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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 มิ.ย. 2024
- This video is the second in a series that dives into two of the most hated, ridiculed diesels out there today. The 6.5 liter turbodiesel and the 6.0 Ford Powerstroke. I happen to own trucks with both of these engines in them at the same time. I also happen to love both of them and am trying to show that with some understanding, upgrades and love, they can be a great addition to your fleet. In this video, we talk over the 6.5 turbodiesel and some of the common issues with the engine. Also have a little fun with "turbo power", the engine shroud from the 6.5 diesel. It has come alive and is a faithful and fun mascot with wings. Thanks for watching and hope you enjoy.
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Had a little fun with this video in the beginning with "Turbo Power" the new very helpful Mascot of the 6.5 Diesel engine. Thanks for watching!!!
Epic Cars SiLy TuRbO pOwEr
he military GM tucks were called CUCVs.
Look into a 5.7 Diesel made by gm
@Stable Genius Nope not based on the 350, that sort of was the 5.7, the 6.5LTD was 100% Detroit Diesel never a gasser engine derivative, uprated from the 6.2 N/A Diesel also not a gasser derivative.
@Stable Genius Got it;
Of all of GM's forays into Diesel, the 5.7 was not their most successful venture, that said 5.7 wasn't as bad as some would lead you to believe, it was a light duty Diesel, better suited for cars, even though in trucks, in trucks perception was it could do "truck work" ...not so much....you had to understand it's limitations..... worst GM Diesel ??? let's flip a coin lest we leave out the 4.3L engine en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_Diesel_engine
Anybody who thinks the 6.0 or 6.5 is a bad engine has clearly never been around a 6.4 Powerstroke.
Jellyfrosh TRUTH!
Well I like the Chevy 6.5 but I hate the 6.0slow ford
Something so honest
6.5s are a 7.3 compared to a 6.4
Terrible daily engine but great racing engine
I've always liked them. As a fuel economy alternative to the 454 they did exactly what they were designed for.
Same thing with the IDI, were never supposed to make power just get decent fuel economy. Even my super duty with 5.13 gears still gets 10mpg
Really they were more a fuel economy option for 5.7. 6.5 was always rated closer to the 5.7 as far as towing goes.
@jacobeldredge803 In 1994 for example, the 6.5 TD was rated at 385 ft lb @ 1700 rpm and the 7.4 gas was rated at 385 ft lb @ 3600 rpm. The 5.7 gas was only 310 ft lbs.
I think the older non-turbo 6.2 is more comparable to the 5.7, but in the 90's the turbo diesel and the 7.4 were advertised as having similar torque figures.
@@alans.4167 I was talking tow ratings. Gm knew the cooling wasn't up to par.
How would you compare the 93 6.5 to the 94 454 in basically the same truck? Worth trading for?
Ive never been around 6.5s and dont know alot about them and their issues but i can promise you its better than a 6.4 powerstroke trust me i own one
Stuuubbs 77 Take a worn out Chevy small block and JB weld the spark plug holes and fill the gas tank full of diesel and you’ll have a better motor than a 6.4
The 6.4 is a IHnBASTARDIZED french motor . It's why ford cut ties with IH.
ive owned a 6.5 and it was great honestly never had an issue and it had 200k miles when it was wrecked.
6.4's can be built to be a good engine, if you're willing to spend the money on an upgraded top end and delete all the emissions bs. It's going to cost a lot more to get it sorted compared to a 6.0, but you'll have a beast when you're done.
@@andrewb9708 the 6.4 is a throw away motor can't be made better its engineered to fail.
I have been rebuilding 6.2s and 6.5s for ten years.
The biggest problem with the 6.5 is the thin walled block.
It bends under high loads and will crack the block.
Actually you are better off with the 6.2 block and putting some aftermarket new pistons in it.
The 6.2 block is thicker and harder then the 6.5.
It's worth making the 6.2 Turboed with the 6.5 Turbo and accessories.
Then you will have a reliable engine.
But you've also got to put studs instead of head bolts.
Then it will handle about 300 Hp.
You can also put a smaller pulley on the water pump to get about 33% more flow.
I had a 35000 Flat bad with 300 Hp 6.2 Block Turboed.
Weighing over 13000 Lbs.
Running on veggie oil and carrying 600 Gallons of oil.
No problem.
This sounds similar to the issues the 7.3 IDI had with cavitation. Take a 6.9 block, Bore it out to the 7.3 If you so desire, use 7.3 heads and machine the head bolt size on the 6.9 block to match. Boom, brand new 7.3 out of the factory
I love reading this: because im doing a 6.9 build as we speak :D
Hey I got a problem with my 6.5 it doesn’t overheat but stalls when it’s been running for more than 15 mins it’s got a new pmd and it’s been relocated, new fuel pump. I can’t figure out what’s wrong with it
A Duramax cranks out 300 hp from the factory! And at this point, most injector issues have been solved!
If you've got a 6.2 kicking around, you could do this. The 6.2 hasn't been manufactured in like 30+ years at this point though so you could be in for a lot of machine work depending on the condition of a very used block and heads. There are a few sources for newer AM General made Optimizer 6.5 blocks which corrected the issues of the earlier 6.5l motors. If you're going to go to the trouble of fitting new pistons and doing all the machine work to a 6.2, it might make more sense to just start fresh with a new 6.5 block. Then fit the lower compression marine pistons and an intercooler (which none of the turbo motors ever had) and you're good to go. You can push the GM-8 turbo up north of 15psi although a Holset HX35 would probably be a better choice.
300+hp and 500lb-ft is easily within the reach of these motors. The factory AM General 6.5 Optimizers are rated at 205hp and 440lb-ft at low boost pressures.
