My name is Jim Bigley. I'm 46 years old, married and have two children, a 24 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. My home is in Stevensville, Montana. When I’m not involved with The 6.2L/6.5L Diesel Page I work for the University of Montana as an electronic systems technician.

By the fall of 1995 I had been driving a 6.2L diesel GMC K1500 for over 9 years. At about the same time my position at the University of Montana provided me with an opportunity to learn HTML and assist in developing several web pages for the department of Geology. It wasn't long before I began sharing what I knew about the 6.2 diesel with others on the internet. The UM allowed me to post these pages on the University web server beginning in February of 1996. The first "Diesel Page" was pretty modest and totaled only a few pages. Surprisingly, less than 3 months later the 6.2/6.5 Diesel Page was getting more hits (page accesses) than any other department web page.

By the late fall of 1996 we decided to move the web site to a commercial provider and begin a membership program. We had outgrown our free space on the University web server and the Diesel Page needed to evolve.

#2 At last count you had over 8000 paying members of your web site and over 5000 forum participants. What is the formula to your success?

The formula, I guess, is having the information people want and a commitment to do the best job possible.

Access to technical information, parts sources, and over 12 years of first hand experience with both the 6.2 and 6.5 diesel engine puts the 6.2L/6.5L Diesel Page in a unique position. A membership is a real bargain for anyone needing help or wanting to learn more about these engines and the GM trucks.

#3 You currently own both a 6.5L and 6.6L Duramax diesel, what was the determining factor in purchasing the Chevy/GMC over the Dodge and Ford diesels?

I've been a devoted GM fan from the time I received my first drivers license. From then till now I’ve always had at least one GM car or truck in the driveway.

The above picture was taken in the summer of 1972. This 55 Chevy (a work in progress at the time with a new 365 HP 350 under the hood) was one of over a dozen 55-65 Chevy cars I owned during the late 60’s to early 70’s. I was driving a 1964 Chevy Impala 2dr HT when I met my wife.

I receive 10 to sometimes 30 e-mails a day with an average closer to 20 or so depending on the day of the week and month of the year. I usually spend about 30 minutes to an hour each day answering e-mail.

There are probably a half dozen topics that seem to be the most popular: (Listed in no particular order)

1- Injection system troubleshooting
2- Fuel economy
3- Performance improvement
4- Diesel fuel and auxiliary systems
5- Diesel engine operation
6- Parts sources

I don’t view e-mail as a "down-side" to the Diesel Page. I’ve learned a lot from quite a few 6.2/6.5 owners and I don’t think the Diesel Page would be possible without this interaction.

I always ask how well the 6.2 starts cold. An easy starting 6.2 usually means the injection system, glow system, electrical system, starter, batteries, and engine compression are all healthy. I also recommend a prospective 6.2 buyer locate an experienced 6.2 owner to help them evaluate a used diesel truck.

An older (possibly high mile) 6.2 will require some periodic maintenance. Unless the new owner is prepared to do some or most of it they will be disappointed with the cost of hiring a diesel mechanic. A 6.2 diesel is a simple and inexpensive engine to maintain, which means anyone who can change a carburetor can perform any injection system maintenance.

Most of the EFI (94+) injection system e-mail I get comes from people who only recently discovered The 6.2L/6.5L Diesel Page and don't know any of the history of this electronic fuel injection pump. I believe most people are getting satisfactory service from their injection system, but I get an e-mail every now and then from a truck owner who is justifiably "disenchanted" with the Stanadyne DS4 electronic fuel injection pump.

One thing everyone needs to keep in mind is whenever 3 or more DS4 injection pumps are changed on a truck over a relatively short period of time, the dealership should start looking at some other engine/drivetrain system as the cause of the complaint. All too often a bad fuel lift pump, oil pressure switch, clogged fuel filter, poor quality fuel, emissions control system, EFI wiring harness, or PCM results in a pump change. From the very beginning, Stanadyne has reported that over 50% of all warranty returned DS4 pumps didn’t have anything wrong with them when tested at their service facilities. Now that many of the early 94-95 6.5TD trucks are going out of warranty, these owners need to take an active interest in injection system service.

Hindsight is usually 20-20, but no, GM didn’t do enough testing. A good test would have included a fleet of EFI 6.5TD trucks in Dallas Texas and another in Fairbanks Alaska, then run these trucks for at least 12 months before going into full production. If GM would have done this with their DS4 electronic fuel injection pump, the 6.5 Turbo Diesel would have an entirely different relative standing in the diesel market.

