(quoted from post at 18:22:02 11/18/13) Just the opposite. GM was genious in being the first to put a diesel in a light duty pickup in 81. [b:dfaeb776d3]I am more talking about the late 80's and up time frame. I guess I could've been more specific.[/b:dfaeb776d3]
I bought an 82 K10 4x4 SP, auto, loaded, and that 6.2 was great, problem free till I sold it. But it was in a 1/2 ton, built for mileage. I turbo'd it, and it ran strong. I pulled a 29' TT camper with it. Pulled car trailers. I took that truck to Germany, and ran it on the autoban, all out. Bulletproof but light duty. I put a re-calibrated injector pump on it that turned 4100 RPM, and it REALLY ran great. Suprise a buddy on the autoban with a 85 Vette. Really liked that truck.Owned it for 14 years. Again as good as it was, it was light duty.
In 1984, GM sold the military on the 6.2 powered HMMWV and that's history. The HMMWV unfortunately today is still powered by it, and it has the longevity in the HMMWV of ice-cream in South Arizona.
Dodge took a tractor engine and introduced in about 1986 a 160HP/400TQ quiet little engine, in their 3/4-1 ton-- that 'was at-once' loved.
Ford in 1985/1986, thereabouts, but the 6.9L Internation in their pickups (3/4 larger) not so beloved, but morphed to the 7.3, to be sworn by. [b:dfaeb776d3] As gutless as they were, there are plenty of people who I've known, who loved the old 6.9's. The 7.3's are a great engine. [/b:dfaeb776d3]
Believe it or not in 1993, GM owned the HP ratings with the 6.5 intoduced in 92. But Ford and Dodge spanked GM in 94, which was the first year for electronic pumps on 6.5s, and 95/-97 Dodge and Ford uprated their engines with aftercoolers, etc, while GM flubbed along, till the Duramax was introduce. [b:dfaeb776d3]They may have had the top numbers, but they still had problems that Cummins owners wouldnt. In addition peak numbers dont mean everything. A stock 1997 Cummins truck would haul anything you hook to it. And thats with 180hp.[/b:dfaeb776d3]
Just think how much much money GM has made owning the 6.2/6.5 as long as they were in production and owning the Duramax vs bidding for an engine. Fleets were powered by these cheap engines. [b:dfaeb776d3]Just think about what possible profits they could've made if their engine was more like Ford's 7.3, and they owned it?[/b:dfaeb776d3]
GM spanked the market when they introduce the Allison 1000 with the Duramax. Genius. This is quite debatable. The Allison 1000 gets too much credit.
[b:dfaeb776d3] I have seen as many of those in the shop, as I've seen Dodge Cummins with the 47re's. Except, the 47re is cheaper and easier to upgrade[/b:dfaeb776d3].
GM did not tuck their tail and hide, from the 5.7L diesel debackle, they made a killing with the 6.2/6.5s. If diesel engines are too great, the engines last longer than the truck. GM married longevity with body, and move the market. Diesels junked with the truck. How many 350s were removed from boats and replaced with 6.2/6/5s. Many. Look up Peninsular Diesel.
Personally, I thought Dodge shaped the pickup truck history when they switched fromt the 93 square front ends to the retro curved fenders we see today. And they killed with the Cummins. But from a market prospective and profits, the engine lasts too long and simply is too good for the truck.
I say all the above in gest, whereas the timelines are close if not factual.
Government Motors / Genius Motors???
GM may be flawed to the point of genious.