If you've got a 6.2 kicking around, you could do this. The 6.2 hasn't been manufactured in like 30+ years at this point though so you could be in for a lot of machine work depending on the condition of a very used block and heads. There are a few sources for newer AM General made Optimizer 6.5 blocks which corrected the issues of the earlier 6.5l motors. If you're going to go to the trouble of fitting new pistons and doing all the machine work to a 6.2, it might make more sense to just start fresh with a new 6.5 block. Then fit the lower compression marine pistons and an intercooler (which none of the turbo motors ever had) and you're good to go. You can push the GM-8 turbo up north of 15psi although a Holset HX35 would probably be a better choice.
300+hp and 500lb-ft is easily within the reach of these motors. The factory AM General 6.5 Optimizers are rated at 205hp and 440lb-ft at low boost pressures.
The 6.5 can be fixed the 6.0 can have a bullet proof kit done the 6.4 can be put in the trash bin lol
A 6.4 is a bored 6.0 with compounds and few more small changes
@@FireformOutdoors no, no it is not. Completely different block, heads, pistons, valvetrain and turbo setup
Blown 6.4 for sale everywhere in my erea. People swap 6.0 / 7.4 or rolled 6.7s in them. People even puts 5.9s in them. There nice looking trucks. But even running ones sell for cheap. No one wants them.
@@sebastiencharette6637 Yup, horrible efficiency and they blow up at will.
Its all down to the maintenance and how you drive.
I'll keep my two tried and true 7.3's. 435,000 and 452,000 miles and still going strong.
Amen to that! I have an early 99 that’s still all original cept the water pump and rail fuel pump. And 3 pos power steering pumps.
I know what you mean about the power steering pumps. I've got an early '99 that I got in August of '98 with a 6 speed manual and a 2001 Lariat with an automatic. Great trucks. Suspensions are indestructible.
I'll keep my 97 obs powerstroke. fuel pumps (went e-pump 3rd time) and a vacuum pump.
Cbmech the only problems I heard about the obs trucks is age. Some wiring harnesses are starting to fail lately
@@NoName-tz5ji I'll deal with that. Biggest plus? No smog crap. It's a good trade off.
Had a 96 3500 crew cab Cheyenne.I live in the North. Used it as a "get any where in bad weather"...also great for recreational...fishing...hunting...tow anything...bring everyone...even my big Newfoundland dog.
They're still built for marine applications. They can't be the worst if they're still manufactured.
Edit: 27 years in 2019.
Completely agree, that many being in service to this day means something. Thanks for watching.
@@EpicCars thank you for making 6.5 content. I'm one of the few that likes them
Not just Marine, I believe they are still used in some Army Applications & Even the Humvee's. Which are the P400 Maximizers?
@@SchnelleKat yes it's still military. Most military mechanics I've spoken to say they don't like it. That's their opinion.
There must be a reason for them only appearing in marine aps
I own a 1993 chevy K2500 and I'm keenly aware of the issues. In spite of oil cooler line failure and all.. I still love this old truck 263,000 and still going! Thank you for the validation, nice to know there are others that can appreciate this platform. Manual glowplug control was my most satisfying fix. No more short cycles on cold days and no more burned out glowplugs on warm days!
I will check into the manual glowplug. Thanks.
Crazy how lucky we are, to have people like this, willing to make these videos
After watching this the thing that jumped out at me is everything it takes to make these reliable engines is done affordably and easily, and is stuff around the engine. On the 6.0, it's a completely different story - pretty much the opposite (internal work, cab off, 4 or 5 figures, etc.). So there is still something to be said for these old 6.5s. Also, you forgot to mention that the design intent for the 6.2/6.5 is to be compact and light enough to fit anywhere a Chevy big block previously was. You absolutely cannot say that about the other diesels.
Duramax is comparable in size. Believe me I’ve had them next to each other.
I bought an 86 blazer with a 6.5 turbo diesel. If I'm not mistaken the engine was out of a 92 93 dually. I ran the truck for 3 years and had no issues with it. I loved that old truck. Wish I still had it.
Nice to see you doing some more upgrades to the old 6.5, I did the lift pump upgrade to mine, as well as the 4" exhaust, manual wastegate controller, I put bigger battery cables on the truck from PT wiring solutions, relocated the PMD on my truck, and it has been a very reliable truck, I love that parts are cheap to get for it, and lots of parts suppliers for it also. Keep up the hard work, and enjoy your videos, keep them coming
My 97 crewcab 2wd had a great 1st owner. Dude threw a bunch of banks stuff on. I cut the exhaust off an bullet proofed it remote pmd lift pump ext..... I get 17mpg all day long an she loves to run. Greatest truck ive ever owned
Thanks for commenting. Us 6.5 guys gotta stick together!!
Would take a 6.5 any day over a 6.4, owned my 95 6.5 for 6 years and put about 400k on her, she’s at 650k total now. Did everything in this video to her, as well as a cat oil filter. Adds capacity to it and is overall a better filter.
Thanks for watching and commenting. Will try the cat filter. New videos coming up in 2020 on the 6.5.
What cat filter fits a 6.5? I have a 97 and can't find anything regarding what filter would fit
Mark Wilson it’s a 1R-1807. Had a machinist friend make an adapter for me.
@@dickcheney5585 Sweet. Thanks for the quick response.
You should try a PPE brand filter you don't need an adapter and it does everything the cat does
Ive put 40k in the last 2 years on my 96 6.5, no major issues at all, definatly not a powerhouse like the newer diesels. But it gets the job done
No older V8 4 stroke Diesel engine this size will be a powerhouse. They do what an average man would want
My 6.5 had 675000 kms on it when I scraped the truck and sold the engine. Still ran great,never been touched. Lots of power.
you must live in a cold climate & never thrashed it..
@@phantomwalker8251 cold enough i guess. Definitely didn't treat it nice. Don't even think the last 100k saw an oil change
@@mydailylife3771 Yes. .I have a 6.5 turbo Chevy Tahoe in New Zealand.
It was converted to RHD in Canada & shipped new to NZ in 1997
Done a 190K & worth about NZD$25k.. Very cheep.
Old gas Blazer are going for twice that.
diesel fuel is NZD$1.20 per lt.
+ road tax of 6c per km. !!!
