What do you guys think of old army vehichles??
 

Yes I know many of you aren't fans of the 6.2 or 6.5, but I understand the army chevys are turned up a little. I also know that these army trucks are probably beat to hell and back...

Let me tell you about a truck I found, and see what you guys think...

86 Blazer Custom
3,142 miles
$3500
4X4, auto
and other small details

Looks good from the pics, and it's shiny black, not camo.

What do you guys think?

Anybody have experience with old army chevys?

it only has 3142 miles? that's insanely low with that low of miles i'd buy it

Well that's what the ad says. I'm thinking maybe the odometer rolled over or something.:humm:

very possible, cause that's insanely low miles, and as far as the 6.2 being turned up for the military I highly doubt, unless the military mechanics turned them up while they were working on em which is highly possible but reliability is already and issue i doubt they'd wanna break stuff even more often

The low miles is probably correct. The Government buys tons of these things just in case we have WWIII. Most of them end up contracted to other places like union training sites and things like that. So there more used just to drive a few miles every few days and run short trips. It is most likely not turned up. The 6.2 in them is not bad you just cant go into thinking it has or is ever going have the power of a newer diesel. It's a completely different diesel from a different time in history. The military blazers are a lot like the civilian ones. They run the same 6.2, tranny, and axles. The biggest difference is they run on a 24 system.

They aren't a bad rig to have. The 3/4 tons also have a full floater rear and D60 front IIRC. It's not a bad buy, but you could probably find one cheaper if you shop around. They are auctioned off for insanely low prices.

x2 the miles are probably right as the military overdoes everything so what the hell for 3500 bucks :tu:

I'm not trying to argue, hell you probably know more than my source, but wikipedia says the army versions are more powerful. Yes, I know you guys are laughing at me for citing wikipedia...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Diesel_V8_engine
Also, what's a 24 system? You know I'm new to this... The only thing I can think of is 24 valves, but I don't think that's right.

You know a ****ton about these engines.

Sooooooo, do you know if this engine would work well for my application? (Biodiesel for others)


You have been super helpful, I'll buy you dinner anytime you happen to be in the ATL area.:c:

24 volt system. I guess its possible that they are tuned a little hotter, but not anything ive ever heard of. Either way, its simple enough to turn the fueling up a bit.

That truck would love the Bio-diesel! It was not meant for the new dry diesel! Unless you go for the SVO... Hmmm... I would advise not to on that (my personal opinion).

Let me be the first to admit that I don't know nothin about no Chevy trucks. But I can say that I've run the dog piss out a these old M1008 an M1009's all over the world. Rain forest mud trails, highways and deserts alike and never had mechanical problem one with em.

As far as odometer mileage, it means nothin in these trucks. If there was much engine work that needed done the old engine came out and a new one dropped in and the trucks was back in service while the bad one was being fixed for the next one that came in. I worked with a DS Level Maintenance Company for a while an we had a warehouse full of crated motors an trannies just for this.

If they are a 24V system, I don't remember if they are or not right now it's an easy conversion to a 12V system. In our 12V trucks the two batteries hook together and then go to and from the starting and charging system. In a 24V system the batteries work independently both having they're own wiring. I'm sure some college grad will come along here and post a scientific experiment type explanation as to the differences but this is a laymen terms simplified version.

Because of the black paint this particular truck was probably assigned to base functions and probably never saw any open road. They did things like base maintenance and security or range control. Run around post driving.

The truck would run fine on bio. It is the same db2 pump they put on the 6.5 and 7.3. I don't think they where turned up for the military but even if they where the only thing that would have been done is the fuel screw turned a little and without a turbo being added the gain would have been next to nothing. This truck will not tow a heavy trailer good. It was not designed to do that. The 6.2 was made to do one thing and they do that pretty good and thats fuel mileage. The 6.2 I have averages in the mid 20's and thats with no o/d 4x4 with 4.10 and 35's so I don't think thats to bad.

The military should be a 24 volt system unless some ones changed it. It is easy to tell if it has 2 alternators on it or the batteries are ran is serious then its 24 volt. You can change it to 12v but I would just leave it 24v.

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I go through ATL a couple of times a year on my way two visit the in laws so I might have to take you up on that.

Check out Steel Soldiers They have a forum that specializes in past and present military vehicles ;) They have a section for the Chevy Blazer :tu:

The mileage is probably correct. You'd be amazed to know that a vehicle with over 5,000 miles in the Army is considered "high miles". Military vehicles ARE beat to hell generally.. but lets not forget that they are also maintained on a US Government budget; when something breaks, it's FIXED. They are well maintained.
Most military motors ARE in fact turned up, hence why they dont have to follow emmissions guidelines and are actually exempt from emissions testing. They say so right on their motors.
The blazer is prolly a 24v system. Dunno how you'd convert it, or if it would even be an issue to keep it a 24v system.

They are tough trucks that are taken care of. Yes I'd say its worth that they are asking.

Just keep in mind, these military diesels are slow, loud, NOT smooth, and can suck some diesel down.

Most of the 6.2's never had emissions on them unless you got a 1/2 c engine and all it had was a egr. If you turn up a 6.2 with out a turbo about all you can do is turn the fuel screw up and with out adding the turbo its like pissing in the ocean.

Most of the military vehicles never see war. They buy them by the crap load just in case and they end up setting around most there life.

