Hi all,

This is my first post here, so forgive me if this is in the wrong place.

I am in the market for a mid to late 80s Chevy Blazer. Here's the catch: I ONLY want a diesel. This might sound backwards, usually people hate the diesels and rip them out, but I WANT diesel.

The problem is, is all the ones I can find nearby to NH are gas or were diesels and converted, or the occasional M1009. Or, if I do find a diesel, the body is no longer in one piece and any clean steel has long since disappeared since nobody knows what undercoating is.

Why do I want a diesel? Without going into specifics, I have unlimited very cheap diesel, much cheaper than gas.

My question is this: I know the 6.2s are okay engines, the 6.5s are better, but the new Optimizer 6.5 engine seems to be rated pretty good. I have found a few really nice, cheap gas ones. How difficult is it to swap a blazer to a 6.5 (Either original or new optimizer style) and make it all look pretty stock? I figure I can buy a brand new Optimizer 6.5 AND a nice blazer for less than the cost of a nice stock diesel, and it will outperform with a better engine. What is involved with a swap like this? I have read online basically drop it in, something about the brake booster, and that's that? But maybe the newer optimizer ones are a little different?

Not here to argue about diesel to gas cost, fuel efficiency, HP, whatever, I have diesel and want a diesel vehicle and like the blazers and I am used to underpowered vehicles.

(Mods, I posted the same thread in the S series section, can you please remove that one?)

 

A 6.2/6.5 will bolt right up in place of a gas motor in any square body chassis. If you are looking for a turbo 6.5 project with a truck equiped with A/C, then the airbox from the donor may not fit properly. No A/C, no problem. If you're looking for a 6.2, then there is a high nickel "red" block that was used somewhere between 81 & 82. A 91-94 6.5 (before they switched to an electronic injection pump) would be the best to start with though from my research. You could turbo either from there.

If I ever get the itch to do a diesel conversion on my '74, I would just go with a 12V cummins. Much larger aftermarket. It would be cheaper in the end.