& road tax for a 50 ton truck & trailer is 60c per km
I love those 90s chevy duallys. They look so sweet
Totally agree. GM got that body style exactly right. Thanks for watching.
@mark robertson ol' smelly Mel? Haha
I just bought my first diesel truck 4 months ago. 93 4x4 extended cab dually. 6.5 with automatic transmission. New Engine has 100k on it, truck and transmission has 250k. Just pulled transmission out yesterday to rebuild. I absolutely love this truck. It has a very nice loom, style, and i can haul gravel without worrying about my fancy tailgate like new trucks. Trucks to me are tools. It's a powered wheelbarrow. Gets excellent mileage. Easy to work on. I get compliments on its look several times a week.
This is a great video man. Super informative
just picked up a 94 K3500 4x4 dually 5 speed manual and i will definitely be doing a lot of the upgrades you mentioned! quality video!
Nice!!! I would really like a manual rather than automatic so am jealous. Send me some pics when you get upgrades done. Thanks for watching.
Check out Leroydiesel.com. Huge 6.5 parts supplier and lots of quality videos for the do it yourselfers.
Personally best diesel I ever owned was a 84 f250HD 4x4 4spd with a 6.9 international harvester in it. Only mods were 6” true duals and two clicks on the pump maybe 4 if I was feeling cute can’t remember. But that truck was soo much fun. I remember going to country thunder and using it as a tow truck with chains and driving through mud holes that lifted monsters got stuck in and just rolling through in gear not even touching the pedal. 2low I could just let out the clutch and I could climb a wall.
I had the same with an automatic. Didn't do a lot of off-road use although I was invited to Yankee Lake in Ohio to show off in the mud lol. Simple to work on but the glow plug system did suck and made cold starts not too fun. Rust ate her alive, unfortunately.
@@biggytmofo Woah !!!! Yankee Lake. I remember watching videos of mud trucks from that place. That’s so rad man !!!! I always thought the muddin’ was cool
I love my 6.5, its been so loyal. A little preventative maintenance and no issues on the road
Excellent video! I had a 6.2L pickup & Suburban years ago. I currently have a 3rd gen Cummins Ram. The 6.2's served me well but the DB2 pump went out on the pickup. It got descent mpg and accelerated good initially then dead pedal. Torque was absent compared to the Cummins but it towed my boat. These old idi engines did what they were supposed to do - just not over achievers. The common rail high output Cummins I have now is a beast. Sometimes I wish I'd kept the pickup just as a fun kick around truck. 6.2's are rarely seen in my area these days.
Oh, and I like your blue Great Dane! I have a fawn named Cash. He's 39 1/2" at the shoulder.
Yes, comparing this engine to a Cummins is tough. They just have so much torque over the 6.5. But, like you said, for general towing they do fine and get decent mpg. This truck does not tow a lot and I generally use it as my work truck because with the camper shell, it holds a ton of stuff in the bed. Yes, Moose is a fun dog. He is huge, I will have to measure him today and get back with you. He is my shop buddy.
Hello from Michigan, I currently own two 96 3/4 ton trucks and I am very happy with both of them. Where I work we manufacture parts for the 6.5 diesel, many people dont realize the 6.5 diesel is still in production and is redesigned to be much more durable than it was back in the day. God bless
What kind of parts do you make like internal engine parts for the basic engine or like p400 / optimizer 6.5 stuff
@@nou8257 We manufacture rod bearings and main bearings for General Engine Products who produces the OPTIMIZER 6500.
Good, informative video! Still have my 1992 6.5 stock except for the inline lift pump and a radiator. That pump was always the weakest link. Never had an overheat, replaced radiator due to a leak. Went through one starter. The only time I was stranded was due to not replacing the batteries when I should have. Regular maintenance, popping the hood, and crawling underneath to check things out as a habit seems to be all this one has needed. I've had more issues with the transmission and the anti-lock braking system than the engine. Oops, almost forgot, had the engine speed sensor go out a month after I bought it new in 1992. Had to wrangle with the dealership as to whether it was covered by warranty, and won out.
People who hate on these motors never owned one, I’ve had a 6.0 for 3 years no issues. Take care of them they take care of you.
Three whole years?!?
@@DowntownDeuce2
I thought this vid was about a 6.5🤔
I've had a good experience with my 6.0
I love 6.0 powerstroke, money maker lol. Keeps mechanic shops full of work lol.
@@Blske9758 I always worked on my shit myself
My dads 95 6.5 w/EGR, came with gremlins...He ordered it new as a half ton rclb...it’s had 2 injection pumps, 3 lift pumps, 1 sending unit and tank, 3 PMDs (first one was a relocation kit), 4 starters, glow plugs with relay, and 50hp injectors, 4” turbo back exhaust, and a new transmission. The truck has less than 110k miles! (I did the injectors and glow plugs at 98k as a precaution). What a freakin nightmare, I’m afraid to drive it, fearing I’ll be stranded somewhere. I convinced my parents to put a snowplow on it, to get the most out of it before it dies.
I've been a diesel mechanic for 15 years and specialized in the 6.5 trucks/vans/buses. These are great engines. And can be built to compete with a STOCK modern diesel. They'll never put out 1,000+hp. But they can be daily driven at around 450hp-500hp. These engines were designed in the mid to late 70s to combat the fuel crisis. They are built specifically for fuel economy. And to run on multiple fuels. This is why the military used/uses them. Plus they're dirt cheap. And that's usually the deciding factor for the military. I'm going to clear up a few things you mentioned...
There are ZERO issues with the DS-4 injection pumps. The pump driver (PMD you mentioned) is the problem. Move it to the skid plate or even just out from under the hood (manifold mounted solutions are not good enough)and problem SOLVED. Better starting, more power, better fuel economy and a quieter running engine than a mechanical engine. I would never buy a mechanical injection truck over a DS-4 truck. And yes I own a 94 3/4 ton Suburban with a DS-4 6.5 Turbo Diesel. And I LOVE it!