The 6.2 are slow. but not smooth they run as smooth as you can get a diesel to run. As far as the fuel mileage thats one reason Uncle Sam buys them. Every 6.2 I have ever owned did in the mid 20's without o/d and if you get a Sub. with a 6.2 and o/d it will most likely do 30 mpg. Thats the only thing they where ever meant to do.

holy chit 20-30mpg??? I've NEVER seen a humvee do that well, and granted I dont have much experience with the blazers and sub's since they are phased out of the areas of expertise I come from, those blazers dont do much better. Maybe in a civilian application they do though but I've still never heard of the mileage being that good from 6.2/5's

It is the same pump model, db2, but it's not the same as the 6.5 pump. I don't recall what the difference was, but the 6.2 pump will not flow as much as the early 6.5 pump. To make it quick you would need to go to a 6.5 db2 and turbo. Also 6.5 injectors. The late 6.2 injectors were the same design as the 6.5, the early ones were different, but someone makes some better early design ones.

Most of your Humvee run a 6.5. A 6.5 runs a bigger prechamber exit than a 6.2. That reduces exit velocity from the prechamber reducing overall efficiency which ends up in a loose of fuel economy. The engine between the military and the civilian are identical. The only thing's that ever changed between them was the oil pan, brackets, and on the turbo 6.5 the intake was different to mount the turbo in the center just like on the civilian vans. Until now because they no longer make a civilian 6.5 and the 6.5 for military use is a p400.

I have a 6.2 sitting in the drive way with a j engine in it which is the same 145 hp 6.2 they used in the military blazers. It's on 35' with 4.10 and no O/D it averages between 24 and 26 mpg. I also have a whole slew of 6.5's they seem to get any where from 14 to 19. It is different between every truck.

wow 24-26mpg thats awesome. Had no idea they get that good

They do good on the fuel mileage you just don't want to get into a drag race with one.

As far as pulling trailers. They do ok on slow around town pulls but with out the turbo the struggle at todays interstate speeds. If you are wanting a dedicated tow rig I would not buy a 6.2. If you don't tow anything or just light loads there fine.

Ya i know that pulling they are dogs. The n/a humvee's are THE slowest piece of machinery you will EVER find on a road. A 40k lb hemtt would waste a humvee lol. The turbo humvees are a LITTLE faster, as long as there are no up armor on them...

I test drove it today, and it drove like a freaking tank!! I loved it!

It was a little on the rusty side, there was a small hole in the driver's side flooring, and that's where most of the rust seemed to be, but it was still solid. I mean, I'm not expecting it to sparkle or anything...

I ran out of time today, so I'll run it by a shop tomorrow. The only place I could find locally was a chevy dealership, with a truck division.

I found out the truck does indeed have those low miles, he has papers on it, plus the odometer has a spot for the 1xx,xxx digit. It was originally sand color, the current owner had it painted black, and it's got a yellow caution light on it. I wonder what it was used for...:humm: Maybe it was a MP truck, but I thought they used blue lights, just like the civilian police force.

One concern of mine is that none of the lights work. Brake, headlights, blinkers, not a one of them, so hopefully that isn't completely fried. Maybe I can use this to get the price down a little.

The price and mileage are going to be hard to beat. I think I'll pick it up, and if I need a towing rig later, I'll just have to buy another truck! :jump:

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Well as long as the shop just doesn't destroy the truck, I'll pick it up.

Hope you enjoy the truck.

the lighits mighit be as simple as fuses the last 2 trucks i bought 1 had a blown fues for wipers 1 for head lighits not saying thats what it is just throwing it out there

Thanks, I hope the shop doesn't slam it to hard. I think I found a darn good deal here!

Yeah, hopefully that's it, but I'm no electrician or mechanic, so hopefully they are nice to me when they figure it out.

Send a pic?:jump:

Does the truck have a selector block that looks like this?
http://www.olive-drab.com/images/mse..._hmmwv_375.jpg

If so, the selector switch has to be in a certain area for lights and blinkers and brake lights etc to engage.

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/483/mynewtruck4.jpg
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/476/mynewtruck3.jpg
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/9339/mynewtruck2.jpg
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/9793/mynewtruck1.jpg

That's all I got, and they are from the ad.

I didn't see anything like that in the truck. Where would that be mounted??

It did have a few switches labeled light something or other, and I toggled them all, but nothing happened. I figured one was for the headlights, one for the yellow light on top, and I think there was a third one. Maybe it's a combo deal, like I have to have this one flipped this way, and this one flipped another for something to happen. Or maybe I just missed that selector switch, I'll have it figured out tomorrow.

That selector switch would be somewhere around where your left arm would be when fully extended straight out and minus a foot or so

I bought it. This truck is sweet!!! I think its a great way to get my feet wet in the diesel world.

It was cheap, low miles, should be cheap to fix, and maintain. It's a little slow, but I have to much of a heavy foot as it is. Slow=safe. Plus the brakes are phenomenal.

If I hadn't bought it, there was another guy literally right behind me that was very interested in it too. He was interested in the 24v system to run equipment off of.

I figured out the lights. It was one of the switches had to be pulled out and pushed up, when the lower setting was just push down.

The mechanic I brought it to was just concerned about the tranny. He said that it shifts hard into 2nd, and he couldn't get it to go into 3rd a couple of times when it should.

I think he was full of ****. Yeah it does shift a little hard, but it wasn't made with comfort in mind. And the third gear issue, well the thing only has 3 gears, so it should save that last shift till faster mph. Does my reasoning sound wrong?

So far I love the damn thing! I am just looking for excuses to drive it. Plus it has that removable top, I can do so much with it.

Ive been an army Diesel mechanic for 8 years and believe it or not 3,142 miles is not low most truck crap out around there because they are beat to crap every day. ie starting the truck in -10 deg weather and then reving the piss out of them to get the heater warm. and the big one is dumping coolant in the oil and not telling anybody. the oil cap on those looks like your car coolant cap they top the engine off with cooland and drive them. basically they live very hard lives.:ouch: