# 8.2l fuel pincher????



## pro94lt

Has anyone ran one? I'm fully aware of the head gasket and being weak but how weak are they? What do you think of this engine?


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## echoshawn

The non-turbo 8.2s were great motors. Amazing fuel economy and great torque. The turbos had a tendency to have more issues, but if kept maintained, also pretty damn solid. Problem is finding someone who actually knows how to work on them. They're getting harder to find, and parts can be hard to find and spendy when you do. On the plus side, you can often find a complete running truck with one for cheaper than just the engine. I heard they were doing conversions with these in the 70's into regular pickups, along with 4-53 detroits.


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## pro94lt

Do you know how they compare to 3116's, 5.9's 7.3's, dt466's and big block chevys, as far as power? All it needs to do is run 55mph...


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## echoshawn

pro94lt said:


> Do you know how they compare to 3116's, 5.9's 7.3's, dt466's and big block chevys, as far as power? All it needs to do is run 55mph...



Well, fuel economy tops all that you listed. It's been years since I was hands on with one, but it was surprisingly good.
Really depends how much weight you're wanting to haul as far as the power. From memory, kept up fine with 366/427 chevy truck engines.
5.9 cummins isn't a fair comparison. The 5.9 probably has better torque. I don't have real world numbers unfortunately.
DT466 is very much stronger, even though less displacement.
No experience with cats, other than the 3208 which is more comparable to the 8.2, even though the cat is bigger.
The 6.9/7.3 international motors are bulletproof. That being said, they never got great mileage. My experience, I preferred the 6.9 to the 7.3. They ran forever, but when they got tired, they'd literally run fine one day, then never start again.


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## Goose IBEW

I have been running an 8.2 for 6 or 7 years now in my 1987 C70 Chevy, 22,000GVW, 5 speed/split rear. I got the truck with 94,000 miles and have put about 12,000 miles on it since I have owned it. It's a 165hp engine that puts out about 500ft/lb of torque. Turbo models net you 205 hp but they say little or no torque increase.

Let me tell you my experiences with this engine first and then I will compare it to other engines I have ran. I have had to bring this 26 year old truck home on a flat bed ONCE in 7 years. The lift pump went, an $80 item that was easily replaced in my back yard. Many NEWER trucks can not say the same!!! Other than that, filters and fluids are the only expense this engine has cost me in 7 years, 12,000 miles.These engines for some reason start very easily in the cold with nothing more than a good set of batteries. I have gotten 11mpg and get the best mileage around town, the truck is on the governor at 62mph. I use less fuel than most 1/2 ton pickups when pushing snow with my 9' Western Heavyweight plow. Pushing snow, I could run with any new medium duty truck that our state had to offer.These engines came with dual oil and fuel filters for long life service. I am very happy with the cost and reliability of this engine and will continue to run it until it gives me reason not to.

The downfalls: The truck is slow. With 6 ton in the bed or towing a heavy trailer, its fine from 0-35mph. 35-50 takes some patience and if you live in the mountains, forget it. It has 4 head bolts per cylinder, most engines have 5 or 6, so it is not a good engine to turbo and hop up. Its a throw away block, once it goes, a new engine is in order. You may have trouble finding a shop that is well versed on tuning this engine. I am lucky to have a factory Detroit shop near me, I wouldn't want to run one of these without a good repair facility, the tools and equipment needed to tune these engines is expensive and not something a back yard wrencher wants to invest in. These are mechanical injected engines and need 50/100,000 mile tune ups to keep them in peak working order.

Comparisons:There is no comparing a diesel to a gasser, unless you are talking brand new trucks. The EPA has all but killed the modern diesel engine.Diesel has 20% more stored energy per gallon than gasoline, they make more power, are more economical, last longer and have a better resale value than their gas counterparts. They also take kinder to being stored for months at a time. Ethanol has ruined gas engines that do more sitting than running.

I also run the 7.3 IDI diesel in my 1991 F350. I know for a fact that the 6.9/7.3 IDI can match the power of the 8.2 with a turbo. I have put down 217hp/390ft/lbs of touque at the rear wheels on my pickup. Parts for these engines are cheap and they are stupid easy to work on. The only thing specialty that is needed is the means to time it. Meters can be had off of flea bay for a few hundred dollars. The IDI's have 5 bolts per cylinder on the head but due to their high compression only run 12-15 psi max boost. I made my dyno runs with 9psi of boost. I personally know a tow truck driver that logged and documented 980,000 miles on an IDI, went through 3 cabs on an F450 chassis so they are plenty tough. Keep in mind that these too are mechanical engines. The injection pumps and injectors are medium wear items, needing replacing at about 125-150,000 miles.

I would be inclined to say that the 3208 Cat is an apples to apples comparison to the 8.2 fuel pincher. This is based on readings and talk, nothing I have had a personal hand on.

The 5.9 Cummins, International DT360 and DT466 can not be compared to any of the engines above. The 5.9 Cummins and the DT360 are very similar in size, same displacement, similar dimensionally, the International being slightly heavier, wet sleeved giving it in frame rebuild potential. The DT 466 is about 20% bigger all the way around. All three of these engines have HUGE aftermarket support and can make 1000 hp, the '466 can make 2500+hp and spin 5,500 rpm's in the sled pulling world. Any one of these engines can make 350hp without breaking a sweat, the '466 would give you way more torque at an equal hp level. Heck, you can get 350 hp out of the 5.9 Cummins without spending a dime to do it if you have the mechanical P pump series.

As much as I deem my 8.2 reliable, IF I had a few grand to spare, I would sell it and get an International with the DT360 or DT466 in a heartbeat. I would definitely turn it up to about 330-360hp and have a blast pulling any load effortlessly. Until then, the 8.2 is my "Ol' reliable." It simply starts every time and does what it can do without fail. I hope my long winded reply is accurate and of help.:msp_unsure: Good luck.:msp_thumbsup:


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## colson04

*8.2 what?*

I guess I'm not familiar with the engine ya'll are discussing here. Around here I see a lot of 5.9's, International's, Cummins and Cats, but not sure what 8.2L engine you guys are discussing.


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## Goose IBEW

colson04 said:


> I guess I'm not familiar with the engine ya'll are discussing here. Around here I see a lot of 5.9's, International's, Cummins and Cats, but not sure what 8.2L engine you guys are discussing.



It was Detroit's first attempt at a 4 cycle diesel engine. Ford and Chevy/GMC used this engine in the 80's.

I see in another thread, you also use the Ford 6 cylinder engines. These engines are also quite bullet proof and hake good power. I didn't dive into those because I have little hands on experience with them. I am also quite jealous that you have an old '71 series Detroit, that truck sounds bad a$$. Good luck with your fleet.


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## colson04

*ahh, Detroit*

Yeah, the old DD on the farm is pretty fun to drive, at least I think so. Not necessarily the best combination of engine/trans when harvesting forage between 1-5mph though, lot of up and down shifting. It does kick ass hauling grain to market though.

Gonna have to do a little research on the ol' 8.2L as I don't see them for sale in trucks around here. I'm sure they're around, I've just glassed over them and missed that part.


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