Torque numbers come in at 1,600-1,800 RPM not 3000+. This is obviously higher than a lot of diesel peak torque numbers. But even the Duramax has its peak torque at 1,600 RPM. These engines aren't limited to 3200 RPM on a 94+. Your mechanical is probably around d 3400 RPM. So I'm not quite sure what you mean by 4,000 RPM. If you're getting 4,000 RPM out of your truck. The governor in your DB-2 is shot and you need a need pump. Or some asshat thought he knew how to get "all the power". And performed some backwoods hillbilly fuel injection surgery to it.
GM quick connect fitting are the bane of my existence... However it's rarely the clip fitting that fails. It's the aluminum crimp that fails on the hose ends.
And as for harmonic balancers go...It is my strong belief that ANY engine. Gas or diesel. Will benefit from installing a Fluidamper. I've rebuilt at least 50 6.2/6.5 engines and I have JUST ONE with a broken crankshaft. I got my suburban with a poor running engine And found out it was a broken crank... But it still ran well enough to drive it on a trailer and then drive it on to a 4 post lift.
Overheating is a myth brought on by people that don't maintain their cooling module. This is the group of cooling exchangers at the front of the truck and includes. Of course the radiator, air conditioning condenser, engine oil cooler and a remote transmission cooler on some trucks. These NEED to be kept clean and free flowing. Both on the outside AND inside. Like I said I have a 94 Suburban and I plow with it and pull a 12,000lb skid steer with it once in a while. And while I'm certainly not going to win any races...Even in the dead of summer with the A/C blowing hard. It does not get too hot. Just keep your cooling module or cooling pack clean and you're golden.
Great video. I wish more people would actually drive one and maybe even push a plow or tow a trailer with one before they make up their minds about how "terrible" these engines are.
Brandon, I will take your word for it with that much experience. Thanks for commenting and watching.
450-500hp? That’s a hot injection pump.
@@jamescallachan9896 yes. I'm not sure if he does anymore. But Heath used to sell high output pumps for 94+ trucks.
Now obviously that's not all you need. It also requires a cam, injectors, port work, head/main studs, turbo upgrade and even adding an intercooler. But it absolutely can be done.
If you don't need to pull a 12 ton tag behind you then a 6.5 will do just fine. My 6.2 will get me 24+ mpg Canadian all day long. Does not wear a front end out every 2 years like a cummins. Easy to replace injectors and glow plugs as needed.
The 6.5 is a great diesel for those who want good economy and ultra cheap replacement parts. There is alot of aftermarket support for them now to make them dependable. It's too bad that they weren't saved earlier, I feel there would be alot more of them on the roads.
I had a 2000 Chev 2500, used it for landscaping and snow removal, had a plow on it. I had replaced the exhaust with a 4 inch, and had the PMD relocated, and changed the thermostats (dual set up). She used to overheat pulling a small load, never felt confident about towing for any amount of distance. The injectors started to to at 120,000 miles and at 125,000 miles the 4L80e started slipping, which was just great, 15,000 miles earlier the transfer case grenaded. I called it a day and traded it in for a ‘14 Ram 5500 diesel. Never had to worry since then about anything.
I just wanna say thanks for the informational video. Have a buddy that wants an older diesel for the long term durability and his ranger has been giving him problems but when he asked me about the 6.5 I told him I didn’t know much more than the applications it was used in and the fact that everyone complains it isn’t as powerful as the 12v Cummins or 7.3 powerstroke. He doesn’t care about the power as he mainly uses his as a work truck not as a tow rig so this video gives me something to show him that can help make it a more reliable choice if he can find one. 👍🏻
Awesome. Glad I could help. Thanks for watching and sharing the video.
I love my 97 6.5 suburban. I have made around 10 trips between Seattle and LA or Phoenix. I love the fact that I can fuel up in Seattle and make it to Redding, CA on one tank. The only modifications I have made are exhaust, pmd relocation, intake, and a boost contrler. I peak out at about 15psi.
Mike West what kind of mileage do you usually get out of it?
@@neilklump3744 depends on if I'm towing. But the Max I've seen through Central California where it's pretty much flat is 21 empty. But up here in Seattle area where it's got a lot of hills. I can get around 17-19 mixed city and freeway. I only live 11 miles from work. But I'm usually cutting it close on time so that 15 minute drive is usually done at 75-80 mph.
@blackandgold51 for as much as I love my 6.5. I would honestly go for the 5.9 Cummins. There is way more resources available for them and way more aftermarket parts available. I'll even let you know where you can get the best swap. The next time that you are flying take a look out the terminal window. You will see trucks outside that have the box lift on them. A good majority of them have the 5.9 Cummins in them. But here's the best part. The also have an Allison transmission in them. I work in the airline industry and one of my coworkers bought 2 of them at auction. One for $2500 and the other one for even less. He's taking one of them and talking the box and cab off and putting a 4 door Ford cab and a bed to make it a dump bed.
6.5 is a great engine. GM gave them a design problem.
PDM , vacuum pump and lift pump.
Fix them and laugh at all the haters
What is PDM?
plus they crack heads blocks wallets..
you got it
@@49freightliner80 PMD-drives solinoid delivery valve in back of inj pump
holley blue my favorite replacement lift pump
Got a 82 k20 GMC, 72k on the 6.2, 4.11s in the axles, 31 tires, did head gaskets and bolts and added a 6.5 turbo set up, down pipe outside the frame rail back in fwd of the fuel tank, pretty clean install, 3" pipe, no muffler, best exhaust note of any diesel I've owned, fresh pump gov @ 3500, turbo made it go from a 267" sbc to a strong 350 or weak 454, get 17 on the hwy @ 70 mph. I like it.
Love the intro. Pretty cool 😎. Enjoyed your opinion and info on the 6.5. Really enjoy my 97 F model. Love that parts are not outrageous and no DPF or regen issue...
Adding an intercooler helps a lot but puts the turbo at it's limited capacity in higher altitudes.