#8 Will the Isuzu/GM produced Duramax 6600 affect purchasing decisions of current Ford and Dodge diesel owners? Secondly, does a brand name (i.e. Navistar, Cummins, Caterpillar, or Isuzu) affect sales of diesel light-trucks?

Answer coming soon.

#9 What are your impressions of the Duramax 6600 so far?

#10 . What things would you like to see GM focus on in the future models of their diesel trucks.

The "More Power" article I did last year states that a performance improvement program begins with a free-flowing exhaust system. The various power chips available for the 94-95 models and power programming for the 96+ models can make a very worthwhile gain in power, but a performance exhaust system should be the first step in the process. Increasing power without considering the other engine systems like the air inlet system, exhaust system, and cooling system could result in engine damage.

The 6.5 engine has the mechanical strength and durability to handle just about anything, but heat management is often left out of the picture. With the right approach in cooling AND power enhancements, the 6.5 can run with any other stock diesel pickup.

Those who operate their diesel truck in the temperature extremes will see a benefit from synthetic motor oil in both engine durability and operation. Otherwise, most people will never see a return on their investment. An exception here is when the owner also installs additional oil filtration which allows for extended drain intervals.

If I had an excellent rebuildable 6.2 longblock I would rebuild it. Otherwise I'd get a 6.5.

Be choosy about where you buy fuel. High volume truck stops usually sell the best fuel. The electronic DS4 trucks should be using a fuel treatment that includes a lubricity additive. Since the fuel solenoid and timing system are operated electrically, more fuel lubrication should improve pump life and reliability.

To get the most out of a diesel engine we all need to learn the power band and run it where the most efficiency is, whether you're after fuel economy or pulling power. Matching the differential gearing and engine operating RPM to the type of service and road speeds would also go a long way to improve owner satisfaction.

Chevrolet and GMC trucks in general have the highest resale value, the independent front suspension provides for an excellent ride quality and low entry height (many women prefer GM), and many (myself included) feel the GM trucks are the best looking and the highest quality. The 1999 6.5TD offers all the power (215 HP 440 lb-ft) a light truck chassis can safely handle over the long haul. The early electronic injection system problems have been ironed out, so unless you're pulling over the GCVW rating, your choice in a diesel pickup really boils down to style and personal taste. If you want a diesel in a half ton or light duty 3/4 ton pickup or SUV, GM is your only choice.

There are many talented diesel owners among the membership. I try to include as many of them as I can in the Diesel Page. Having input from a variety of individuals improves the quality and diversity of the information presented. Bribery usually works too.

#17 The thedieselpage.com added a bulletin board in March 2002. How has the bulletin board impacted your website?

The new 2002 diesel emissions requirements will determine the future of all on-road diesel engines. Unless the government cuts the diesel industry some slack in particulate emissions (soot), the diesel will have an extremely difficult time meeting the proposed rule changes. All diesels will go to 3 or 4 valve cylinder heads and electronic direct injection in an attempt to comply with the tougher regulations. All diesels will be "drive-by-wire" and manual transmissions will go the way of the dinosaur. (The computer can't control manual shifting) I think these are the best times for light truck diesel engines.

#19 Since the time we did the Q&A you have had 3 GM Diesel Rendezvous. What was it like getting to meet all the members of your website and what events have had?

When the membership program began in December of 1996 I thought I'd know where we were going after one year. The first year came and went, and the future still remains a mystery.

We have a number of projects lined up to occupy space in the Diesel Page for the next year or so. Among them is the 6.5 Turbo Diesel (300+ HP) project engine, several product reviews and many more "hands on" maintenance projects. The "More Power" sequence will continue throughout this year as we put to rest the notion that the 6.5TD can’t compete.

When all this began I realized that coverage of GM diesel trucks was virgin territory in so far as information based web publishing was concerned. There’s so much more to write about and interesting projects to investigate that I don’t see a limit to the possibilities.

Our membership also deserves a lot of the credit for the Diesel Page. Without their support, encouragement, and input, this wouldn’t be possible.

Thanks for including me in your Q&A.

Jim Bigley

The 6.2L/6.5L Diesel Page
www.thedieselpage.com
turbo@thedieselpage.com