75 in a 55 or 100 in a 75?
point was the measly diesel doesn't have any trouble at all reaching triple digits, if it seems that do, the driver backed off the go juice. the big tourque and over 300hp allows the tall gears to be efficient and cruise with ease.  
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mudb8-.:
yep, alot of the stock 1/2t chevy diesel's have 3:14 gears and they can fly down the road.

The little engine that couldn't. A 6.2 never came with a 3.14 as there is no such gear, maybe you mean a 3.42 but the reality is a 6.2 has less peak torque than a 350 so with any ratio combo it will not even pull as well as a 350. It will use less fuel but to even suggest it equal or exceeds a 350 usable power is silly.  

LOL.......  
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