I plan on doing a air to water intercooler and then giving my truck a hx40 and maybe water meth injection
The 6.5 diesels did have EGR and soot traps, though. I would rather have a non-California LB7 Duramax that has NO emissions controls from the factory.
@@bcdieselsofficialyou clearly haven’t taken away anything from the video or his comment
i have a permeate fix for GM's weird oil line connectors. Use 1/2 flare to 3/8 compression fittings they are plumbing fittings but its a good fix. To avoid leaks at the crimps have hydraulic hose and crimps put on. ALOT less than 175 as suggested here to completely bullet proof those lines forever.
I had a 6-2 diesel the only diesel truck I ever bought and I loved it lot of people didn't like how they didn't have power but you go do your research on the 6-2 in the 6-5 they were not designed to pull they were designed for fuel mileage
6.2 had 165Hp 6.5 had 210Hp both were worthless at towing
NOT lol
Wait the 6.5 is bad at towing?
Good job! Greetings from South America!
I have the 6.2 diesel in s 86 M1009 k5 a lot of people give them a bad rap but I've had good luck with it , been very reliable and has adequate power .
On the cooling system add a restrictor in the bypass hose off the pump to force coolant to go to the radiator and not back to the block Leroys Diesel has this fitting works very well
Ops mod. The oil pressure sensor triggers the lift pump. Add a relay so that the oil pressure sensor triggers a relay and doesn't carry the load of the lift pump
I rewired one and took it from the oil pressure sensor and tied it in to key switch power going to the wiper motor so that any time the key is on, the lift pump runs. Made a huge difference in how the truck started. That truck used to burn through starters like you wouldn't believe.
all stock lift pumps failed to get the 14 psi stanadyne minmum lift pump pressure,try a holley blue
I just bought a k3500 with a turbo 6.5l. Thank you for the video and I can’t wait to get building.
Right on! I just sold this truck yesterday. New video uploading today. They are great trucks though. Hope you enjoy yours.
@@EpicCars Awesome! I will check it out after work and yes I love this truck. Just got six new tires and it drives so smooth now ❤️
I love my 6.5, I relocated my pmd to behind the bumper with the heatsink fins in the wind. 4 in crossover and turbo back exhaust. Manual wastegate cranked to 12psi, don't go over that unless you have head studs. Best thing I did and fully recommend is the heath diesel tune, which you have to do if you crank up the turbo, stock tune will toss a code and go into limp mode. It also adds torque lock for compression breaking for the 4l80e.
Thanks for all the info and thanks for watching.
The 6.5 is a great engine, and remember it was good enough for the military, which says something right there. I hear all kinds of crap talked about the 6.5, but I have one in my 96 suburban and it's been the best vehicle I've ever owned - still driven daily at 370,000 miles and never had any internal work done. Its had some injector pumps and a few PMDs, but that's not the engines fault, and I have remedied those issues. If you take care of it, it'll take care of you. You can't call something a bad engine because it failed due to abuse and neglect. All the 6.5 haters out there have got to be doing something wrong because mine can't be the only good one ever made...
Military takes the lowest bidder, 6.5s had a lot of issues that stemmed from the switch from mechanical to electronic. It’s common for people to switch the mechanical components off a 6.2 to a 6.5.
I have a 99 suburban with the 6.
5!!!! Love it !!
Really great video! I think we may have to add in the 6.4 Powerstroke to the worst diesel of all time. I think they made that just to give us gear heads the opportunity to build Fummins out of em😂
My worst experience with this truck was the pump mounted driver that would fail slowly, making the truck totally unreliable. Didn’t know what it was at the time and when I had it towed into the dealership, they claimed they had put it on their diagnostic computer and could find nothing wrong! After several experiences of being stranded I got rid of this truck and got a Dodge Cummins that is still totally reliable after 18 years and still going strong. You would think GM would have had the decency to solve the problem by relocating the pump mounted driver when I went back to the dealership with the problem, as you indicate in your video. No regrets getting rid of the 6.5!
I love my 97 6.5, its not the fastest thing out there but Ive pulled 16000 about 2000 miles with no issues at all in the start of august without any heat issues.
I loved my 97 2500 with the 6.5 got it n high school turned the fuel up n did a bigger turbo n intercooler and it was a nice fun truck put around 100k on that truck myself wish I would’ve kept it
I have a 2000 k3500 with the 6.5. I’ve always had fuel delivery problems and I did replace the harmonic balancer but it’s always been a good engine other than that
Great video, you nailed the common problems with the 6.5 and you seem to have scored a clean truck. Im jealous, im having trouble finding this era of suburban with the 6.5 that hasnt been neglected or torn up..LOL
Agreed. Finding a clean one was tough. Where are you located? Will keep an eye out for one and send your way if I find. Thanks for watching!!!
Try Facebook Marketplace that's how I found my last few trucks crew cab dually 454 99 K 2500 98 Suburban K 2500 6.5 liter diesel I might have got that you're wrong but I got them both
I have a ‘93 6.5 db2 k3500 single wheel with a 5spd in it. I absolutely love it. I have
- Quadstar Super 60 turbo setup
- Quadstar Marine Injectors
- Quadstar intake plenum
- Quadstar Battery relocation tray
- Fluidampr Harmonic Balancer
- Leyroy Diesel Billet crankshaft pulley
- Airdog II 4g 100gph
- Diamondeye 4” straight pipe
- Diamondeye 2.5” crossover tubes
- Duramax fan swap (on its way)
- Glowshift (lol) triple pillar gauge (egt, boost, trans temp)
You can’t go wrong with a 6.5 if you build it right!
Mpg?
My family has had our Suburban 2500 with the 6.5 since 97 and its been a solid engine. Theyre no powerhouse but its been reliable. Only issue has been the PMD which went 5yrs ago. 245,000 miles and still rolling
Don't install a silicone filled harmonic balancer if you live where it gets 40 below zero and you drive your truck.
The silicone solidifies at low temperatures.
You'll lose your crank.
