Which Truck?

[Dallas_Lilly]

I currently own a 1990 Chevy 1500 4wd Ext Cab. It has the 350 in it with 5 speed manual. The truck itself has many miles on it and the odometer is broken but the engine only has about 30K (I built it) It has been a great truck but when I bought it I lived in town and did not have to haul firewood, did not have a camp trailer and did not have a tractor. Here lately I find myself overloading it more and more - I have been pulling the tractor, going camping etc.....

I have the opportunity to trade the 1500 truck (in a round about way) for a 1995 2500 4wd Ext Cab 6.5L Turbo Diesel. The truck has 170K miles on it but the truck is in realitivly good condition. Because mine has a fresh engine and some of the other things that I have done to it I think I could come out ahead in this deal about 2K. That would give me enough money to build a dumping flatbed which I have always wanted (ecspecially now that I have a tractor) but never had enough truck to haul any amount of material.

My question - How bad are the 6.5L Turbo Diesels Really, I hear trash talk but dont know anybody with real experience? How well do they perform under a load. And does anybody have expreience with one that has been well maintained - how long do they live, is this one about dead or can it go another 50K

 

[MarEng]

http://www.dieselenginetrader.com/ has a lot of info on the 6.5 and other GM diesels. Go to DIESELTALK and look under the GM tab.

 

[rback33]

I too have heard a lot of trash about the 6.5's. Infact the local Diesel Pickup Specialist's (company name) won't touch them. Only Ford's and Dodge's. However, one of my former bosses/neighbors has had 2 plus his nephew has 1. They have had great luck with them. They are about the same age as yours with more miles and still running. They pulled nice, including a big trailer house. (they are custom cutters) He is a heckuva mechanic so he has maintained them himself, injectors, injector pumps and all. To me it's a toss up. I know one other guy that has one and has lots of problems with it. Both engine and tranny... I think some of his issues are operator related, but that's a whole nother story.... Flip a coin?

 

[hudr]

I have a 6.5TD in a 95 3/4 ton chevy w/ 5sp. I have had little problems w/ the truck. It only has about 125,000 on it since I only use it when I have to haul something. Right now it is loaded down w/ about 200 t-posts and 7 rolls of barb wire for a fencing project. My Brother in law has a 97 3/4 ton w/ the 6.5 and automatic. We are both perfectly happy w/ our chevies. Most of the trash about the 6.5 has to do w/ the electronic controls on the inj. pump. Chevy put the box on the side of the pump, in the engine V where it traps heat and torches the electronics. There are lots of aftermarket companies that build a mount to move the control box somewhere else and add a heatsink.
The only ongoing complaint I have about my truck is the missing gear between 2nd and 3rd. Too much split there for a working truck. Both my truck and my BIL's truck have pulled everything we have put behind them.
I have a 24' gooseneck that we regularly put 12 rolls of hay on and I run right with my neighbor's 2000 Dodge 1-ton Cummins. Any of the trucks will get you a speeding ticket loaded. I also tend to get better fuel mileage than my neighbor's Dodge but I think that is due to the great cloud of smoke everytime he shifts.;-)
Check out www.ssdieselsupply.com for some background. I have bought several items from them and been totally satisfied.

 

[Dallas_Lilly]

Thanks for the info guys - aprreciate it.

Can anybody tell me what the horse power and torque rating would be for the 1995 6.5L Turbo?

 

[hudr]

Thanks for the info guys - aprreciate it.

Can anybody tell me what the horse power and torque rating would be for the 1995 6.5L Turbo?

If I remember the tag on my motor, I believe it is 185hp at 3600RPM (mine has NEVER made 185HP) and 400-420 lbs torque at 1750.
But remember, you are trusting my memory here!
Also, I think tranny type (std or auto) made a difference as well.
Anyone who thinks that is weak has obviously never driven one of the early 5.7's from Chevy (My Dad and I put 275,000 on one)

 

[bx23barry]

The 6.5 has a design flaw in the injection pump timing reluctor system. The turbo ones have more power than non turbo (real dogs) ones but not near the power of the dodge or ford. I would stay away from them just because the pump problems can turn into a real nightmare leave alone the power issue.

 

[Highbeam]

I really like my truck which is the same body style as the 96 and I even really like GM products as they are all I own but, I would not purchase a used pickup today with the 6.5 diesel. With so many used cummins, powerstroke, and even duramax trucks out there in the same price range I just don't think it is the best choice.