Stick with a new stock rubber isolated damper.
The 6.5 diesel is actually a pretty decent motor it’s just gutless. Pretty reliable. I had one I got at 156k on it that never had anything go wrong but basic maintenance and finally at 273k it needed an injection pump but that’s it.
Does not have to stay that way, GM was delving into a computer monitored fuel injection system to meet emissions, GM was actually 1st ones to do this, with some issues they got pretty decent at it, but EPA got tighter and tighter with emission, so distributed fuel from a mechanical injection pump monitored by a computer would not do, common rail is only way to do it so industry wide you have common rail as the standard now.
6.5s being IDI spraying fuel into the prechamber also never going to be capable of matching full performance of a DI spraying fuel directly on top of the piston. With some intelligent work, 250 rear wheel HP is not impossible from the 6.5 , mine is closer to 300 rwhp though it has been some time since I've dynoed it. I did manage on one dyno-day "besting a stock 2003 Dodge 5.9 24V back in 2005 before some mods I have now 197 rwhp that day.
Bill Heath of Heath Diesel hold land speed record for the 6.5 (deeply modified) at 163 mph is Bonneville sporting my "Feed the Beast" modification (wish now that I would have patented that) :)
My K1500 GMC is capable of 18K tows at interstate speeds all day long, though I don't do that as matter of course; it was a matter of necessity before I purchased my 2006 5.9 Cummins in a Dodge 3500 crew cab dually wrapper.
My 97 GMC 2500 has 480k+km's on it and still just putting tyres on it and oil changes, if that's the worst engine then there must be some very high milage others around
@@Hitman-ds1ei the thing that fails on the 6.5s the most is the ECM... since it overheats due to its location.You can get a simple plug and play ECM relocation harness though to make even that problem go away.
@@Wingnut353 it’s called a PMD. That is on a 94+ years. Controls fuel delivery of injection pump
I see a lot of discussion on the 6.4 PSD in the comments, here's been my experience:
1: I worked for the govt, I drove a single cab dually 6.4 F450 for about a year, every day. Daily route was about 200-210 miles.
2: The conditions it was worked under were long periods of idle and low rpm driving with intermittent acceleration onto the highway
3: I suspect the truck was derated/detuned, as it only got like 10 mpg and wasnt the fastest
4: It still went 0-60 quicker than a 7.3, not by much
5: The only trouble code it ever threw was for a FRPS(fuel rail pressure sensor) going bad
6: It still had both EGRs and DPF intact
7: It was maintenanced once every 6 months, full egr and dpf clean, fuel system clean, coolant flush, oil & trans fluid changes, filter changes.
8: It always started no matter how cold, even in -14 it cranked for maybe 6 seconds (my dept didnt use block heaters)
9: It felt to me like I was driving an old diesel that would scream at me about a regen every now and again
10: This truck was a looker of course, everyone knows that body style is hard to beat lol
Overall my experience with a 6.4 was excellent, I never looked at a 6.4 psd block and thought "ah that makes great power!" everyone remembers how invincible the 7.3 was but never how slow it was.
My father worked at General Motors working on their diesels all through the 90s and he has told me personally he hates the 6.2 but loves the 6.5 for some reason. I’ve never really cared much for the 6.5.
Thanks for watching!!
276k miles on my ‘93 and still going strong.
Good video ... I had a 94 k2500 exstended cab long box sold it at 389, mi had to replace the injection.driver and oil cooling lines rubbed through issue got 20 mi per gal on highway loved that truck and best working 4wd I ever had could climb I lived in Western Washington point and go.....
Thanks for watching. Mine is down at the moment. Something poked a hole in the oil pan. Not good. Checking out options on a new engine, rebuild it maybe a swap.
I had a 6.5td in my 95 dually for 3yrs, well maintained and looked after but was still hard to live with, common problems for me was that pmd, ecm, ran hot when working then at 100,000 miles the crank broke, the motor now lives on in some college with students using it to practice on while studying motor mechanics.
After having my lbz Duramax for 3years now, had only normal servicing at 8,000miles and only a set of glow plugs I would never go back to a 6.5 ... Maybe good in the day but just not realiable enough!
And I just ran across a 2000 3500 hd with the 6.5. At pull a part.....it had the pmd relocator on it...and a mint bench seat no tears.. I grabbed both items.and also the hd door panels... :) I already has a db2 pump already just Incase I decided to swap to manual.. nice vid these engines are meant to be a fuel saver..rather than a powerhouse engine..
To really judge it properly, you need to use the 6.5 P400 model. It actually has modern design features such a web main girdle, stronger forged billet crank and ceramic coated pistons. It was actually *designed* for an intercooler (even though you don't need one). I've got one in my H1 and it kick ass.
How do you tell if is that model
I will take a Duramax LB7 instead thank you.
Ì have a 93 k2500. With the 6.5 turbo. Just replaced injection pump and injectors. The truck runs great! It has 201,000. Miles on it now . I put a new turbo on it last year and that made a big difference in power. The truck has been in my family since it was new. Love the truck!!
I admit, I saw the title and was ready to come in here and raise hell, but you clickbaited me into watching a video I completely agree with. Good stuff!
6.5's and 6.2's are good if you don't expect much out of them. The were pretty reliable until they put the electronic injector pump on them.
Yeah I just realized that the 3.0 Powerstroke in the F150 makes more power than the 6.5 lol 😂
Had a 1982 GMC 6.2 ,had from1997 - 2002 then got stolen .Got 50 litres to 500 km 23.64 mpg .Still miss that truck .
6.0 is awesome! Good sound and hear it’s pretty good! My buddy has an 05 f250 with the 6.0. He does landscaping. Trucks done him well!
Thanks for the video ! I own an 88 suburban with 6.2 and love it but want to upgrade to a 90s model with 6.5 . They both have a bad name but I've owned both already and love them anyways because I use them they way they are designed to be used and that seems to work . The video helps me know what to look for with my next purchase . Maybe some day ill also get to fix up my 6.2 shorty van . gotta love the oddballs !!
Very cool. Love the square body suburbans. Keep an eye out on my Facebook page as I will be selling probably one of the best running 1993 6.5 Diesel 3/4 ton suburbans I have ever seen in the next week. It pulls like a freight train. The 6.2 shorty van sounds awesome. Thanks for watching!!
Taking the content to a next level!! Love it. If old bones ever goes up for sale give me a shout. & keep up the great content!
I've just run a 190* thermostat the duramax fan relocated pump electrical and upgraded lift pump oh and 4in exhaust runs and drives great and no more vac pump I have manual wastegate control
Good video and I like the information you actually share a approximate cost how much each upgrade.
👍👍👍
Thanks. I tried to be thorough and help others out. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I see so many people hatinf on the 6.4 powerstroke. Once you get rid of thw emissions crap which is the reason why the motor fails, it's a solid, and very powerful motor. I got an 08 f350 4x4 deleted and tuned, pushing nearly 230k miles and still runs strong no problems!
I have owned 6.5 turbo turds. Great little motor as long as you know what to fix on them. Not a powerhouse by any means.
I would necessarily say all that they are powerhouses in terms of hauling they got plenty of torque which in reality is what you mainly need to tow anyway they are just slower than the other competition say fords 7.3 and even then they are ridiculously slow I can never drive my dads 7.3 faster than 73, or 74 on the highway it all depend on maintenance and the old issue other than that you should be good for a while
Like it :) I hope to get a 6.5 as a daily some day also :)
I owned a 6.2 for many years. The main design flaw on the 6.2 and 6.5 is they were indirect injected; the fuel injectors sprayed into a pre combustion cup and not directly into the cylinder. This made them quieter. the downside was harder to start, all of the glow plugs had to work, even in summer, less power, needed more cetane in the fuel- not as forgiving when diesel fuel changed in 1996 to low sulfur fuel only. They had Stanadyne pumps just like the 7.3, but they weren't nearly the same motor. And remember, the military buys from the lowest bidder, not the best, designed by committee. If Hummvees had 7.3's or 12 valve Cummins, people would fight over them. But you could buy a couple brand new 6.2's in the crate for what you would pay just to get a 100,000 mile 6.0 back on the road.
Thanks I ended up getting it haven't had time to work on it yet.
The 6.5 has very simple and very easy fixes, vacuum pump, lift pump, pmd fix those open her up with more intake and exhaust. Nothing to do with 6.5 being bad that's GM's schtick from back in the day
I just bought a 95 3500 the lift pump is not pumping unless its str8 wired and he said the injectors wont spray ..117,000 + miles on it payed 1000 $
What should start to fix this
I loved my 6.5 had her to 400,000 miles when the crankshaft broke.
Was the balancer shot or did you have a gear drive in place of timing chain?
Mine the balancer blew out three times then the fourth time the crankshaft broke and it started eating valves
Same with my brothers. 380 000 and the bottom of the engine let go.
Mine made it to 200K, dropped a valve on Interstate 10 1100 miles from home. Towed it home (2003) and the truck sits out back and the engine on the floor of my shop. Haven't had the interest to fix it as of yet.
@@connerdavis2450 Thats why there is no use skimping on the balancer, get a fluidamper... which is better than the stock or repro ones.
Good Video! I have some video on my K3500 6.5l. Vacuum pump on this truck will go bad too.
Will check it out. I think I have watched yours before and am subscribed to your channel. Thanks for watching and commenting.
The only one major problem gm engineers did was add a bunch of crap for domestic use if you convert it back to marine application manual spring activated wastegate , vacuum delete , bigger air box, 4 inch exhaust, pmd delete or relocate to front of truck or like mine inside the cab with a fan on it you can buy marine injector pumps pmd deleted. Duramax fan, lift pump and fuel line upgrade, 4 core aluminum radiator , reprogram and it will make more power got better mileage and more power out of mine. 320 rwhp 380ft lbs torque isnt bad for a 22 year old chevy that made a lot less out of the factory. Might have 2500.00 into everything. You can also install an oil dry sump tank for hi demand situations when oil pressure drops oil will automatically inject into the motor from reservior. The heat issues are oil related this motor should have 8 quart capacity.
One name in 6.5 is Leeroy diesel Get that lift pump on a solenoid switch and off that sending unit switch so that it can get enough amps
Leroyyyy
Great video! I've owned 6.2 and 6.5 (and even 5.7L diesel!) trucks for 25 years now. My current rig is a 1995 Tahoe 2-door with the 6.5L. She currently has 354,000 miles on her. The engine has never been touched internally, but I have upgraded the cooling system, intake system, oil cooler lines, FSD relocation, and a chip from Kennedy Diesel. She still runs warm when towing my 18' camper, so my next goal is to upgrade the turbo. I believe the stock GM-4 really chokes the exhaust at higher RPM trapping a lot of heat.
You'd definitely be right. Those turbos are no good above about 2200 rpm.
One caveat would be to keep any new turbo at a lower PSI. From all the forums, & vids I've seen, the 6.5 has a weak bottom end, & can't handle the higher pressures other engines make use of with aftermarket turbos.
@@grumblyone3334 between cracking blocks and weak crankshafts yeah bottom end isn't the stoutest. If you have a good crack free block and a good harmonic balancer, 300 hp is safe though.
J
The 6.5L must be a great engine if the Military still uses the M1025-M1046 and M1113-M1167 HMMWV/ECV.They longer make them,even for the Military,espiecally since the JLTV came out in 2015 which has a 6.6L LBZ,but the Army and Marines will not retire them until 2042.So that means that the 6.5L itself will be over 50 years old by that time,and the HMMWV will be almost 60 years old by then,ever since the first year that both the truck and engine came out into production.I'm a Powerstroke and Cummins guy,I love the most torque that you can get,but if I say that the 6.2L and 6.5L are great engines...Then it must be true.Both of those engines back in their prime just had the loss of torque compared to the 6.9L-7.3L IDI and 7.3L Powerstroke,and the 12V 5.9L.However,they have incredibly fuel efficiency compared to the other main two,even in today's trucks,they still are at the same level or can have better numbers for being 30 years old or older already.The main result to get better fuel efficiency above 20 MPG in them was dependant on the weight of the truck and what gear ratio you have.The most common problems on the two of them actually was the harmonic balancers,fuel filters,base housings,injection pumps,heads,and even cracking in the cylinders which are all related to age and high abuse obviously.The 6.2L had 155 HP/250 TQ and the 6.5L had 200 HP/390 TQ,even though the 6.2L was naturally aspirated you could buy a Banks turbocharger kit that even was available for the 6.9L & 7.3L IDI's that added 60 HP/115 TQ and 5-10 Psi of boost.However,you would need a brand new harmonic balancer,head studs,and head gaskets on one and also the chambers and feeds would need to be inspected of course to make sure there is no oil leaking in any of them.You can even interchange a 6.2L with 6.5L parts to handle 13-18 Psi of boost and would need a intake manifold,plenum passenger exhaust manifold crossover,CDR Valve and much more.The 6.5L also came naturally aspirated as well,but most were turbocharged,the M1025-M1046 HMMWV all have the N/A 6.5L.
your comment on rpm being its strong suit makes sense. However with some mods they can be incredibly torquey down low. I have an HX40II Turbo installed @12psi, with a supporting tune. as well as a 3" downpipe to a 4" exhaust. I didn't notice a big difference on the high end but down low the truck woke up quite a bit. Mine is a 94'
I upgraded the oil pump
along with everything you mentioned, time to roll coal!
Nice!!!! Give me an update in a few weeks and let me know if things are still going great. Thanks for watching.
I like the 'cold air intake', that draws air from under the hood, where it's warm...
Bbhhhaa I know right, I assumed that was just for high school kids.
@@panthermartin7784 It really is clueless to have the engine suck hot underhood air. Big Time.
I got a 2003 f350 6.0 bulletproofed and a 93 k350 fully built 6.5 best running truck I’ve ever owned. Had a 7.3 brand new and it lasted 3 weeks before the transmission blew out.
Thanks for watching.
2:10 (MnT DS)
Just discovered your videos on Old Bones. I currently own a 93 GMC 3500 WA 6.5. Absolutely love the truck and will be making some of the modifications you have suggested. My ultimate goals for the are very much in line with what you have done, in fact we currently are involved in the same kind of professions. My question or concern is the automatic transmission 480LE. Numerous times the ECM will act up and the transmission will not shift out of low. Limp it back to a shop and they reset the code and may wk fine for 10,000 mi then do it again. Any thoughts, fixes or recommendations.
Thank you
Rich Sturtevant
Very much enjoyed the video. I have owned my 94 K2500 ("S" engine) since new (2/94) and have done nearly all of the upgrades that you have mentioned, plus a few more. Cooling has never been a problem with my truck and the hottest it ever got was around 200 pulling a grade towing a 5500 lb. 5th wheel. I've been fortunate in that regard. I somewhat addressed the oil capacity issue by installing a dual oil filter relocation kit which increased my capacity to 8 quarts. As you mentioned, certain upgrades and regular maintenance makes for reliability. Do some suggested add ons and you've got yourself dependability and a truck that will get reasonable fuel mileage. BTW, I still have my TURBO POWER cover.
Thanks for watching and commenting. I too have not had any issue with cooling but will probably upgrade a few things just to make sure. Gets pretty hot here in Oklahoma. Thanks again.
The only thing unreliable about those diesels or any diesel is the owner. I have a 2009 6.4 with 270k on and nothing has ever been replaced. I have a 7.3 with 242k nothing but glow plugs have ever been replaced. I've seen 6.0s with 500k + all original everything. I even had 5.7 diesel in a boat of a car....great car. The best engine I've ever had was a 6.9 idi in a 85 250
Agreed Heffy. Thanks for watching.
Good video! Alot of good information. Very positive. Would like to know if any noticed gains from removing the cast intake and putting a hose on it instead... I'm not convinced.
Grant, I can't say that I notice anything too much. Seems to start up faster and the EGT's are a little lower but not sure if that is because of the Exhaust, the Intake or both. I still like it though for the money. Thanks for watching.
6.5’s were great diesels. They were originally made for marine use and military use in the humvee’s. Made for MPG not speed. Pre 93’s are what you want. Mechanical diesel, 26-28mpg. Mine went until 290k miles all original except a starter. Had to sell when I moved sadly. 94’s and on they started to add a PMD but the location made them overheat and act wonky. A simple PMD relocation solved 90% of the issues. They are not speed Demond’s or haul crazy but I never had issues towing around my boats. They were build for longevity and MPG, not so much on the power side
I have one and I love mine
6.0s are mint. Honestly one of my top picks for a light diesel.
Cruising down the street in my 6.0, blew a gasket; need a tow.
Mike The milk shake machine
blackandgold51 the 7.3’s wouldn’t be the same with all the new tech and smog.
The second I watched this I was hooked on also my dog looks identical to yours just subscribed
I had a 94 1500 with a 6.5 and loved it sold it with over 400 thousand miles on
I'm curious why no one ever talks about the 6.4. Yeah the 6.0 was bad, but the 6.4 had all the same issues and then some
Even worse JUNK twin turbo JUNK egr just total furd fail .
Furd makes more money on parts than selling the truck new .
Freaking sad.
Ford swept that thing under the rug like it never even happened...
I own a 6.0, Its at 234k. Bullet proofed at 471 hp 947 tq, take care of your truck and it will care for you. The 6.4 doesn't even give you a chance to care for it lmfao
I loved mine miss it wanna sell my 24v to go back to one
Where do you recommend getting these parts. Specifically oil cooler lines, dual thermostat and water pump? FYI I’m in Canada 🇨🇦. Thanks for any recommendations I just bought a 97 dually and going to fix it up and turn it into a welding rig.